Social Misery Ch. 8
Social Misery
Summary: "Has anyone ever questioned why we follow societies norms? Why do we as a society try and ostracize the few that generally just stand out from the normal flow"
Beta: kaede_marie Genre: AU
Rating: R
Pairings: Bill/Tom
Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own 'em, only in my dreams.
Comments: I haven't written anything in a long while, this just kind of came to me and my muse has continued with it. So we shall see what comes. This hasn't been beta-ed, so if there are any mistakes they are mine. Feel free to point them out and I'll be happy to fix them. Also any mistakes you see in Tom's speech, it's suppose to be like that. He doesn't know perfect English.
~*~*~
“Come on Tom!” I tell him as I bang on his bedroom door for the third time. I had shooed Tom out of my room earlier when I was getting dressed, telling him that we were going to go out and do something.
It only took me about 30 minutes to get ready, a new record if I do say so myself. I just put my hair up in a beanie today; don't feel like really fooling with it. I'm more excited at the prospect of what today will bring. True, I am scared shitless about what is going to come due to last night and this morning. Maybe there is more to Tom then I am aware of. He is rather quite, but it's the kind that you don't notice since he has such a presence about him. Just because he doesn't talk doesn't mean that you don't know he is there.
'He takes longer then I do!' I think to myself as I kick the back of my black Vans against the wall I am currently leaning against.
“Billy?” I hear called out down the hall. I knew that voice but why is she on this part of the house? This is my part of the house, away from them.
I close my eyes and brace myself, glancing down at my watch I notice the time being only 15 minutes past noon. 'Gods, I just know she is going to rant and rave about my skipping! Why couldn't she have hopped onto a plane by now?'
“There you are!” She exclaims as she rounds the corner. I can tell she just got back from someplace since her hair has that windswept look to it and he blouse is rather ruffled up. She looks nothing like her professional persona she is always putting on.
“Yes, mother. I am here.” I mutter to her as I cross my arms across my chest. I hate how defensive I always feel around her, but it's something that she has ingrained in me. She’s always nagging me for not dressing the 'right way' or hanging out with the 'appropriate crowd'. I'm always not doing enough for her.
“What are you doing loitering around in the hallways?” she asks me with a raised eyebrow as she tries to smooth down her hair. One hand is planted firmly on her hip, as if she is going to demand something of me. I snort mentally at such a thought, that hasn't ever happened in my memory.
“I am loitering around in my hallways waiting on Tom. What do you want mother?” I reply and raise my eyebrow in perfect imitation to hers at the end. She should know by now I can match her play by play.
“Ah. Is he the one having you miss school today? Turning out just like his older brother I see. A bad influence, that is for sure!” She replies, it sounding more like a mini-rant. All I can really do is roll my eyes. As if Tom is being a bad influence, if anything it's the other way around. Hell, he is getting me up earlier so I actually make it on time to first period. He should probably be called a Saint for everything he has been dong.
“Mother, you know nothing as usual.” I respond with sarcasm lined heavily in my words. It is amusing when she tries to act like a mother. Anyone can tell the role doesn't fit her, not even a little. I don't know how to explain why it doesn't fit. Whenever she does try, I always get a picture of a dog owner disciplining their dog for being naughty.
“Well then, would you care to explain why I got a phone call from Mrs. Kaulitz that her son didn't go to school today?” She says to me, her left eyebrow is doing this ticking thing. I don't think she even knows she does it, but it's always the biggest clue when she is getting seriously pissed off. It's what I aim for sometimes.
“Well if you must know mother,” I start to say with a roll of my eyes and the word 'mother' came out with a little spit on it, “I asked Tom to play hooky with me. I decided I deserved a break from school today so I asked. After I explained what hooky meant, he agreed.” I finish.
Of course, the only reason she even knows about anything is because of Mrs. Kaulitz, her eyes still remind me of frigid winters. This is all about posterity. Mother is going to go back and tell them how much I am a bad influence, that I am a lost cause but what can you do when they are that age. It is just a phase, I am sure of it. That is how the conversation is going to go; the last bit will be thrown in by my father.
