I helped Jazzie to the bathroom tied to my room and closed the door behind me. I searched through the drawers of my dresser and got out some clothes for my ex-boyfriend's younger sister.
My ex-boyfriend; Justin Ambrose; an arsonist and possible killer?
According to Jasmine, at least.
I placed a pile of some of my smaller sized clothes just outside the bathroom door and then made my way upstairs. I knocked on the door to Tommy's bedroom, "It's Emma."
"Come in," Tommy answered.
I opened the door and slowly poked my head in. Jace was sitting in Tommy's desk chair and Tommy was lying on his bed. I stepped in and closed the door behind me. I leant against the back of it, "Everybody okay?"
Tommy nodded, "Not even scathed."
I glanced to Jace.
He grinned, "As good as always."
I smiled, "Good..."
"How's the girl?" Tommy raised an eyebrow at me.
"She's taking a shower," I said, "She's not hurt though. Just tired and a little sore in her muscles."
"Who is she?" Jace asked.
"Justin's little sister," I frowned slightly, "She, uh, said he was the one that did it."
"That doesn't make sense," Tommy sat upright, "I mean, it's obvious the guy doesn't like us but... he didn't start that fire."
"How do you know?"
Jace answered, "Because that wasn't an ordinary fire. That was definitely started by a druid with fire."
"But there aren't any druids in this area," I said, confused.
"There is one," Tommy argued, "She just doesn't know she's a druid."
"Bella?" I whispered.
The boys nodded. Tommy tossed me something and I barely managed to catch it, "Found it when I was getting the girl out of the fire. Know who it belongs to?"
I turned the thing over in my hand. It was a ring. Simple and silver with a small purple gem in the centre. Narrowing my eyes, I could just see the engravement on the back of the gem, To BW from EE.
I took a deep breath before nodding, "I gave it to Bella for her birthday."
***
I left the boys in thought to go check on Jasmine. I knocked on the bathroom door, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah!" she shouted, "I'm trying to find a hairdryer!"
I stifled a laugh, "I don't own a hairdryer."
The bathroom door flung open, "What?! How do you survive?"
I shrugged, "With frizzy hair."
She scowled. I stifled another smile at her brown hair that was standing on ends. She took a step back towards the mirror and began expertly braiding it. Jasmine stared at me through the mirrorglass. She asked, "Are you mad?"
"At what?"
"Me."
"Why would I be mad at you?"
She shrugged, "For... I don't know... making that other guy come get me from the fire."
"Tommy's basically indestructible," I smiled, "I'm pretty sure he could walk through fir- actually that saying isn't implausible anymore."
Jasmine laughed, "He could walk through fire and back and still look hot?"
"Yeah," I murmured.
Jasmine finished her braid and then turned to me. She opened and closed her mouth a few times like a goldfish before actually saying something, "Did you love Justin?"
"Admittedly?" I asked, "No. I knew he was cheating on me long before I could ever love him."
"Why didn't you break up with him when you found out?"
"Because it would mean losing my best friend as well," I whispered.
Which I did.
"Obviously, they're not worth your time."
"What?" I raised an eyebrow.
Jasmine frowned, "I mean... my brother just dragged me along and started a fire. He and Bella would have killed you."
"Who else was there?"
"Justin, Bella, me and some guy called Mark. But..." Jasmine pressed her lips together, "The fire was strange."
"What do you mean?"
"Mark and Justin both lit it whilst Bella stood with me. But then it sort of popped. And then it blew way out of proportion. Mark and Justin ran and then Bella began screaming when it came in a direct line for us. It just got worse and she ran but I..."
Jasmine shivered, "I've never been a fast runner."
I imagined her fifteen-year-old self attempting to run from an out-of-control druid fire. I couldn't even imagine it.
Jasmine wrapped her arms around herself, "I tripped on a loose branch and hit my head on a rock. I knocked myself unconscious..."
"Does your head hurt?"
She shook her head, "No but I... why aren't I burned? Or dead?"
Her willowy voice echoed through the bathroom.
