THE LOST PIECE

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t one of the tables, surrounded by her friends, her voice rising in giggles that mingled with the others.

him, nor did he seem to care. He ate neatly, his movements deliberate, each bite taken with careful precision.

hands holding his fork with a tight grip. He didn't really know why they laughed, why they seemed so happy. It was loud, too loud. Their voices buzzed aroun

flickered in him, but it was gone as quickly as it came. He didn't dwell on it, not like

, as always, remained apart from it all, his world neatly co

k against the plate. Her cheeks were flushed with the warmth of laughter, and she coul

k. The plate was light in her small hands, and she held it with a practiced grip

e. She approached the older woman with a spring in her step, the excitement

the children and tidying up the meal area. Her face softened wh

taking the plate from her hand

he other, standing a little taller with the attention, before nodding eagerly. "

re everything was in order before replying with a gentl

k, almost exaggerated curtsy before darting off to the

ashing her hands before she could join her friends again. She was almost

ooking up, she saw Tom standing directly in

to her surprise, her sleeve got

ration and surprise, trying to tu

to untangle their clothes with meticulous care. His fingers worked against the fab

the fabric once more, but in doing so, her other sleeve got stuck to his coat as well.

d pulled with every movement. "Let go!" she demanded, thoug

fabric, but each movement only made things worse. The more he tried to pul

d then stopped. Her face scrunched up

et away. She was stuck, her arms locked in place, unable to move without making the whole thing

onto the fabric, seemingly unaware of her growing distress. His cold, detach

voice wobbly as she tried

red, her face softening at the sight of the children's predicament. With a

ead with a light chuckle. "Now, no more gett

eeling the sting of tears but now free. She glanced at Tom, who s

er breath, giving Tom a final glare before running off to the wa

eir favorite corners of the room, their laughte

f the other girls, arranging a small

n with care. "And here's the bedroom." She added a smaller bloc

ed, pretending to make the doll fa

e clutched her favorite doll-a tiny figure with red yarn for hair-and pla

tting alone in the shadows, was Tom. His small figure hunched over a few toys he had gathered. His little hands

of toys and then to the collection of others scattered among her friends. They all had so mu

athering all the toys in her arms-her blocks, her dolls, everything she could carry. Her friends s

going?" one o

d simply, her voice

toys, his brown eyes fixed on his little world of treasures. It was

is voice sharp and defensive, l

pile of toys on the floor. "I thought... maybe you'd like to play wit

pression didn't soften. If anything, his eyes narrowed, suspicion

blunt rejection. "But... why n

s," Tom said, his tone

offered, her heart sinking a littl

ys, his movements stiff and deliberate. "I said no," he muttered, his

t, then back at Tom. For all his sharp words, there was something lonely about the way he hunche

toys back into her arms. "But... if you ev

d up and walked back to her corner, her heart heavy. She didn't understand why

n her attention was drawn to a small, colorful horse perched on top of the cupboard. I

gers barely grazed the bottom of the shelf. Huffing in determination, she jumped, her

ght his attention. He watched her for a moment, her small hands swiping at the air, her freckle

strange stirr

hough no one else seemed to hear it. His heart thudded steadily, his breaths slowing, and a peculia

r his breath, though he d

s it wobbled on the edge. Time seemed to hang in the air fo

d right on top o

floor at her feet, and she blinked in surprise before scooping it up. She turned

asked, holding up the ho

be it just got tired of sitting up there," he said dryly

er chest and wandered back to her friends, oblivious to th

pened, but a spark of something new flickered inside him-a feeling that he was different, special somehow. A