“If you don't mind mother,” I tell her as I hear the tall-tell sounds of shuffling seconds before the door opens and reveals Tom. He is wearing his baggy jeans, a brown shirt with some logo printed on it and a matching brown beanie that almost covers his dreads.
'Since when did he start wearing beanies? He has always worn those horrendous caps.'
I reach out and grab Tom's wrist, yank him to follow me and we go right past my mother. Nothing more was said or a word uttered between us. I could feel the quizzical glances Tom was shooting me as I continued to lead him towards my baby. I hadn't taken her out in a long while, she deserved to get out and stretch herself.
“Don't worry about it, Tom. She is just trying to be a mother; it tends to happen once in a blue moon.” I tell him once we get into my car.
“I understand.” He simply replies with a slight nod of his head, I catch it out of the corner of my eye.
“Feel like shopping a little bit?” I ask him with a grin spreading across my lips as I drive out of my house and onto the road. It felt good to be getting away, if only for a little bit.
I sighed quietly as I sink into the leather seats. The beat of the music is pulsing from the speakers, though the music not up load but up enough to catch the lyrics. This was just pure orgasmic.
“Um, sure,” I hear him reply, the nervousness I could hear in his voice had me feeling amusement. I don't know why I am in such a mood with this sudden urge to just laugh for no reason or just smile.
'Maybe it’s how I feel asleep last night.' I think to myself which causes a blush to start creeping across my cheeks. Shaking my head slightly, there is no time to be reminiscing about that. I certainly hope he sleeps with me again; some thought might just have to be put into that.
“Let’s go to the nice shopping plaza! It's a town over, but it's really worth the drive.” I enthuse as I take the next exit off from the expressway which takes us away from town which was my original direction and now onto the interstate, leading us away.
“Um.....I suppose. You....lead.” He responds; the hesitation evident and the stumbling just make him sound so cute.
'Since when do I think of Tom as cute?'
“Do you think you're ready for the Chemistry test?” I ask him, silence had settled around us, interrupted only by the music playing in the background. A really good band too.
“Maybe, I am reading the book. Is his test hard?” He says, the wording sounding strong. It almost seemed like he had practiced it, didn't have the usual uncertainty I have gotten use to hearing.
“As long as you read the textbook, you'll pass. Look at the chapter test and quizzes that are throughout the book.” I inform him and right as I am about to look over at him, just to make sure....of something. A semi-truck starts trying to come over into my lane, on top of my car! I start blowing my horn at the truck. He is not listening and continues to slowly come over.
I slam on my breaks and try to drift us over to the grass medium between the two lanes. My hand still firmly on the horn, I can feel my adrenaline pumping through my veins. I am so pissed! My baby was scant inches from being totaled and poor Tom! I turn my head over to him before I can utter a word; he launches over to me and hugs me.
My eyes are wide, wasn't expecting this. “Are you okay?” He asks me roughly, his hands running up and down my back.
'Why is he asking about me? Shouldn't this situation be reversed? Why am I suddenly starting to shake?'
“Breathe deep.” He says, his tone never rising and his breathing never increasing. How is he able to stay so calm while I am coming apart? He is the passenger; shouldn't he be the one falling apart?
We just sat there, him clinging to me like a vine. His body stretched across the console, our seatbelts never coming off. He reached over and turned off the radio, silence over took the car. All that could be heard is his even breathing, my still panic breaths, and the cars zooming right past us.
“I-I....are you okay?” I am finally able to utter out. No clue as to what I was originally trying to say. From above me, where Tom is still clinging to me and running his hands up and down my back. He chuckles lowly before pulling away from me to where he is able to look me in the eyes.
Not sure of what he is seeing as I don't even know what I am feeling but his eyes case this sudden wave of peace and calmness to come over me.
“I am fine.” He tells me in a gravely tone, something I haven't heard from him before. “Are you okay?” He asks me moments later as he takes one of my hands into his. They are still trembling and I can see it causing his hands to tremble as well.
Laughter starts bubbling up my throat, not knowing where it is coming from and feeling scared to allow it to come out. Close my eyes to try to collect myself and to swallow the laughter, I just know it wouldn't end well.
