Revamped!

[For those of you wondering how someone could just flip into a new person after a relationship, I have seen it first-hand since that was one of my friends. She isn't my friend anymore and I'm glad for that since I genuinely hate the person she became.] [2020: Now I'd thank her for giving me inspiration for this arc.]

A Thorne in His Side: Part Four

Days like this are when Thorne thinks he's asleep somewhere else and this is his nightmare. He's with his parents which makes the moment more of a fantasy. First, his parents wanted him at home and now they want to go in public with him. Maybe this is a sign that his real parents got abducted and these are alien clones. The only hint Thorne gets that indicates reality is that his parents brought him to a liquor store. This was their bonding time so his parents could say that they spent time with him, and drink away to forget it happened.

Thorne yawns as his parents debate over types of bourbon. Maybe he could open a bottle they were planning to purchase so he could pass out.

He turns his head and instantly, he believes that he's in the nightmare again. He sees Kate Fallow with her parents here as well. Thorne skips on his heel and runs into the beer cooler to avoid her. He ducks behind a display and shivers to himself.

His heart races. The shock of seeing her here for the first time since he heard of her arrival takes his breath away.

"Kid, are you old enough to purchase alcohol?"

Thorne looks over his shoulder and sees an employee giving him the stink eye for not only hiding behind a display but also being underage (which he knew the answer to when he asked. He addressed him as "kid" for the sake of the stars).

"No," Thorne replies, irritated.

"Then, why are you here?"

"My parents dragged me along and now I'm hiding from my ex."

The employee nods, not caring about Thorne's story. "You're still underage so you can't handle the merchandise."

"I'm not even buying it."

"Still, you're a kid."

Thorne rolls his eyes as he stands and exits the beer cooler. He hides behind a shelf of champagne bottles, peering over to see if she spotted him yet. He's staring at her because he can't help but wonder where geeky Kate went. He thinks that she got swallowed by this new sleek Kate. This irritating thorne in his side is stabbing him and he can't help but leave it instead of yanking it out. He has so many unanswered questions that he doesn't want to ask. He isn't sure what would happen if he were to talk to her but it might cool to see what happens.

Seeing Kate again after all this time is a shock. Since he called off their relationship, Thorne spent his time mending his broken heart, telling himself that it wasn't his fault or that he didn't miss her. He wishes people would stop looking at him like he was the villain in the breakup. He may have initiated the end but she was the catalyst. He felt this indescribable pain in his chest whenever she would cross his mind. Thorne recently reached that point where he could breathe, smile, and be happy without the lingering thought of her betrayal in the back of his mind. He can never forget his first love because she showed him, proved to him that he can love and be loved, that love is how you grow and why. If he could like Kate that much and for that long on his first try, then he could like someone else far better and longer.

All he sees now is one smile. A smile he first saw when he nearly broke into her house and played video games by her side. A smile that for the first time in his life made his heart stop before beating at a rapid pace.

He shakes himself back to reality and sees Kate looking at him. Thorne chokes on his breath as he back up and runs out of the store. Who knows, maybe she didn't see him.

-o-

Thorne stops running and stops in the centre of the mall, beside a vending machine. He pulls out some coins from his pocket and buys himself a soda. Once the chilled can is in his hand, he takes a breath. He feels relaxed, for once. He opens his can and takes a sip. Mid-sip, his eyes widen when he sees Kate searching for him. He suddenly chokes on the carbonation and spits up on himself.

"Aces!" Thorne curses since he's now wet.

Kate hasn't noticed and that's when Thorne makes a run for it. He wants to talk to her to see what's up but his feet overpower his mind. He can't do it so he flees. When Thorne spots Wolf, he's relieved.

"What do you want?" Wolf asks.

"I need help," Thorne replies.

"The info booth is down there." Wolf points at the other end of the mall.

Wolf smirks to himself before walking off. Thorne follows and stands in front of him, making Wolf stop.

"Please… I'm desperate," Thorne begs. "An evil darker than a shattered heart is plaguing me." He goes closer to whisper. "Kate Fallow is back in town and she's right there!"

Wolf's eyes follow where Thorne subtly points and his eyes almost bulge out of his head when he sees her. Instantly, he grabs Thorne's arm and drags him the other way.

"And if we move quickly, she won't see us," Wolf says.

Thorne smiles at his hospitality. "Aw, I thought you hated me."

"It's more of a dislike now."

"You like me."

"I pity you for having a crazy ex. I'd lose my spades if I dated her."

Thorne rolls his eyes. Of course, Wolf would never do a nice thing for him. Pity, yes. Kindness, never.

"Don't you have an ex somewhere?"

Thorne could only picture Wolf's ex being a rugged biker chick covering her tattoos with her leather jacket, fishnet leggings, and boots. Maybe an ex-biker babe, if that's what he called it. That was a basic stereotype and not like Scarlet at all but it makes sense for the Wolf Kesley before he dated Scarlet.

"Somewhere I don't care," Wolf responds.

Thorne smiles. That answer loosely translated to "it's none of your business," but directly meant, "I never had an ex because Scarlet is my first and only". Thorne gives Wolf that hopeless romantic look that almost gets him chucked into the trash can. (At least Kate won't find him in there.)

"Why is Kate even here?" Wolf asks.

Thorne shrugs. "Beats me. I haven't spoken to her except a few texts. Someone told me her parents are here to pay their respects to Mayor Rikan."

"Aces, a saint dies and the demon's already taking over…" Wolf runs a hand through his hair. "She's definitely not only here for the condolences. She wants you back."

Thorne scoffs in frustration. "Why must I be so irresistible?"

Wolf rolls his eyes before gagging. Thorne looks at him offended because he knows how handsome he is.

"Well, your lack of fashion sense depresses me," Thorne says, looking at Wolf's leather jacket, plaid shirt, and ripped jeans. "I'll have to carry the team on my own and buy a new outfit. That, and I need a disguise from Kate and my clothes are covered in pop."

Thorne goes into the nearest clothing store as Wolf goes on his phone. Kate walks by and sees Wolf. He looks up at her and gives her a small, casual wave as she takes a seat on a nearby bench and goes through her phone. One breeze through social media later and Wolf sees Thorne walks back out with his most obvious disguise. It was a trench coat with a fedora, sunglasses, and scarf wrapped around his face. Thorne flaunts it as if he was on a runway and Wolf is mentally disturbed (but just had to put it on his story. Lucky for him, Thorne was feeling himself in that outfit so he went with it).

"I need a smoke…" Wolf says, grabbing Thorne who screamed a little when he saw Kate smirking at possibly her phone, possibly him, possibly him on her phone since Wolf posted it.

"Oh, now you want to help after I put on a nice outfit?" Thorne questions melodramatically. "Too bad I don't give a spade anymore."

"She still knows it was you," Wolf responds.

"How? This is a very convincing costume."

Wolf won't argue against that atrocity. "She saw you buy it and put it on! And I posted it but because you look like a moron."

Thorne sighs. "Some people can't help being noticed."

Wolf groans. "I seriously need a smoke now."