Tom's POV
Just as I was finally starting to breathe again, finally getting my heart to slow the fuck down, my phone rang.
The sound felt way too loud in the quiet room, like the universe kicking me while I was already down. I dragged a hand down my face, exhaling slowly, trying to get my shit together before I looked at the screen.
Imogen.
Fuck.
My stomach dropped instantly. I'd completely forgotten about her. Forgotten that I'd basically bailed without a word, left her standing there confused while my whole past came crashing back into my life like a wrecking ball. Real smooth, Tom. Real fucking smooth.
I stared at the screen for a second too long, guilt creeping up my spine. I considered not answering, just letting it ring out like a coward, but my thumb moved on its own and I answered.
"Hi," I said, my voice flat but a little rough around the edges, like everything I'd just gone through was still clinging to it.
"Hey," she said immediately, and I could hear it—hear the worry threaded through her voice. "Sorry for calling, I was just… I was worried about you. You left so abruptly."
I leaned back against my bed, staring at the ceiling, my jaw tightening.
"I thought maybe you got another prank call from Tyler and his friends," she continued, her words rushing a bit now, "but the way you left, Tom, I was scared it was a family emergency or something. Are you okay?"
Fuck.
The concern in her voice hit harder than I expected. Genuine. No bullshit. No games. Just her worrying about me, and there I was, standing in the middle of emotional fucking chaos with no idea how to explain any of it.
Yeah. I was anything but okay.
My chest did this stupid little fucking flutter at the thought that she'd actually been worried about me. I hated that it affected me—hated how easily she slipped past my defenses without even trying. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, grounding myself, then forced my voice to stay even.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, keeping it short, casual, like my world hadn't just been flipped upside down. "It's all sorted now."A lie—but a necessary one.
I shifted on the bed, staring at the wall instead of the mess of thoughts in my head. "You know," I added quickly, not giving myself time to spiral, "you were saying something before the call interrupted you. What were you saying?"
There was a brief pause on the other end, just long enough to make my stomach twist.
"What… I was…" she started, sounding a little thrown off. "Oh—right, yeah." She cleared her throat softly. "I wanted to know if you wanted to hang out at the park. But seeing you're probably already at home, I thought maybe you wouldn't wanna go out now."
Her voice dipped at the end, quiet, careful, but fuck, I could still hear it. The disappointment. The way she tried to hide it but didn't quite succeed.
And damn it, that hit harder than it should have.
I stared at my phone for a second, thumb hovering over the screen, my brain screaming at me to shut the fuck up and end the call. But my mouth moved faster than my common sense ever did.
"Where are you right now?" I asked, trying to sound casual even though my heart was already doing stupid shit. I exhaled slowly. "Are you already at home? Maybe we can still meet up—" I paused, hating how unsure I sounded, ",that is, if you want."
There was half a second of silence, then
"Really?" she said, her voice lighting up instantly, like I'd just flipped a switch. "I'd like that. I'll meet you there."
She hung up before I could even respond, before I could back out or say something dumb or talk myself out of it like I should have.
I lowered the phone slowly, staring at the black screen… and then I realized I was smiling like a fucking idiot.
Fuck.
I dragged a hand down my face, shaking my head. Tom, stop it.
You can't go there.
You know you can't go there.