A/n: Story idea! So I'm really excited to write (yeah, I say this all the time) but I keep getting reviews, and I always leave you guys hanging :( so, here I am! Hopefully to stay, it's summer and I have nothing else to do XD but anyways, let me know what you think about this one shot, this is obviously part one of two, and depending, I will either continue this AU one shot continuously, or I will make it it's own chapter length stoy.
"Thomas, look." his mother said from the living room. She appeared to be looking out the window.
Thomas, no older than three, scampered into the room at his mother's request. "Yes, mommy?"
"Look," she said, pointing out the window as she moved the white satin curtain out of the way for Thomas. He grabbed onto the window pane, standing on his tiptoes to peek outside the window as well. What he saw, made him gasp.
"What's going on?" Teresa, the same age as her slightly older brother asked.
"Neighbors!" Thomas cheered as he bounced up and down. There weren't many little kids that lived around this neighborhood for the twins to play with. There were kids, sure, but they were much older and a lot bigger than the two kindergartners to play with.
"No way, let me see!" Teresa said, her curls bouncing up and down as she jumped up to peek out the window. Across the street was what appeared to be a mom moving boxes out of their mini van, up onto their porch and inside the house. Not only that, but there were two kids, who appeared to be the twins age, running around the front yard as well.
A big smile spread across Teresa's face. "Look, mommy! You think we could go play with them?"
She only shrugged. "I don't see why not." she said, encouraging them to put on their socks and shoes. "We can go greet them and welcome them into the neighborhood.
"I'm Thomas." he greeted with a bright smile to the little boy next to him.
"I'm Isaac." he said, sticking out his hand. Thomas smiled, shaking it. "You wanna be friends?"
"I don't see why not." he said with a shrug. The boy, Isaac, had a funny way of talking, but it didn't phase Thomas too much. He was happy to have a new friend, nonetheless. "That's my sister, Isabella over there." he said, pointing to a girl across the yard who looked almost identical to him. Both had bright blonde hair and blue eyes. The girl on closer inspection had small freckles, and her hair was a bit wavier than the boy's.
"That's my sister Teresa." Thomas replied. The two girls appeared to be getting along.
From afar anyways.
"Cinderella is waaay better than Ariel." Isabella challenged.
"Is not! Besides, I'd rather be a mermaid and live in the sea, than be a princess and live in a castle!" Teresa fired back.
The two moms could already tell that those two would be a lot to handle. But one glance at their two boys, and they knew that they had just found a friendship of a lifetime.
"Where are we going?" Thomas asked.
"Out here, into the woods." Isaac said, leading the way.
Their parents had sent the four children off to the park. While Teresa and Isabella stayed out on the playground, the two boys, now a little over the age of five, were venturing out into the unknown. Of course the moms could see where they were going, as it was a relatively small park, but to the two little boys, it was nothing short of an adventure.
"What's over here anyways?" Thomas asked again.
"I found a small pond over here the other day." Isaac said, enthusiastically. It's got a whole bunch of cool insects and creatures and stuff."
"Really?"
"Yeah! You'll love it!"
So the two continued on, until finally, they reached a large and rather tall tree, it's branches shading the pond of which Newt spoke of. It was full of lily pads, frogs, toads, fishes, and tiny little flies. There were birds and butterflies, bees and slugs. Thomas was a little creeped out, but Isaac seemed rather unfazed.
"You like all this stuff? Like dirt and worms?" Thomas asked.
Isaac shrugged. "Sure. Doesn't every boy?"
Later on in life, the two would come to learn that Thomas cares very little for germs. Not necessarily to the point of mysophobia, but definitely enough to know he never leaves the house without hand sanitizer or kleenex. But for now, Thomas just shakes his head, a look of disgust on his face. "No. Besides, I don't like getting my clothes all dirty."
Isaac seems to be okay with this, as he turns back to the little pond. The two boys sit on the edge of it, just staring down into the water. They talk about school and their favorite ninja turtles for what seems like hours. The girls never run over and bother them like they usually do, and the parents are mindful to keep a close eye on them, incase either one of them were to fall into the murky water.
