When You & I Collide

Evie slept restlessly again that night. Visions of screeching cars and smoke and shadows haunted her dreams that night. When she finally surfaced from the duvet, she felt groggy and tired.

As she showered, she heard the radio from the kitchen and the faint wailing of Tom's voice. She smiled, picturing him dancing round the kitchen, although god knows what he was doing, as she hadn't seen him use the kitchen in the last few months she had been there.

Once dressed she emerged from her room to find Tom sat at the breakfast bar, with a rather edible plate of food in front of him, a similar plate was placed opposite.
'What's this? am I in trouble? are you trying to poison me?' Evie joked in mockery.

'Nah, c'mon sit. Eat!' Tom gestured to the chair, which Evie complied with.
'It's just you know, your last week, thought I'd do something nice' Tom eyed her seriously for a moment, and just as quickly it was gone, replaced with a twinkle as he pulled out a bottle of bourbon and 2 shot glasses.

'You have got to be kidding me! it's 9.00am Tom' Evie laughed incredulously. She felt a pang of sadness in her lower abdomen, as the thought of leaving him washed over her. She had found an apartment whilst he was away and had enough money (thanks to Tom's generous wage) to refurnish it. It was about 10 miles from where she was currently residing, and she felt slightly nauseous at the thought of waking up alone; something she never thought she'd feel. They both clinked their shot glasses and drank in celebration, or sadness, or whichever one felt required....

****Toms POV*****

Tom pulled up at the estate agents and waited in the car as Evie went in to sign some paper's . He yawned and stretched back in the seat, his shirt lifting a little. It was going to be really quiet around the place now Tom sulked at the thought. His love hate relationship with Evie was a part of his life now and he would look forward to the banter every time he saw her bite. His phoned vibrated, signalling a text message and he nonchalantly eyed the sender - the girl who he had brought home a few weeks ago. He couldn't remember her name. He hadn't called her back. He hadn't planned to actually. Never did.
A loud tap on his car window made him jump and he looked up to see a gaunt looking guy smiling expectantly at him, signalling him to roll down his window. Tom sighed and complied, assuming he wanted an autograph but was startled when he asked about Evie.

'So are you two together? He asked, pointing his thumb in the estate agents. Evie hadn't spotted the two men exchanging pleasantries.
'err...no...sorry, who are you? do you know Evie?'
The guy smirked and winked his reply; 'Yeah we knew each other. knew each other a few times if you know what I mean' He laughed then, a big hearty laugh and continued.
'Actually we just went out a few weeks ago that's why I asked man...was hoping to hear from her again, or maybe ask her out again'
Tom smiled, and nodded goodbye to the stranger, but all the time was grinding his teeth and had his fist clenched so hard he thought his knuckles would break.
This complete stranger had gotten completely underneath his skin as soon as he had mentioned Evie. Tom wanted to smash his face in. But he was also furious that Evie had not said anything about this guy, while he was away too! Had she brought him to his house? Was she planning on telling him anytime or just waltzing out of his life and not bothering?
Tom shook his head in frustration and punched the steering wheel. Why was he so pissed off anyway? it's not like they were together...there had been so many missed opportunities at this point that Tom doubted now that anything would happen.
Tom scowled at the thought of being played. Deep down he was hurt at the thought of missing the opportunities. He was always a guy that went for what he wanted, and didn’t care who or what got in his way. And if he got bored with it, then he’d move on, no strings attached, all for fun. But it was different with Evie, every step he took with her was cautious, calculated, hesitant. He didn’t want to make any mistakes, or say the wrong thing, for fear of what she might think of him. This was new territory.
But it didn’t matter now, Tom furrowed his brow in frustration and loosened the grip on the steering wheel, his white knuckles slowly returning to a pink. Evie clearly wasn’t as sweet and innocent as she made herself out to be, and she CLEARLY didn’t have trust issues with men, Tom scoffed, recalling the guy who knocked on his car door not 5 minutes ago. Well that’s fine, she can do what she wants and Imma’ do me Tom thought.
Evie returned to the car and smiled hesitantly, holding up her tenancy papers, half excitement, half sadness across her face. ‘ Well, that’s it, I have my keys, next week, I will officially be a nuisance to you no more!’ she joked, and tom smirked, starting the car and driving off.

