"I ate too much." I whined as I flopped back onto Tom's bed, my head in his lap.
"I told you not to finish those noodles." He shook his head down at me, a smile on his face.
He absentmindedly ran his hand through my hair as he looked back up at the velociraptors stalking Tim and Lex in the kitchen on screen.
I hadn't been able to watch most of the film, I've spent too long watching Tom.
He stilled looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.
He was still so beautiful though, his green eyes were so bright in the light of the TV and fairy lights, his hair occasionally falling into them, it was like he didn't notice sometimes until I pointed it out.
"Will you ever stop staring at me?" He whispered just as the film ended.
I didn't know he'd noticed, he usually pointed it out straight away.
He looked down at me, curious. "Nope, not ever." I gently smiled before he sighed.
"Is there any point in putting the second one on or are you just going to watch me for two hours again?" He raised his right brow at me.
"I don't know, let's find out." I giggled and sat up, letting him get to the DVD player. "I'm going to change." I added, sliding off the bed before he did, the buckles on my dungarees were irritating me when I laid down. "And I have to feed Sky." I rolled my eyes.
He was already shaking his head. "Jade and Drew have taken care of it they took her on her walk, they've fed her, they'll bring her in at bedtime."
I shook my head, smiling. He'd planned the whole evening so I could relax and try and forget about everything.
It had helped, made me feel like I was the old me again, the normal me.
I'd fallen asleep half way through the second film and Tom had let me sleep, when I'd woken up, Tom was already at work, there was a message on my phone, 'didnt want to wake u up, looked cute. See u when I get home tonight. Love u xxx'
My heart gave a little squeeze and I shot a text back telling him I loved him too before I dragged myself out of bed.
When I ventured downstairs, finally dressed and presentable, Sky was asleep on the couch, her head in Drew's lap.
I dumped myself onto the armchair and Drew started talking as soon as I looked up at him.
All day I could tell he was still tiptoeing around me, he let me watch what I wanted on TV and didn't try and argue like he usually would, he was careful to stick to happy, meaningless subjects, but I was grateful.
Me and Drew didn't often get a whole day together without Jade and Tom around, it was nice to hang out with him without Jade worrying about me, I knew he'd be monitoring me and reporting back to Jade later, telling her everything I did and said and my every facial expression but I didn't mind, I didn't have to be careful around him and I could be myself, miserable or not.
"You want to watch me cook dinner again and then when people come in you tell them that 'we're' cooking?" Drew smirked at me.
"Yeah! Let's cook." I smiled and pulled myself up from the chair, we'd moved throughout the day but I was still stiff from sitting for so long, I'd felt like I was fusing to it.
Despite my complaint about being sat too long, as soon as we got into the kitchen I jumped up onto the counter, wincing as it hurt my body.
I looked up and Drew was about to ask me if I was ok, I could see it in his eyes. I held my hand up to cut him off, "I'm ok, just a twinge, I'm not going to die." I rolled my eyes at him.
"I was just going to ask what we should make." He shrugged, opening cupboards.
"Yes I'm sure you were. I vote Mac and Cheese."
It was his turn to roll his eyes at me, "You always vote Mac and Cheese."
"Yeah, because it's super delicious, the ultimate comfort food. And we always make enough for leftovers."
"Ok, you've won me over, Mac and Cheese it is." He beamed while grabbing a giant pot from the messy cupboard.
I eyed it, wanting to start organising it but resisted the urge.
"Can you at least grab the macaroni so you can take credit for the whole meal when they come home?"
"You ask so much of me." I dramatically sighed before moving my head and opening the cupboard directly behind my head, I pulled the bag of pasta out and dropped it next to him, just as he put a cold can of coke down next to my leg. I grinned and popped it open, taking a long gulp.
"This cooking this is hard." I stretched the arm I'd used to grab the pasta.
The front door slamming shut interrupted our laughter, I jumped as the kitchen door swung open quickly after. I glanced at the microwave, it was already six thirty.
Tom walked into the kitchen, his face so angry it shocked me for a second, he didn't acknowledge me and Drew at first, barely even glancing at us, he walked over the the sink, stuck his hand in and ran the cold water so fast it slashed all over him.
He pulled it back after a few seconds then grabbed some kitchen towel to dry it off.
Me and Drew looked at each other quizzically.
Tom grabbed one of the ice packs from the freezer and slammed it shut with more force than necessary.
He finally turned round to face us and leaned on the counter as he rested the ice pack tentatively on his hand.
"Well hey." Drew said, smirking.
