Youth Knows No Pain

Five

Arriving back to the temporary home of Oli and company with a black eye was not ideal for Tom or Oli or any of the other bandmates and/or friends that were currently staying in the extravagant hotel. 

"What the fuck happened to you?" was all Oli had said when he came through the door. The group watched Tom as he just shook his head and muttered her name. It wasn't venomously or filled with hatred. It was a sad mumble of almost disbelief. Tom was maybe a little naive but a simple "thank you for saving the mother of my child" would obviously be appreciated, right? Perhaps he'd just receive something in the post. 

After a week of avoiding his phone, Ruthy and his brother, Tom finally caved. It was simple, two words and he was done. He got the hint, maybe not from her, but the hint was very clearly and oh-so visible...it was green now. 

I'm sorry was the only thing Tom sent Ruthy. It summed up everything, he felt. Maybe his abandonment and his persistent need to see her and maybe even the black eye her significant other bestowed upon him, although Hannah said it did have a sort of attractive charm to it. Tom kind of liked that perspective.

Tom did not expect his own mobile to ring or the fact that the love of his life the woman he'd so desperately wanted to speak to was the one calling. Or maybe even the part where it was her turn to ask him to meet her for tea or her to apologize to him. Tom was out the door before the conversation even ended. 

Tom sat down at the same table he'd harassed her at not long ago. The Batista stared him down as he ordered himself an Earl Grey. It wasn't long before the red petticoat came into his line of vision. Her skin tinged pink from the cold air, a chai tea placed at the table by said barista before she could even shed her coat off. Tom stood up, bowing his head to keep his black eye a little less visible. 

Ruthy smiled at the barista, before wrapping her arms around Tom's torso. Her bump making it harder to remember what it was like to be with him. A feeling she might be a little grateful for right now. Tom wrapped his own arms around her still small frame. 

"Thank you for meeting me despite everything." she told him quietly as she studied his new appearance. Ezra had given her the summary of everything that happened from the moment he got there till they left. She tried to not look so surprised by the bruise. 

Tom shrugged though, sipping from his paper cup. "I deserved it." he added averting his eyes back to the window. The city still crowded with people and snow still covering large portions of everything. 

"No one deserves a punch." she told him pulling her panda faced mittens off placing them onto the table clenching and unclenching her hands as the color returned. Her faded hair was in a side braid, a wool cap shielding most of it protecting her face from the cold. She'd pulled that off too now dropping it in the Celine bag. 

"When do you leave?" she asked breaking the long silence that had fallen over them. Tom hadn't really thought about it. It was fairly soon, they'd be in England a lot sooner than he'd realize.

"Two weeks." he answered placing with the paper napkin. Her face contorted into a frown as a sigh slipped from her lips.

"You weren't kidding about being soon, yeah?" she smiled sipping her tea. 

"You have no idea how much I've missed you." he finally told her. His frosted eyes looking up at her studying the reaction he'd get. Another slap, probably. 

"I've missed you too Tom, but we're not sixteen anymore." she clarified, folding her hands around the mug trying not to let the tears fill up. 

&&

It wasn't long before Tom left. Ruthy didn't see him after their conversation at the cafe. He never texted her goodbye nor bothered to come around and see her. Tom never facebooked her, he never called. Ruthy was not going to let it phase her. Tom had done this to her before. He'd abandoned her, swapped her out for bigger and better. She was not going to let him tear her walls down once more. Ruthy took the rejection hard despite her best interests. She didn't want too but she did. She thought they were finally friends again and she wanted him back in her life. 
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That one time I wrote a filler and the tables turned. So I'm on tumblr a lot now. It's weird. I feel super hip.

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