SCARLETT POV
Last night, was... eventful.
I said somethings I shouldn't have, he barely even talked and just watched me. He was right, I do remember it. And I was also right, last night.
I don't really care.
But another thing, I do remember is he didn't deny any of the things intoxicated Scarlett said. So I think... i'm good? Maybe. I don't know.
I needed to get my mind off it, so I decided I wouldn't go to school today. I'll just be productive, maybe i'll go to the gym or something, and then I can get a coffee.
I love skipping school on Monday's, it's that one extra day. It really makes the difference.
Anyways, back to Tom. I'm scared he'll think i'm like broken or something. It wasn't really that deep, I just smoke weed. So what?
So I guess I do care, in some ways. But only about the ways that matter. What if he thinks i'm trying to off myself. I'm really not.
Not at the moment, at least.
Anywho.
I was just about to get into my car. I had made a protein shake at home. It didn't take me too long to get ready, usually I hated it when people would see me without makeup. I just felt so naked, without it on. But, I knew I was just going to sweat it off and that's pointless.
And then, I just threw on a matching light pink gym set. It was one of those sets, where it was like biker shorts and a sports bra.
I just needed to get more energized, I haven't been to the gym in awhile. Considering cheer is like a workout on its own, but sometimes you just need to be, in the moment. I actually enjoyed being alone, for someone who was extremely clingy. If we're walking together, we're holding hands or linking pinkies.
No matter who you are.
—
I opened my tote bag, walking into the gym. I got out my headphones, that had been way too big for my head. But hey, they worked.
I hated airpods, they made my ear canals hurt.
So these will do for today.
I moved to the side of the entrance, tying my shoelaces. They always came undone so quickly for some reason, whatever reason that is.
I patted my shoes off, picking my things back up. I noticed a pair of legs, right in front of me.
I looked up, this is lovely.
"Why are you here?" I stood up, walking over to the treadmills. "Same reason you are i'm guessing." Tom chuckles, doesn't he have lives to save? Or sorry— boobs to save?
"Why aren't you at work?" I questioned.
"Why aren't you at school?"
"Fair." I sighed, getting on the treadmill. I turned to look at Tom again. "You're... what's the word?" I was looking at his biceps.
"Oh, I could use many words to list myself. Charismatic, smart, kind—"
"Okay shut up, not that." I put a hand in his face, stopping him from going any further.
"Toned, fit, whatever tickles your interest." I payed attention to the speed I was going at, turning it up just a little bit.
"Tickles my interest?" He leaned against the other treadmill, staring at me.
"Well, I was going to say whatever tickles your pickle. But, I was afraid you were going to take it the wrong way. So." I pushed some of my bangs out of my face.
"Oh my god! Scarlett, thinking before she speaks? Never heard of her!" He puts on an overly shocked tone, I rolled my eyes.
"I'm still mad at you, you can go train your muscles or whatever." I put my headphones on.
Tom pressed the stop button, on the machine.
"Literally why, what was the reason?" I turned it back on. "Oh okay, I see. It's boring Scarlett today." He mimics, walking over to the lifting bench. You'd expect more people to be in a gym, on a Monday morning. But nope.
"I'm not boring, i'm just tired." I took my headphones off, resting them around my neck.
"Mm yeah, no. I'm the fun-loving careless one now." He went to the place where you um— bench things. Like weights? I'm not exactly sure what it's called. I think that's what it's called.
The big metal bars.
Tom took his white tank top off, laying onto the black bench, scooting up a little.
"Okay literally, who are you flexing for?" I turned the machine off again. Walking towards him.
"Myself." He places his arms, on the metal part. Lifting it up, my eyes turned into full circles watching as he did so. Holy moly mother of—
I stared at the veins extending in his arms, low grunts erupting his mouth, as he lifted it up, and down. He looked like he could do this for hours.
"How much is that? Like in pounds?" I pointed to it, Tom put it back on the stand. Sitting up.
"Like 275." He scratches his neck, looking at the metal plates. That had already been stacked on the end, I mean he was here before me so I guess it makes sense. That's not the point, though.
"And how much, is your limit?" I suddenly got very curious.
"I don't know, maybe 320. I haven't been to the gym, since I moved from California." I wanted to know what his life was like there. How different was it then it is here? It had to have been extremely different then over here.
"What was your life like there? Do you have any family?" I sat on the floor, he looked over at me for a moment. Then staring back, to what was in front of him. "Yeah, I have family."
I waited for him, to continue talking.
"I have a twin brother, he still lives in L.A, and then... my mom lives in Germany." Tom says, getting his phone off, the end of the bench.
"There's two of you?!" I was flabbergasted.
"Well, we don't exactly dress the same. But yeah, we're identical." Tom nodded.
