Her life

Part 11: Pictures

So many people love you.
Don't focus on the people who don't!
- anonymous
———————————————————

‼️trigger warning‼️

"Hey, stranger!" he hears you call out, swearing he hears a little chuckle afterwards, but it is gone before he can fully register it.
He returns the greeting, eying your attire. You are wearing leggings with an oversized T-Shirt, probably your pyjamas, and a jeans jacket on top to keep you warm. It's a simple outfit, nothing extravagant, nonetheless he still thinks you are beautiful like this.

You are about to dive back into your food when you see Tom studying your clothes, your Pyjamas to be specific. You forgot about that. Having no time to change as you heard the fire alarm and not being allowed to go back in the house later on. While deciding to go to the bakery you didn't care about your looks, but now, Tom gazing at you so intently makes you feel self conscious.

"Nice clothes," you hear him say, focusing your attention back on the food, blushing madly.

"I didn't have time to change, sorry." Confusion is written all over his face as you say this.

"Why are you sorry and by the way I have to stop somewhere before we drive back home." While speaking Tom reaches out to steal a piece of your croissant.

You tilt your head to the left a little as if to ask 'Where are we going?'. It seems like he understands it but doesn't respond to your question, instead he replies with "you didn't answer my question, why are you sorry?"

"I don't know, just... for everything I guess." Shrugging one shoulder you continue to eat, more like pick at your croissant suddenly feeling sick to the stomach.
At this moment Tom's gaze and his questions make you feel bad, for what you don't know. All you know is that right know he reminds you of Noah, making you feel bad and sick at the same time.
Tom, who seems to spot your uneasiness reaches out his hand to hold yours, a reassuring look taking over his face before he speaks up once again,
"You don't have to feel sorry. Firstly I wouldn't have offered to pick you up if I didn't want to and secondly for everything else you feel sorry about... don't... everything I did and will do for you, with you, whatever, I do it because I want to. It... you don't bother me."

It's a small speech, but one you needed to hear to stop your overthinking brain for just a few moments, away from Noah, away from your parents, away from the past. You are so moved to tears that Tom all of a sudden feels bad about his talk.
He moves from his side of the table to yours, crouching down at the chair you are sitting on and trying to hug your waist, though, it must look ridiculous for outsiders. His arms curling around your hips, while you sit sideways to him, his chin resting on your thigh with a pout.
For strangers it has to look really inappropriate, nonetheless it brings a smile to your face, albeit small.

"I didn't mean to make you more upset," his pout is too adorable in combination with this childish voice. It's so adorable that a laugh escapes your lips, but that dies as soon as you answer him. Voice now low, almost a whisper.
"You didn't make me upset, was only lost in the past, sorry." At the 'sorry' part he gives you a scolding look and you go to apologize again, before you cut yourself off mid sentence because Tom tilts his head back and groans in fake annoyance.

Bringing his head back to look at you properly you stare down at him with a dreamy expression across your face.
You can't think of something why you deserve to have him in your life. He is so kind, so selfless, so beautiful inside out. Quickly averting your gaze away from Tom, feeling a lump form in your throat. It's not that you feel sad by any means, but you feel... how do you feel? Not able to transform the feelings into words you furrow your eyebrows in frustration.