“I-I think so. Thanks.” I tell him and give him a weak smile at the end as I squeeze his hands with the hand he is still holding. Looking back up, I see him repositioning himself in his seat as he continues to shoot me uncertain looks.
“Come on; still have shopping that is calling our names.” I reply to him as I try to push out a convincing smile of being okay but I don't think he bought it.
He just continues to look at me as if he is trying to figure me out or trying to see right through me.
“Okay?” I ask; the silence in the car was starting to get to me. Silence is something I can only take here and there, usually only when I am in a mood.
“Ja,” He answers after a moment before clicking his seatbelt back on, his jeans rustling but those gorgeous brown eyes won’t settle on me.
'When did I start noticing his eyes? Since when, has anything about him become…gorgeous?'
I try and put those thoughts off as I look back onto the interstate, after a moment I see a break in the traffic that I take advantage of and merge my baby back onto the asphalt.
~*~*~*~
The rest of the ride was done in near silence except for the music that I had put back on, since I couldn't tolerate it any longer.
Pulling into a parking space, I allow it to idle which is something I couldn't even fathom doing before but this strained tension wrapped in unspoken silence was just getting to me. I don't like it and I won’t allow for it to continue when just hours ago we had shared a near perfect morning.
“Tom!” I tell him as I unbuckle my seatbelt and turn my body towards him, something that is very hard to do in such a small space of my car.
He turns to me and just looks at me with this raised eyebrow, I kind of wanted to smack him if for nothing else just to get some kind of response. I don't do this passive-aggressive thing he is trying to do to me and is succeeding.
“Will you....talk to me?” I ask him finally; having to force the words out.
“Ja” he responds, the first word he has said to me since we started back on the road, “What is wrong?” he asks me with a frown marring his face and his teeth keep nibbling at his lip ring.
A smirk comes on to my lips; he has the nerve to ask me that question when I have been worrying about him being made at me.
“Nothing is wrong. You just haven't spoken a word in awhile and well...you just had me worried.” I mutter to him, averting my eyes with a sudden fear of what he might see in them.
“Ah nein, Bill, I am not...upset with you.” Tom responds as he reaches out and lefts my chin to where I am forced to meet his gaze. The intensity of his gaze takes my breath away and a gasp to escape from my throat. No one has ever looked at me in such a way that I can feel pricks of tears at my eyes trying to escape.
“Tom” I utter as I reach up to his hand on my face, “okay” I tell him as I force my emotions back down and tear my gaze from him. Looking down at where his warm, calloused hands that are slightly bigger than mine are entwined with mine, it just looks so right. The way his hands seem to engulf and just cover mine completely, as if trying to protect them. A small smile comes up to my lips as I gaze at our hands.
“Okay?” He asks me as he grips my hand which causes me to look up at him. His haze holds nothing but concern and true sincerity for me, something I have never once seen directed at me.
I swallow a lump that has taken residency in my throat before crocking out, “Yea, we should probably get out.”
“Alright,” He tells me simply before slacking his grip on my hand and unbuckling his seatbelt.
~*~*~*~
After that breathtaking moment in my baby, we do finally make our way from the parking lot and into the mall. It's this giant enclosed space for shopping and every piece of wall space is either taken up by a shop of some kind of painted a bright color.
“Come on! There is this store here that always has some of the best clothes. Always up to date on fashion and they actually carry my size!” I enthuse to him as I grab his hand and haul him behind me. Not wanting him to get lost and also not wanting anyone else to catch his eyes, but we won’t tell him that.
I just hear him chuckle behind me but allows me to lead him around.
'I would like to think he wants to be here with me.'
“Here!” I exclaim as I shove a jacket at him, I just knew it would look good on him. It was a black zip-up hoodie with white embroidered ZOO YORK on the front across the chest.
'This would look really good on him! He looks good in black and it will give him some style besides all of those boring plain colored hoodies and jersey shirts.'
“They even have it in your size! XXXL.” I tell him with a smirk as I watch him put it on, and true it does clash horribly with what he is wearing at the moment.
“What do you think?” I ask him as I bounce on the balls of my feet, forcing myself to clasp my heads together so I don't start touching all over him. Really I am just suppressing the feeling.