"Yeah, hi." Tom grumbled.
Drew and I looked at each other again and he shrugged, apparently this one was on me.
"You gonna tell us what's going on?" I asked, eyebrow raised.
"Fucked my hand up." was all he said, glaring at the floor.
"And you did this how?" I asked. I suspected it was on a car, he was usually pissed off when something had gone wrong while he was working.
"No." He pushed off the counter and made his way to the living room without another word.
Drew shrugged at me again and we both followed.
Tom was sat on the couch, his breathing was quicker than usual, he was really angry.
"Come on dude, what did you do?" Andrew asked as he dropped himself onto the arm of the recliner.
I opted to wedge myself in next to him instead of taking the couch with Tom, he didn't seem in the mood to play nice.
Tom heaved a sigh, realising we weren't going to let it drop and turned towards us.
"Fucking Shane got in my face." He grumbled, losing a little of his anger when he made eye contact with me.
I raised my brow waiting for him to carry on.
"He saw you at the store yesterday." He nodded towards me.
I waited but he didn't say anymore.
"Ok, well I didn't see him, I didn't speak to anyone apart from Teresa." I shrugged, confused.
I had no clue what Shane seeing me in the store yesterday had to do with Tom's busted knuckles.
Tom seemed reluctant to say anymore and I glanced up at Andrew, he seemed to have gotten something that I didn't, I looked back to Tom then back to Drew.
They were silently communicating something.
"What the fuck is happening?" I asked, getting irritated.
"Fuck, it doesn't matter." He shouted before suddenly launching himself off the couch and up the stairs.
I flinched as he passed and got to my feet too. I didn't want to follow him but I needed to not be sat.
When I heard his door slam I rounded on Drew.
"Tell me now." I frowned.
Drew sighed, still looking up the stairs after Tom.
"How do I say this nicely so Jade won't hit me round the back of the head later?" He asked the question to himself before looking back at me, his expression changed, softened and saddened.
"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" He asked me.
I shrugged. The truth was I hadn't. I couldn't bare too.
"Not particularly. What? Am I that ugly?" I tried for a smile.
"Lil, you're black and blue still, you look like you've gone a few rounds with Tyson. Shane is gonna have said something to Tom about him hitting you. He's a dick like that." Drew winced, not even able to think about Tom doing that, and neither was I.
Then I remembered Henny asking me at the checkout if I'd been beat up.
"Fucking asshole." I spat, I turned quickly and ran up the stairs.
I pushed Tom's door open without knocking but came up short when he wasn't in there.
I frowned, losing some of my anger on the way and checked the bathroom.
He was at the sink, the faucet was running but Tom was just staring at the water going down the drain.
I slid my arms around his waist and rested my head against his back.
He grabbed my right forearm, keeping me tight around him.
"I'd never hit you Lily, ever." He sounded so serious.
I chuckled slightly, "I don't need that reassurance babe, I know you'd never hit me." I felt him relax against me, I heard his breathing slow.
It broke my heart a little that he felt the need to say it to me. Like he's ever done anything even remotely violent towards me.
This explained the staring in the supermarket, why everyone lingered for so long, was everybody thinking the same thing? Surely not, they all knew Tom, he looked dangerous and had a temper but he was a sweetheart. Everyone knew that. I hoped they did.
Tom straightened up and turned around in my arms, he wrapped his around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head.
I looked up at him, moving to my tiptoes so I could reach his lips.
It was supposed to be a quick kiss, but as soon as our lips met, we both sparked into motion.
Tom bent further to deepen the kiss, I tried to reach up further.
As soon as Tom grabbed my hips to lift me onto the counter, something he'd done so many times in this exact spot, I gasped and stopped the kiss, pulling back. My hand automatically went to cover my lips.
"Sorry, sorry." I chanted as Tom moved his hands and pushed back, creating space between us.
"Don't apologise." He shook his head, his eyes sad and worried.
I moved myself forward again, burying my head in his chest as I felt tears threatening to spill over.
"I don't know why, I don't understand it." I managed to get out before I started crying.
I felt Tom sigh and wrap his arms back around my shoulders.
"You just need time Lily. The shit you've been through this month, anyone would need time." He rested his chin onto of my head and let me cry.
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Thanks to anyone reading and voting and commenting etc.
Hope everyone is staying safe and happy!
Both my holidays for this year have been cancelled so I'm gonna be able to get a few chapters wrote and up next week when I was supposed to be tanning in Spain. Oh well at least I won't be at work :))))