Almost Broken

Part 5

"I guess I'll start with the basics." Tom says, his accent sending butterflies into my stomach. I always wanted an accent so hearing one first hand is basically the closest I can get, and I love it.

"Ok." I say with a bit of hesitation for what he might ask. He places his hand over mine with a small and pitiful laugh before he winces in pain.

I grip his hand, waiting for him to give me the sign that he's alright and I shouldn't call a nurse. As he grip loosens, so does mine.

"What do you do for a living?" He asks, his voice getting less scraggly with every word that flows from his lips.

"Well," I begin as I tuck one of my fly aways behind my ear. "I'm currently working as a substitute kindergarten teacher, but like I told you yesterday I want to get a full time job as a teacher. I actually got another interview under the circumstances." I say with excitement and passion filling my voice.

His eyes grew soft as he looked at me, hanging onto my every word. "That's amazing! I still feel awful that you had to miss your first interview." He says with a sorrowful tone as he glances towards his hand that are folded in his lap. I tilt my head slightly before placing a hand on his arm carefully.

"There is no reason for you to be apologizing. If I hadn't stopped to help you, who knows where you would be now and I wouldn't have gained a new friend." I say with sincerity as a warm smile forms on my lips.

"We've only just met, but I feel like you know all the right things to say." Tom says, no expression on his face, he just looks at me. I try to keep my cheeks from growing pink as I look down.

His eyes move from my eyes to, again, the scar on my cheek. "Are we close enough for you to tell me the story?" He asks as he reaches up a hand just like he did the day before.

His thumb rests gently again the little mark as i can't look him in the eyes. He wouldn't think I was as brave as he does now if he knew the story. He'd just find out how broken I am inside and how I ache under my smile. A small tear trickles down my cheek, resting on his thumb.

"It's alright, I don't need to know." He says softly as he brings his fingers to his lips before pressing them on top of my hand.

"I just don't know if I'm ready to relive it all." I say not remembering that I had told him it was simply a cut I got as a kid. He doesn't bring up that part, though. I think he knows how to read me better than even I do. I guess that can happen when you are left to your thoughts about a person for hours without being able to share them with them.

"Well, then I'll interrogate you about something else." He says with a mischievous smile. I look at him with a nervous smirk as I await his question.

"What's with you and the sexy nurse?" He asks and immediately my cheeks grow a deep red and I sit back in my seat.

"We're just friends, Tom. I just met him yesterday like I met you." I say as I try to keep my voice from shaking. "Also, he has a name. He's not just a sexy nurse, his name is Philip and he's really sweet." Tom holds back laughter for some reason and as I turn around, Philip is checking his charts with a face the color of a tomato.
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~Aoife