"Because," a new voice entered the conversation, "it was a druid fire. Bella controlled that fire so no one would get hurt."
"Bella?" Jasmine cocked her head, staring at Tommy who stood behind me.
Tommy nodded, "She's a druid."
Jace asked from my door, "Jasmine, come and get something to eat?"
Slightly dumbfounded, she nodded. She slowly pushed herself away from the bathroom and moved past me to walk downstairs with Jace. I turned about to follow them but Tommy tugged on my arm, stopping me. I glanced down at his hand wrapped firmly around my forearm. My eyes trailed from his well-muscled arm to his eyes.
He stared at me deeply and for a moment I wondered if I'd done something wrong.
Tommy whispered, "I can't do this."
That took me by surprise.
"Tommy?" I murmured, staring up at him.
His eyes closed gently, his hand still tight on my arm. I achingly watched him take a quick intake of breath as a trail of a tear stretched down his cheek.
Like the starting pain from a slit wrist, I was forced to watch as he began to cry.
Then he took a gasp for breath and his facade collapsed with him. His body landed on my bedroom floor, his head buried between his knees. His hold on me vanished as he crumpled into some unfamiliar being in front of me.
I knelt in front of him and pried his head up. His red eyes watched me carefully as he sniffed again. He wiped his cheeks but it didn't do much when he started crying again.
"Tommy?" I whispered, brushing his bangs out of his eyes, "Can you speak to me?"
He nodded infinitesimally as he sniffed with another small jolt of his body. He shook quite gently beneath my fingertips that rested on his cheek.
Tommy took a few jaggered breaths before croaking out, "I miss them."
I froze, my body going still like a statue.
I murmured, "Who do you miss, Tommy?"
"Everyone," he bent his head down again, out of view, "Mum... Dad, Rica."
Then, his eyes fell right on mine, "Kota."
He took a deep breath, wiping his stained cheeks, "You know, Em? You remind me of Rica. Not in how you look but in your attitude. She was so strong. Headfast. She never accepted anything though... Not even her own mate. She and Will... they were the best of friends. I've never seen anyone have a friendship like that before. But he loved her... she just didn't see it. And now it's too late."
A love tragedy wrapped around a family in a war...
Around Tommy's family.
"You don't get it," Tommy murmured, staring at me, "You and America are so alike. You don't accept anything either."
"What?" I murmured.
Tommy stood up slowly, staring directly into my eyes. He gave me a wisp of a smile, "Thanks for listening, Em. I'll be in the kitchen when you work out what I said."
He closed the bedroom door behind him. I gripped my arms to keep myself from shivering. He'd just broken down in front of me.
He said I don't accept anything. I've accepted things. I accepted Justin, Bella, my mum. I love gifts. But what does he mean?
Tommy said that I was just like America. His older sister died before she saw that her best friend loved her.
Does he mean that my best friend loves me?
But... I don't have a best friend anymore. I stood up from the floor and made my way downstairs in deep thought. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs. The three of them were eating some microwavable dinners, laughing at each other for something. Tommy sat there as if that entire interaction hadn't just happened.
Who would be my best friend? Not Jace... but Tommy? He taught me to drive, he's my mate, he saved me.
Did he mean that he loves me? Was I too blind to see this? Or was I wrong?
Tommy's joyful eyes found mine across the room. Jace called out, "Hey, Emma? Are you okay?"
Jasmine frowned, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
And in that instant, watching how Tommy had switched emotions so effortlessly... I felt like I had.
I shook my head though, "No. I'm fine."
"Come eat," Jace cocked his head towards the fourth plate on the counter.
I shook my head again, "No... I think I'm..."
"Are you okay?" Jace repeated, looking at me.
I lied, "Just tired. I'm gonna have an early night."
I turned and made my way back to the bedroom, locking myself in for the night.
But it just left me alone with my overcomplicated thoughts.
Tommy loves me?
***
Song: All Time Low - Jon Bellion.
Sooooo.... how are your thoughts about this chapter?
xx Sharky.