The two are talking, and Thomas is aware that Isaac just asked him a question, but all he can focus on is that….thing sitting on Isaac's shoulder.
"Um...what is that?" Thomas questions, pointing to the lizard type thing sitting on top of his friend's shoulder.
Newt swivels his head in the direction of the creature, and laughs at Thomas. "It's a newt!" he says, giggling as he picks it up.
"A what?!"
"A newt! It's a type of lizard. That's what my mum told me anyways. We have a pet lizard at home."
Thomas just stared bewildered at his friend, before erupting into laughter.
"What?" Isaac asks, worried his friend might actually be turning crazy.
"Newt." he says. "That's a funny name."
"Yeah, but they're cool. A little funny looking though."
"Like you?" Thomas asks, giggling.
Isaac's face becomes flushed. "Huh?" he doesn't get it yet, but Thomas is already scheming.
Thomas can't stop laughing, as he rolls over in the grass in a fit.
"What are you trying to say?" Isaac demands, gently setting the creature back down on the earthy floor of grass, dirt, and moss.
"Nothing." Thomas says, gasping for air. "But I think from now on, I'm going to call you Newt."
Isaac makes this face of "yeah right" without even realizing just how right he is.
"We should go bike riding." Isabella suggests.
"Like a race?" Minho pips in.
"What's with you and wanting to make everything a competition?" Newt questions.
"I'm competitive, what else can I say?"
"Not much." Thomas snickered.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Nothing." now both Thomas and Newt were giggling in secret.
"Come on guys, let's just go!" Teresa whines.
"Yeah, for once I agree with her." Izzy remarks. Teresa glares, but nonetheless, urges the group of seven year olds to hop on their bikes and get a move on.
"Hey, can I come?" a little voice asks the group from behind.
Izzy groans. "Can't you leave us alone, Sonya?"
"Yeah, don't you have friends of your own to play with?" Newt asks his little sister.
The five year old frowns at her older siblings. "No….but I wanna ride bikes too." she says, holding her little bike equipped with training wheels, helmet already clipped on her head.
Izzy looks about ready to yell at the poor girl, and Newt isn't quite sure what to do at this point. To say she's a sibling they didn't want is a bit of an overstatement. Newt would have been just fine with a baby brother, but another sister was fine. Isabella on the other hand, wasn't so happy about not being the center of attention anymore.
"Guys, she can come if she wants too." Thomas spoke up.
"Yeah, I don't care." Minho said with a shrug.
"Just let her come Isabelle." Teresa spoke out.
Sonya smiled brightly, while Izzy burned holes into the back of Teresa's head. If it was any indication when they were little, it's obvious now, those two will never see eye to eye. But now marked another important moment. Later on, Thomas would realize just how much of a crush their little sister Sonya had on him, and even if she, the five year old, didn't realize it herself.
It was summertime again, and this would be the first year the kids were off to camp. Minho, who they met in elementary school, and lived within their neighborhood, would be joining the small group of four. Sonya would be staying at home, but the others were excited to make new friends. Granted it was only a week long, but it gave the kids a chance to experience something they couldn't at home. And it gave the parents much needed alone time to relax and catch up on some much needed sleep.
While at camp, they met Gally and Brenda. Both outgoing and a bit mean looking, but nice and friendly once you got to know them. Well, all for Gally, who Thomas couldn't seem to like. But Izzy and Teresa definitely fought over Brenda's attention. They also met a boy named Alby, who seemed to steal Newt away from Thomas. But, all in all, it was a fun trip.
But they were in for a surprise when they returned back home.
"What's going on?" Thomas asked, a look of concern on his face. Newt sat beside him, on his front porch. Across the street, yelling could be heard. Thomas' mom had ushered Isabella and Sonya inside the house with Teresa. The kids were too young to understand what was happening. They were only eight, Sonya just turning six.
Everything seemed to be going so well.