"Cool." I smiled, sitting on the bench in front of him. I wrapped both thighs, around the slim surface, thinking about what to say next.
"You should bench me, I think it could work." I blurted, he gave me the infamous look.
The one where he's like 'really Scarlett?'
But just. in his head.
"Okay, let's see." He got up. I side eyed him, no— I wasn't serious that was meant to be like a.... thing that he always says no to.
I felt myself getting dangled up. "No, Tom! I wasn't being serious!" He carried me, off the bench. Then setting me on my feet.
I sighed in relief.
"Yeah, that'll work." He squatted, wrapping a firm arm around my waist. The other one wrapped around my knee.
"I liked it better when you were mean to me!" I screamed, feeling myself go six feet up into the air. "I don't like this— I never meant it!"
"You're going to get us kicked out!" He hushed, yet... still while carrying me.
This is traumatizing.
"Tom. Down. Now."
"I don't take commands, sorry." He started walking around. Letting go of the arm around my knee. "I don't know why, you're being so weird today, enough." I pulled on his hair.
"Alright then." He set me down gently.
"I'm getting bored of this atmosphere." I didn't even do anything, i've just been talking to him.
But that's a step forward, actually talking.
"Well then, let's go." He scrimmages for all of his things, let's go? Go where? Where am I going?
"Uh, what?."
"I walked here, so give me your keys." He put his hands out. "What are your driving techniques like?" I withheld, from giving them to him.
"Well, i've been driving for twelve years, and some of my funnest times have been in a car."
"What times?" I froze.
"Good thing, to think about." He didn't answer my question, simply fishing for my keys out of my bag. He handed it back to me, going out.
WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?!
I grabbed my shake, jogging after him.
I got in the passenger seat. "What am I thinking about?" I immediately followed up.
He didn't say anything else, reversing out of the parking lot. I was the one who was supposed to give the quick-witted jokes.
Not the other way around.
"Tom what—" He cut me off, blasting the radio.
I turned it off, crossing my arms at him. "If you're gonna make a sexual joke, you can't look past it and never respond again!"
"Who says it's sexual?"
"You're implying, that it is!"
"No, I just used to listen to songs with my friends. I've got no idea, what you're on about." Tom switches lanes, stopping at the light.
"I can't live like this anymore, what were you talking about! The truth, you will say the truth and nothing but the truth." I put a microphone in his face, he held my wrist. Holding the fake microphone closer. He loudly clears his throat.
He built up the dramatic moment, exhaling deeply. "I—.... are you more of a coffee or a smoothie person?"
"Oh my fucking god." I pulled my hand away.
He looked over at me.
"It was sexual." He held in a long breath.
Thank you, now was that so hard?
Hold on.
I have to spin back around to this one. I put one leg up, in my chair. Squinting my eyes at him.
Tom pulled into a random coffee shop, going into the drive-thru. "What do you like to drink?"
"Just an iced caramel coffee." I got my card out of my phone case, he yanked it out of my hand. Throwing it to the backseat.
"I can pay for myself." I undid my seatbelt, trying to get it. "I know, and yet... I seem to not care." He rolls his window down, placing a hand on my shoulder. A non verbal 'stay put'.
He gave our worker, the order. He had gotten, just a plain iced coffee. Both of our drinks in large sizes, so boring.
"I like when you're adventurous Tom." I softly smiled. Hugging my knees.
He bunches his brows together, looking at me. I watched him, hold my eye contact. His eyes, flickering between both of mine.
"Weren't you asleep?"
"Half asleep, half awake." I said honestly.
The drive-thru window had opened, making a loud sliding sound. He gave the woman his card, she then gave us our coffee's right after.
Tom went off to the tiny parking lot, shifting the gear to park.
"Why aren't you at work?" I asked again.
"Called in sick, wasn't feeling it today." He gave me my straw, nodding towards me. "Why aren't you at school?"
"Called in sick, wasn't feeling it today."
"Are you planning on just going home, after you finish your coffee?" Tom scrunched up the paper wrapper, mixing his drink around with the straw.
"I don't know, do you want me to?" I looked out the window, for the first time since that first day I saw him. I didn't know what to say.
I usually always knew, exactly what to say.
"Do you want to?" He practically asked me, the same exact question.
"Do you want me, to want to?" I giggled, this was starting to sound really stupid.
"That sounds the same, as the last four sentences we've said in the span of a minute." Tom says, okay but still. Does he want me to go home, or not? I'm confused now.
"I mean like... are you busy or—?"
"No." He cut me off.
"Are you—?" He points toward me.
"No." I cut him off.
"I'm done with this, weird ass conversation. I'm driving to my house." He chuckled, oh thank god. He broke the cycle.
That was the most awkward two minutes of my entire life.