Once back at the apartment, Evie picked up the phone to order Chinese and watched Tom walk lazily to the kitchen Liquor cabinet and grab a bottle of scotch and a glass. He slowly walked to his bedroom and closed the door without looking back at Evie. She frowned for a minute at the closed door, then shook her head, not reading too much in to it and carried on ordering Chinese.
20 minutes later, Evie had plated up the Chinese and shouted tom from his bedroom. He emerged with the bottle of bourbon in his hand, half empty and Evie raised her eyebrows. He had changed in to some well fitted Jeans and shoes, and a black shirt, tight enough to show his biceps and pecs. He was unbuttoning his sleeves and rolling them up to his elbows when he looked up and locked his glassy eyes on to Evie.
She realised she had been silent, and had forgotten to breath. She cleared her throat and looked at him questionably gesturing to his attire. ‘You er heading out?’
‘Yeah, just meeting up with a friend, catching up’ Tom strolled confidently past her, blowing a waft of Bourbon and aftershave her way, reminding her of the first night she met him, when he was a total arsehole.
‘Oh, ok….well, just ease up on that bottle Tom, you have the award ceremony and dinner tomorrow remember?’ Evie approached cautiously, taking in his vacant expression and following slowly as he headed for the front door, closing it behind him without even a goodbye.
Evie frowned. It wasn’t just her imagination earlier, something was definitely up with Tom. She looked at the Chinese containers and sighed, picking up her chow Mein and heading to her bedroom. Men!...
Evie woke with a jump as she heard muffled voices and a glass breaking outside her bedroom. She shivered and immediately jumped up, put her hoody on, and picked up her hairbrush. She silently scolded herself for not having a better weapon by her bed. She needn’t have worried though as she was greeted once again to the leaning tower of Tom against her door, laughing to himself with that particularly wry blonde from a few months ago. The were giggling and there was glass all over the floor.
‘Tom!, what the hell are you doing? It’s 3.00am!’ Evie angrily whispered, folding her arms, and suddenly realising she was only in her hot pants.
The blonde eyed her up and down in satisfaction. Blondie was dressed in a red crop top and black leather pants with 10 in red heels, her blonde hair cascading down her skinny frame.
‘I’m having fun, what does it look like, Tom slurred, eyeing her with a fierceness that caused Evie to squirm.
‘I think you call it a night Tom’ Evie responded curtly, raising her eyebrows at Blondie, who looked to Tom for a response.
‘Oh yeah, of course, I should call it a night, it’s aright for YOU to have all your fun, but not me’ Tom ended on a much higher note than he started with and was waving his empty bottle of bourbon round for dramatic effect. Blondie took this as her cue to leave and slowly skulked out the door. Tom was drunkenly leaning against the breakfast bar looking at Evie accusingly.
‘what are you talking about Tom, I have a job to do, and that’s to get you to and from work in one piece without acting like a dick, which clearly is more difficult than it looks!’ Evie shouted. She was ratty and wasn’t in the mood for one of Tom’s old drunken rampages, she thought they had long gone. She could see in front of her that same arrogant cocky guy from way back,. She could see all the flaws in him.
Tom sniffed and leaned in towards Evie, barely two eyes open and laughed, a nasty laugh. ‘ Yeah, you do your job. That what you were doing while I was away? Do you get off on guys chasing you eh darling? Playing the damsel in distress!’
Evie, shocked at his response bent down to start picking up the glass shards ‘ Go to bed Tom, sleep it off, and apologise to me in the morning. Asshole’
Tom dropped his bottle of bourbon and kicked the bar stool ‘ You’re a total cocktease you know that Evie! Playing all sweet and innocent then fucking it all up! No wonder Sam threw you about!’ Even drunk, Tom knew when he had fucked up. And he had fucked up big time. Evie, stood up wide eyes, slowly glistening with tears and walked to wards him. She looked at him for a split second then drew her hand back and punched him hard in the face. Tom fell back, more from his drunkenness that her tiny fist, and he looked up, evie returning his starte with complete hurt and betrayal on her face. ‘Go Fuck yourself Tom’
‘Go fuck yourself’ Tom spat back, watching her retreat to her room….