"My Dad's leaving." was all Newt said. He didn't sound sad or happy. His face showed nothing of suspicion. He was just devoid of emotion. He couldn't understand, wouldn't for a long time. His dad wasn't really around in the first place. "Him and my Mum are always fighting. So now she wants him to leave."
Thomas frowned. "Will he ever come back?"
The pair was silent.
"I don't know."
Silence.
"Do you want him to?"
Newt's face scrunched up at the question. He really didn't know. Then a weird expression crossed his face as he turned to look at Thomas. "Do you?"
"Do I what?" he asked.
"Want your dad to come back."
Thomas didn't have to even think about the answer. "I didn't know him."
Newt leaned a head on Thomas' shoulder. "I didn't really know mine either.
Two years later, and the neighbors across the street seemed to be doing just fine. Thomas' mom was a single mom, and so she spent a lot of time with Newt's mom the past two years. Newt and Izzy spent a lot of nights at their house. It was hard at first, but it soon got easier. Sonya, now eight, doesn't really remember what happened. Izzy and Newt didn't quite understand the situation, but their dad had been so in and out of the picture that it didn't really matter at this point. They were all slowly moving on.
They were now ten years old, and would be entering Junior High next year. 6th grade was a little intimidating, but they were still excited. They learned that they would be attending the same school as the friends that they made at camp. They were excited to get to see them everyday now, instead of only once or twice during the summer.
"You're what?!" Thomas was downright sobbing now.
"I'm so sorry Tommy." Newt said, crying as well.
"But-b-b-but, you c-can't leave!"
It was true. Newt's mom found a new job, and her divorce was final. They had already sold the house and the twins were enrolled into their new school already. Everything was packed, and Izzy seemed more than happy to live in a new place. Sonya was sad, but enthusiastic nonetheless. But again, she was only nine.
"I'll come visit." Newt sniffled.
"But, you're moving halfway around the world."
"We're going to live with my Grandma for about a year, I'll be back, I promise!" he tried to cheer his best friend up.
"But, we've been through so much together! You can't leave!"
"You know I never break a promise." Newt cried.
"Then why do I feel like you won't be back?" Thomas sobbed.
"I know this is hard, but you have to believe me." Newt explained.
Thomas realized that it was inevitable and that he was leaving. He hugged his best friend tight as they said their goodbyes. A week later, Thomas and his family waved goodbye to Newt and his family. Thomas cried the whole way back home. He had lost his best friend, and there was literally nothing he could do.
Teresa seemed okay. She liked Newt sure, but she seemed a lot happier to finally be rid of Isabella. She tried comforting her brother, but it was no use. He had a broken heart that couldn't be mended. His mother tried everything to cheer him up. She even gave in and bought him a puppy, like he asked for every year for his birthday.
But it didn't work.
And on his 12th birthday that year, instead of wishing for a dog, he wished for Newt.
One Year. Sixth grade was about to begin. Newt hadn't returned and Thomas wanted to hide under a rock and never come out. He had trusted Newt. Believed him when he said he'd only be gone for a year. Soon he went into denial. Maybe a year and one month. A year, three months, and 12 days. Maybe that's his plane right there in the sky, about to land as they drove by the local airport. But alas, it was never him.
One year, 6 months. Something had changed. Something wonderful. Something incredible. The for sale sign now said sold. He was back! Newt was back! He celebrated, he cheered, he did his happy dance. He ran and told him mom and Teresa. He told his second long time friend Minho, who he hung out with more and more over the years. He told his camp friends Gally, Brenda, and Alby. He told his new friends, Clint, Jeff, Winston, and Frypan. But alas, when the moving van pulled up into the driveway across the street, it wasn't Newt. Thomas' heart somehow broke into a billion more pieces.
Newt wasn't coming home.
He saw a newt in the park today. The memory of giving his best friend that nickname clear in his mind. He decided that he hated them. They were gross, yucky, and slimy. They were no longer cool and funny looking. They were evil and disgusting. He picked one up and threw it into the water. It was fine of course, being part amphibian, but Thomas didn't care. It meant nothing. The name. The creature. Any of it.