“Uh, Ja,” He mutters after a moment of looking at himself in the moment, “It is....very nice. I do not have it.” The moment the last word is out of his mouth, I watch as he scrunches up his forehead in thought. Being unsure of what he just said.
“Good! Let's get it along with these!” I exclaim in excitement as I tug at him to follow me. His confusion is evident as he follows me to gather up my clothes I had been trying on. I had him helping me decide if they looked good on me; it was hilarious to watch him. It's obvious he doesn't shop very often.
“Was....Why?” He asks, I hear his slip of German and it's always so cute when he does. His accent has been slipping a little now to where it's not as harsh as it was when he first got here.
“Because I want to you and I like the jacket on you!” I tell him with determination, continuing to drag him to the checkout counter.
“You do not have to.” He tells me strongly as he takes it off and looks for a hanger to put it on. “I know I don't have to but I want to. There is a difference in having to and wanting to.” I tell him matter-of-factly, taking the jacket from him and putting it on top of my pile of clothes.
“Bill” He starts and I can tell he is about to start trying to dissuade me from it. I really don't understand his problem. I have the money and I genuinely enjoy getting a friend something.
“Save it Tom. You won’t talk me out of it.” I tell him as I put a hand on his shoulder and shake him gently.
“Let's go to the music store here.” I tell him as I thank the sales person and sign the credit slip. Tom automatically takes both of the clothing bags and follows me out. One good thing of having someone shopping with me is, not having to carry the bags. We already made two trips to my baby to put away shopping bags.
“Okay” he says trailing right behind me, no more arguments coming from him.
'I knew he couldn't argue with me!' I think smugly as a smile blossoms as we walk into the biggest music store in the area. Coming here is always fun since they have carry all sorts of music, not just the main stream crap that is always being played tiredly on the radio.
“They always have amazing taste in music!” I exclaim to him, the smile still playing on my face as I drag him over to the Alternative Music section.
He just grunts at me as tries to wiggle away, “What's wrong?” I ask him as I let him go.
“Nothing, I was just going over there.” He replies as he motions toward a section behind us. Looking over I see Rap/Hip-Hop on the section name.
“Eck!” I mutter to myself as I push him away towards the section that I have always kept my distance from. That type of music is just vile. I personally can't understand how someone is able to listen to be yelled at not to mention cussed at.
I just shake my head at him but turn back towards the music before me and start looking through the various artists.
After a little while and close to 20 CDs in the little mesh bag that a sales woman has handed me when she saw that was I having issues holding them all. Looking around the store, not many people were currently in their so it was easy to find Tom. He is bent over a bin of discounted CDs with a mesh bag at his feet.
Smirking at myself as I admire his back and how oblivious he is about what kind of picture he is portraying. Bent over the bin, digging for some CD with his baggy jeans sagging down to the point of where if I was to pull up his oversize shirt then I just know I would see most of his boxers.
I giggle to myself at just knowing that he wears boxers underneath.
My giggle must have jarred him to where he looks behind him and sees me standing their watching him. A blush comes over my cheeks; I try and hide behind my hands as I put them over the blush. Although he has probably already seen it as he starts to smirk at me.
“What are you looking for?” I ask him as I set my mesh bag down by his and lean against the bin. Glancing in it, all I see are various rappers starring back at me.
'I can understand why so many of these CDs are in here, not many want to listen to them.'
“Nothing, just looking,” He says with a shrug as he reaches down and takes both of our bags in hand.
“Let's go and check out.” I say with a bounce as I take his hand again and drag him to the front.
“Have fun?” I ask him as we wait in line for a register to open, the reason no one is on the floor looking is because everyone is tied up here.
“Ja” He replies with a nod and a small smile on his lips, and I can tell it's an actual smile instead of a smirk.
“I-” He goes to say but is cut of as he digs out his phone from his pocket. I see it buzzing in his palm.
Curiosity was just eating at me with wanting to know who was buzzing Tom. Watching him open his phone, a smirk comes over his lips as he taps something on his phone before putting it back in his pocket.
“Who's that?” I ask, not able to help myself but the curiosity was about to strangle me with the need to know.
“Just someone,” He replies with a shrug as he takes our bags in his hand, waiting on me.
