Tethered Tats

Chapter 34

I get up from the bed, it's only been less than half an hour since Grayson and Kira left and when I blurted out Tom and I's secret. I tiptoe back down the stairs, opening the freezer. Just as I thought, I grab the chocolate ice cream from the freezer and get the ice cream scoop from the drawer. I scoop out the ice cream and dump it into a bowl, a good six scoops, then I fish out some sprinkles from another cupboard, I've literally just been opening all the cupboards to find it. The sprinkles stick to the ice cream, I sneak a few sprinkles into my mouth before putting it back in its place in the top cupboard, next to the syrup. I take three spoons- in case Flynn is still there and make my way up the stairs.

I whether my lip between my teeth, debating if I should knock or not. I suck in a huge breath and knock so softly, I'm not surprised if he couldn't hear it. I push the door open a crack, peeping my head around the corner. Tom sits in his bed, controller in hand, flipping through channels on his flat screen TV. I push the door open wider, moving myself inside the bedroom and closing the door softly behind me. Flynn isn't here so it's just me and him.

"Hey," I whisper softly, moving towards his bed, hesitating to sit down beside him. I finally take a seat and set the bowl in between us.

"Hey," he replies, not looking at me.

"I got ice cream, supposed to be my olive branch to you, I guess." I look to the TV, he's kept it on a cartoon channel, the adverts roll pass the screen one by one.

He doesn't say anything, just stares at the screen.

I gently clear my throat and sigh slowly so it wouldn't be heard. "It... it has sprinkles on them," I stutter, looking up to him, seeing the pain behind his eyes makes my heart clench. "It's chocolate sprinkles and chocolate ice cream, I bet it's your favourite as you love chocolate and all." I scoop my finger into the ice cream and stick it into my mouth. With my other finger I scoop more and bring it up to his face, I go to put it onto his lips but he flinches, making it go on his nose instead.

"Shit, sorry," I mumble, going to take it off his nose, he grabs my hand and turns to me, finally looking into my eyes.

"I'll save that bit for later." He grins at me and takes a spoon, spooning some ice cream into his mouth. "And you're right, it is my favourite." He licks his spoon and I too, use my spoon to lick ice cream.

"I'm so, so sorry, Tom," I mutter, sucking at the chocolate ice cream.

He sighs long and hard, "It wouldn't have mattered if it wasn't a secret." He looks to me again and does a short laugh, "it was only a secret because I knew I did wrong, I knew that Grayson really likes you and I didn't want to make him mad at us." He tries to lick the ice cream off of his nose but fails. He gives up and leaves it there.

"Wait, what do you mean he likes me?" I look to the TV screen momentarily, the Powerpuff girls come onto the screen.

"I mean." He moves himself so his whole body is facing towards me, he takes my hands in his, "he likes you, likes you. He told me and Flynn the day of your birthday, he said how everything about you- your smile, your laugh, your eyes, your sarcasm, your everything, makes his heart flutter. I know he should've been the one to tell you but you need to know why I kept it all a secret. El, he loves you." He takes another bite of ice cream and sucks on it for a long time.

My mouth is wide open like a fly trapper, I eye Tom to see if he's joking.

"If you don't close you're mouth, it's going to stay like that!" Tom chuckles, using two of his fingers to close it for me.

"He- he said he loved me at my birthday party, when we were drinking. I honestly thought he said it because he was joking or maybe he was drunk. He actually meant it?" I'm stunned.