That summer, he didn't leave the house. He didn't want to see another one of those things again. He stayed inside and played video games. He didn't bother signing up for summer camp because it wasn't like he would be there anyways. He refused to call him Newt. Wouldn't do it. That name alone held too much time, love, and care. And he knew those lizard things were everywhere at that campsite. "Not this year." he told his mother. "Too many memories."
Two years. Two years Isaac had been gone. Thomas was in seventh grade now, about to enter high school, and Isaac had yet to come back on his promise. He had broken it, and Thomas was devastated. He no longer stared out his bedroom window waiting for his return. He had a cellphone now, but no contact info under the name Isaac. He had an email. He even had a laptop with a skype account. But still, no Isaac. Where was all this technology that day he left on that plane?
Did he even have any of these things? Would he have stayed in contact if he had them at the time?
Thomas wanted to say that he didn't care, but deep down inside he couldn't forget about his once childhood friend. In the end, however, in a fit of anger and defiance, he deleted the empty contact profiles, and refused to let himself mourn anymore. Isaac was gone.
He wasn't coming back.
"Thank god, I have all my classes with you!" Minho sighed with relief.
"Yeah, and we have every other class with Brenda, which is awesome." Thomas said.
"And we get to see everyone at lunch, since we share the same period block." Alby smiled.
"Yeah, I have like no classes with you guys, and only one with Minho! I'm really bummed." Teresa chimed in.
"Next semester?" Brenda reassured with a smile.
"You said next semester, last semester." Teresa scolded her best friend.
"Not my fault you take all AP classes." Brenda snickered.
"Come one, we're gonna be late for first period, if we don't hurry." Alby said, leading the group.
Everyone scurried off, searching for room numbers and empty classroom seats, surveying the room for a single face they recognized to sit next to. Minho and Thomas managed to find a seat somewhere in the middle of the classroom, off against the window. They didn't have assigned seats as they were now in high school and everything was large, loud, and chaotic.
Eventually, the teacher walked into the room, and addressed the class. The room grew silent and attentive as the students began working on their daily assignment. Minho and Thomas passed notes back and forth, seeing as their teacher was strict about side conversations while he taught. Luckily, he faced the chalkboard all hour, allowing them to deviate from their work.
The sound of the door opening halted his teaching however, but the two boys paid no attention, Minho writing his reply, and Thomas too busy trying to figure out what nonsense Minho was up to now. Whatever it was, it involved his sister Teresa, and a bottle of shaving cream.
"Attention class, it appears we have a new student." the teacher addressed.
"Pfft, in the middle of the school year?" Minho scoffed. "How cliche."
"Yeah, I know, probably a foreign student, right?" Thomas replied.
"...Isabella, go ahead and find an empty seat somewhere.
The name didn't phase Thomas. He knew a handful of Isabelle's and Isabella's from middle school, Teresa's sports teams, and various other places. No, it wasn't the name that caught him off guard.
It was the face.
He nudged Minho in the side. "Wha-"
"Look!" Thomas said, pointing to the girl, making her way down the center aisle. It took Minho a moment, but then, soon afterward, recognition landed on his face.
"Shuck me, is that Izzy?! It's been like four years!"
But that wasn't the question Thomas wanted answered, as the familiar girl walked past and took a seat. No, the answer he wanted was more critical. One he had been waiting to be answered for years now.
Did this mean that Newt was back?
And goddamn it! Because Thomas hasn't called him by that name in years, but now here he was. And it wasn't even Newt! It was his shucking sister, and he's already feeling things he hasn't felt in years. Calm down Thomas! Just because she's here, doesn't mean Ne-Isaac is. He could still be over in England, his sister on some study abroad trip.
But, how Thomas prayed that wasn't the case.
He swore that by the end of the day, he would get to the bottom of this.
A/n: Ending is rushed but I'm so excited to have this posted!