“Hmm…” I say as I continue to catch glances out of the corner of my eye as I lead him towards the parking lot and to m baby.
“Well, anyways Mr. Secretive! Let's go to lunch!” I finally say as I open the trunk for him to stuff the last of our purchases on top of the many other bags. It’s been a very nice productive day of shopping and spending lots of my parent’s money, no guilt.
“Where?” Tom asks me simply as he slides into my baby and buckles his seatbelt before closing the door.
'Does my driving really scare him that badly?'
“My favorite place, The Gryphon Tea Room,” I tell him enthusiastically as I turn my baby on and get us out of the parking lot.
“Ah...” He mutters with a nod of his head with a hand in the pocket where his cell phone is.
'Obviously he is waiting on something...'
I try to just shrug it off, focus on just driving and getting us to my favorite lunch spot.
“How did you find this place?” He asks me as I turn away from the main road of the town and into the more residential area.
“I got lost my first time driving here. I got turned around and confused.” I reply with a simple shrug as I catch a glimpse of the restaurant at the next corner. The ivy vines crawling up around it and making it look almost like a giant bush.
“Interesting, stop here for...directions?” He says as he continues to look around at everything we are passing. This entire area is made up of large old buildings with vines crawling up everything and old trees seemingly fighting for sunlight. It's just breath taking sometimes when I just come here and drive to clear my mind.
“Yea, it was the first place I could find that was open and I didn't think I would get jumped walking into. They were really nice to me.” I tell him with a smile as I remember that day.
“That is good....right?” He asks, obviously confused but it just makes me laugh as I turn into a spot right up by the dark oak doors that is the main entrance to the restaurant.
“Oh yea, If it wasn't for Mary and Dani, I would have been lost for ages! I have kept coming back ever since that day.” I respond with a bright smile in his direction before getting out the car and making sure the car is locked.
The outside of the building looks pretty unremarkable by appearance, except for the dark oak doors and a dark maroon griffin is artistically stenciled along the big window above the door. A couple of heavy metal tables and chairs are scattered about for outside seating, it's really relaxing with the way the old trees give off shade.
“This is it?” He asks with a small frown on his face as he looks around. I can't help but smirking since I knew how it did look. With no one outside and it being during the week, not many people were here in fact I wouldn't be surprised if it was completely empty inside. The business did tend to cater more towards tourist and college students.
“Yeap, inside is awesome! It's an old pharmacy turned restaurant. They even kept a lot of the old stuff and just included it with the art. It’s really awesome!” I exclaim to him, the smile not leaving my face as I lead him to the door with a bounce in my step. I have never brought anyone here before; this place is kind of like my oasis in my crazy life.
“Interesting” he mutters lowly close behind me as he closes the door behind us with a strangled jangling noise from the bells above us.
“Bills!” is screamed from across the very much deserted restaurant. Looking around to see a scatter of tables and chairs around the large interior, bar stools along the high counter and looking over at the large bay window to see two comfortable sofas and a old, worn chair that are pulled around a glass wooden coffee table.
Coming from behind the high counter is a tall, buxom blonde. Dani is her name and she is one of most intelligent people I know, it's always amused me to watch how some people perceive her to have a single digit IQ. When she starts rattling off about judicial reviews and whatever is going on in the Supreme Court, I have been known to collapse in fits of laughter at their looks.
“How have you been, baby boy? We haven't seen you around here in ages! I was starting to think you had forgotten about us.” She exclaims as she crosses the room in five long strides as she collects me up in a breath taking hug. Dani has always been a hugger; she is one of the few that I allow to.
“I've been good Dani. Just been busy with stuff but couldn't never forget about your awesome caramel scones.” I reply as soon as she lets me go as I smooth out my shirt that had ridden up a little when she hugged me.
“Now is this that you have brought along with you?” She asks me with a knowing look on her face as she gives Tom a once over.
Glancing over at Tom, I can see him shuffling his feet and his eyes darting around the place trying to take everything in. “This is Tom. He has been staying with me for awhile until his parents get settled. They've moved from Germany.” I tell her with a hard look, to tell her to keep her mouth shut.
