Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INTO THE WOODS! I only own Tom and the plot!
Chapter 4: A Valentine
Tom woke up with a chilling absence next to him. When he looked over, the beautiful girl that was sleeping peacefully next to him was gone, her sheets rumpled. He looked outside and saw that it was barely dawn and still snowing. The snow could last week's here but that meant more time staying at the bakery and more time with Cinderella. Speaking of, where was she? Tom crept down the stairs to the main room where the baker was setting out fresh bagels. Past him, Cinderella was dusting the counters viciously. Tom strolled over to her and sneezed when he entered the dust cloud around her. "What'd it ever do to you," he asked holding back another sneeze. As usual, she ignored him, "You slept in pretty late," she said instead of answering him. "It's not even light out," he replied confused. She didn't say anything but Tom could've sworn he saw her give the tiniest smile and shake her head.
"So where's Red and Jack," he asked, not knowing what else to say, "I didn't see them upstairs." "They went out to get flour from the miller," the baker said smiling from behind the display case. Now this confused Tom the most out of everything he'd heard this morning. "She went with him willingly," he asked,"I got the impression that she hated him after she chased him out of the shop with a knife." "Quite the opposite," Cinderella said wistfully, "she's had a big crush on him for as long as I can remember. Don't tell him though. She'd be mortified." Just then, Jack and Red walked in the door, presumably arguing about something. After a light (but still filling to him) breakfast, the baker greeted his customers while Cinderella went upstairs to tend to the baby and Red and Jack were having a tree climbing competition, which left Tom with nothing to do. So, he ventured out into the snow and into the woods.
He walked until he came across the old willow tree he used to sleep in. He always loved it in the winter, how frost collected on the long tendrils hanging down from the thin branches, how they flew in the wind. Tom emerged from his thoughts when he heard snow crunching behind him. Cinderella stopped next to him. "Beautiful, isn't it," she said looking up at the tree. "Yeah," Tom said simply. "I came here all the time," she said, "how did you know it was here?" After a while Tom decided to answer truthfully," You're going to think I'm crazy, but I feel like there's some kind of presence here, one that will protect anyone who needs protection. It was the only place a thieving orphan could feel safe." Cinderella slowly walked closer to the tree, to the stone placed in the ground in front of the tree. She touched it lightly and said, in almost a whisper, "my mother was buried here." "I'm sorry," Tom said softly. She stood and Tom thought he saw her wipe a tear from her cheek. "We should be going," she said, voice strong as ever, "it'll be dark soon." Tom hadn't noticed how long they had been standing at the tree. They began to walk back to the bakery.
When they got back, the baker was putting away buns so they wouldn't go stale and Red and Jack were whispering something about what they thought Tom and Cinderella were doing for most of the day in the woods, but Tom couldn't help but notice how Reds face got, well, red when Jack whispered in her ear. They all sat down to an uneventful supper and soon, it was time for bed. He slipped in bed before Cinderella and turned so that he wouldn't face her. He couldn't stop thinking about what she had told him at the willow. He heard her get in bed and felt the thin mattress sink closer to him than it should have. They lay there, neither sleeping, until it was late and it was silent. Even Red and Jack had abandoned their chatter for sleep. Then he leaned over and grabbed his, book from the bottom of his bag. He turned on his back and began to read, but he couldn't help but notice the beautiful, dark blue eyes watching him. Eventually she sat up and moved closed to him, trying to see what story he was so interested in this time. "What're you reading," she questioned softly. "A Valentine," he answered shortly. "What's it about," Cinderella asked as she laid her head on his shoulder. "You want me to read it to you," he asked. She nodded and closed her eyes. He took a deep breath and began, "'For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes,| Brightly expressive as the twins of Loeda,| Shall find her own sweet name, that, nestling lies| Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader.| Search narrowly the lines! - they hold a treasure.'" He read until she fell asleep on his shoulder, and then, his eyelids heavy with weariness, he placed a light kiss on top of her head and fell asleep.
A/N: And chapter four, everybody! Sorry about not updating in a while, homework sucks. I'll try to post every few days. So if you haven't noticed, Tom has a thing for Edgar Allan Poe and has a book of all of the poems and stories. If you know of any poems by Edgar Allen Poe you would like to see in the story, just put them in the review. You will be followed (and maybe even favorited) and be mentioned in the Authors Note of that chapter. Nothing will be turned down! Thank you for all the support I've been getting it really means a lot to me. See you next chapter! ~Stay Classy~