Always Been You | Tom Holland

THIRTY-SEVEN

Y/N

I'm not sure what is so different.

Let me be more specific: I'm not sure what is so different now with Tom. It's like he's a different person now. A good different. He's not getting under my skin every time we talk. He's checking in with me throughout the night. He's sending me flowers? He's always been a good person – his parents are incredible people – but this time... I'm not sure what's changed. 

Not that I'm complaining.

He's even talking with literally every single person who came out tonight. My coworkers. My school friends. Even Ben's lame coworkers who I know he hates. He's saved me from a handful of boring production conversations tonight. If he's got a plan to get me to like him again, it's working. I can feel the butterflies repairing their wings.

We've been here for a while. I'm drunk. I feel... weird. It's probably because I haven't drank like this in a while. My head feels fuzzy and I just want to go to bed. I look around for Tom, knowing he will take me home if I ask him to. I just can't really see right. Something is off. I pull my phone out to text someone but my vision is too blurry. I tap what I think is Tom's name and press the call button, but I feel a hand on my shoulder before I can get through to him. I look up and see a blurry figure standing over me, and I eventually recognize it as one of Ben's coworkers, Manny. I've met him a few times and he seems nice enough.

"You okay? You look a little sick." He sounds like a Charlie Brown teacher.

"Huh? I just need... some air..."

"Here, let me take you home." He helps me up and leads me toward the door, and it takes my fuzzy brain too long to realize I don't want him to take me home. I want Tom. I look down at my phone and see my phone call is connected. I lift the phone to my ear and hear Tom's voice.

"Y/N? You okay?"

"T-tom..." I can't get out much more than that. I'm feeling worse by the second. Manny is dragging me toward the door.

"What the–" the call disconnects and everything goes black.

Tom

"What the fuck?" I shove my phone in my pocket and follow Y/N and Manny out the front door. Y/N is hardly standing. She's still somehow pushing Manny away from her, and I can hear him telling her to calm down and that everything will be okay. I feel a hot rage fill my insides. "Manny, where are you taking her?" My breath turns into a cloud of white smoke in the winter air. It's freezing and he hasn't even gotten her coat for her.

"Oh, hey, Tom." Manny says through his teeth. Y/N looks at me and reaches her hand out to me.

"Tommy," she's slurring her words. She's not drunk. She was drugged. My eyes shoot to Manny and I calculate my options. Punch him or kill him. Punch him and then kill him.

"I'm just getting her home. She's clearly not doing well." He adjusts his grip around her waist and it makes me want to punch him even more. Does he think I'm stupid?

"No need. I will take her." I step toward him and he takes a step back. "Mate, I'm gonna need you to take your hands off of her. Now." His eyes narrow.

"Or what?" I hear the front door of the pub open behind me and turn to see Jane standing with Ben. Manny doesn't see them. "They're easier this way, anyway." He snarls. Ben and Jane step next to me and I take my chance. I swing my arm and connect my fist with his face, sending Manny stumbling backward. Pain sears through my fist and down my arm. Real punches hurt like hell. He removes his arm from Y/N's waist and I steady her as Ben grabs Manny and Jane pulls her phone out to call the police.