“Oo-oh.” She responds with a hand going to her hip, “I see.”
“So who else is around?” I ask her as I grab us two menus, even though I probably have the entire thing memorized by now.
“It’s just Timmy and Donald in the back. Caroline is supposed to be coming in soon.” Dani replies with a shrug as she leads us over to the high counter. “Right here okay?” She asks as she points to the two bar stools right next to each other.
I shrug my shoulders as I look over to Tom, he didn't seem to care as he was still ogling the old pharmacy drawers that use to hold medicines.
“I don't have an issue.” I say as I hop on and set our menus down before turning my attention to Tom, “You wanna sit?” I ask him with a raised eyebrow.
“Ah, sorry,” He says with a blush staining his cheeks, which causes me to smile softly at him. Tom doesn't blush often but when he does it's just amusing.
“Find something to eat and I'll get us something to drink.” I tell him as I nudge the menu over to him before I put my attention back on Dani who is just standing off to the side with this smug look on her face and eyes glued on us.
'Oh, God, I just know she is going to lay into me...or something!'
~*~*~*~
I ordered us a pot of Madagascar Vanilla tea while Tom ordered some chicken salad sandwich on some bizarre bread; it was pretty good with the tea.
Spending time with him where all we did was chat, Dani chiming in on occasions when we got too quite. Personally I think she was trying to shift Tom out to see if she 'approved' of him for me. It has always amused me how protective people here can be. She doesn't really say anything to Tom though, just watches him mostly.
Just as I was contemplating ordering another pot of tea and some of their scones, my phone has to ring.
'Damn it! Why didn't I think to put it on silent or even vibrate? Better yet, why didn’t I leave it in the car?'
All of these thoughts are running through my head as I slip my hand down one of my front pockets, they are a tad too tight to actually be able to hold anything.
Bringing it out, I see my home number flashing on the front.
'Double damn it!'
“Hello” I mutter in an annoyed tone, almost positive that it's probably Mother just calling to aggravate me.
“Do not take that tone with my Wilhelm!” Is shouted over the phone in my ear, causing me to wince since no one ever calls me by my given name it's like an automatic wince when someone does.
“Sorry Rosa.” I reply in the most sincere voice I can muster as I motion Dani to come over with the check, even though she is probably going to refuse. She always does, no one here ever makes me pay and it's rather annoying. I always leave a really good tip in place, I have to leave something.
“You better be! Now you need to get Tom home fast. He has a visitor waiting on him.” She tells me in her snappish no-none sense tone, I have learned not to argue and just go with it or else she can and will make my life hell.
“Yes ma'am. We're on our way now.” I tell her simply as she hangs the phone up, not giving me any kind of 'good-bye'.
“We have to head back home Tom. You have a visitor at the house.” I tell him simply as I push my cell phone back down my front pocket.
“Hmm…” Tom simply says as he puts his tea down and pushes his plate away as he gets down from the bar stool.
'Well that's easy enough.'
“Sorry, Dani, I have to go.” I tell her simply as I pull out my wallet from my back pocket.
“It's alright Bills. Just promise to come back soon, no months in between visits anymore.” Dani responds as she swats me with her dish rag that she was wiping dishes off with.
“Eww… fine, just no more dish rags.” I respond with my hands out in surrender before gets down from the bar stool and throwing some money down, more than enough to cover the meal.
“Do with what you want with it.” I tell her with a wink, I know her and leave the restaurant with Tom following close behind.
~*~*~*~
“So what did you think?” I ask Tom as I pull us away from the Gryphon Tea Room and head towards the interstate. Getting lost once is all it takes to figure your way around a place, at least for me. I hate not knowing where I am; always have to know a way out.
“Very...nice,” He replies with a small smile, I love seeing him give small smiles. Tom doesn't give them often enough in my opinion, just those annoyingly cute smirks that causes his lip ring to become even more obvious.
“Do you know who your visitor is?” I ask him being nervous that it could be his parents or a parent to drag him back with them. Rosa would mention if it was one of them, wouldn't she? Maybe not if they were within earshot though.
My thoughts start chasing themselves around in my head, like an endless game of dog catching its tail. It starts to give me a headache after a while. I had completely zoned out as my thoughts were starting to become worst and worst that when Tom touched me on the shoulder I had to jump up to the roof of my baby.
“Uh…Sorry, Tom, just thinking is all.” I respond with a weak smile on my lips as I give him a glance before returning to the crazy traffic on the interstate. Hoping he can't tell just how nervous and anxious I am about this new visitor. Tom hasn't had any visitors at the house since his parent’s disastrous visit early on.
“I’m worried for you. Talk?” He says as he worries his bottom lip, probably not sure of his wording. It's always so cute how he worries over his English, considering he speaks better English then most Americans.
“Thanks, but I am okay. Some things just pop into my head, it’s mostly nonsense really.” I tell him simply as I wave off the topic, hoping he can't see through me and push the topic further. If he was to see how close I have become with him and were to reject me in any sense, I really don't think I could take it.
“Alright...sure no talk?” he replies with this hesitant look on his face, still worrying his lip ring and I can feel his eyes on me.
“Positive.” I reply with a forced bright smile on my face as I fiddle with the radio and put on some mixed CD of music, couldn't tell anyone what was on it at the moment.
“Good!” He responds with a nod of his head as I see him fiddling with his cell phone and averting his gaze to the passing scenery.
'Since when does he play with his cell phone? Most times I actually forget he has one.'
A few moments of silence pass as The Spill Canvas play through the speakers quietly, hadn't turned the volume up any from how it has been. The mellow mood floating around the car is putting me on ease, especially with us not talking any.
I rack my brain for what to say, something needs to be said!
“So...” I start to say which causes Tom to turn his head into my direction and I can feel the moment his gaze lands on me. A shiver of goose bumps seems to engulf me for no reason.
“Who do you think is at the house for you?” I ask him after another brief moment.
Tom simply shrugs his shoulders, “Not sure.” Is all he says as he starts fiddling with his cell phone again, didn't notice when he stopped actually.
“Ah...okay,” I reply with a small nod of my head in understanding as I put my full attention back onto the road as I notice our freeways exit coming up.
“We should be home in a few minutes.” I tell him as I turn us onto the freeway, heading into the direction of home.
“Alright,” Tom's low voice mutters quietly, I probably wouldn't hear it if the music was up louder.
Nothing more was said between us till we got back to my house.
“Well, come on. Should probably find Rosa to know where she has your guest waiting.” I tell him as I park my baby in her garage, making sure she is all locked up and noting to come back down to get our stuff.
Tom doesn't say anything, just waits for me to lead the way. I sigh internally, 'Why is he so quiet? He is more quiet than usual.'
“Probably in the kitchen,” I mutter out loud as I lead us back into the house and towards the kitchen, but before we reach there I hear noise from the formal waiting room. That room hasn't seen any visitors since Tom's parents were here.
'Probably someone important.'
“I'm guessing that way.” I mutter to him as I nod towards the mentioned room as I lead him there.
“-so then Bill says-” I hear Rosa's voice as I open the already slightly parted doors to see Rosa seating across to be confronted with a young looking guy with short, dark brown hair. He has a sweet looking face, but appearances can be deceiving.
'Who the hell is this guy to Tom?'
“Tomas!” the new guy exclaims with delight as he gets up from the couch and comes over to us, Tom has stepped in front of me. Looking over, I see Rosa have the most blinding bright smile on her face. It's unusual to see Rosa smile and especially that vibrantly.
'She must know what's going on, but then again what else is new.'
“Ello, Gustav.” Tom mutters happily, something I haven't heard from him before at least in that voice.
Then they start talking very fast in German. No way could I keep up with them with my meager vocabulary that is sparse and very limited.
I just nod to Rosa and quietly leave, heading up to my room and away from Tom's nice little reunion. Not looking behind once, knowing I would more than likely be unseen by the on goings.
'I suppose this is it then.'
~*~*~*~*~
TBC!!!!!!
Tom's New Jacket
The Gryphon Tea Room -- It's a real place, in fact I go there pretty often.
This chapter just felt right to end here. I do have loads more to happen with this situation ^_~
Reviews are greatly appreciated!!!!
Chapter 9