𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝟮 ⁑ t.holland

12. Lea McDonald

* start the song now *

Brook looked down at the guitar resting on her lap, she picked at a few strings, creating a melody which would soon become incredibly  popular. "Know that I loved you so bad, I let you treat me like that" She tilted her head back up, lips close enough to the mic in front of her.

She was just there for a regular recording session, the last one for a while. 
Tom had mentioned how he could use him and their history for inspiration a few days earlier. Brooklyn knew he might've not meant it literally... but she took him up on it. Once getting back home, she immediately started coming up with lyrics. Whether she was in the shower, making food, watching TV, in bed-- whatever it was-- she was thinking about this song. 

The young artist sat in the dimly lit room, guitar in hand. Strumming it herself helped her focus. Something she's had trouble doing lately.
"The things you did... well, I hope I was your favorite crime..."

Tom sat back in the car, watching as the signs directing them to the Portland airport approached. He had seen those signs so many times before, yet this time, he couldn't bare look up at them.

The entire car ride to the airport, he remained completely silent. He wanted to scream at the universe for making him leave, for letting him fuck up this badly. He wanted to cry because he had probably just lost the most important person in his life. Tom was angry, sad, heartbroken, confused-- he was far from excited about this new life he was starting up.

Brook closed her eyes, leaning into the mic. "All the things I did... just so I could call you mine..." She sang softly.

Days would go by and he had barely spoken to anyone unless it was for work in which he still remained distant. 

Weeks passed and he started telling himself it was all for the better. That she was better off without him, that she deserved so much better than what he had to offer. Shifting the blame made it easier for him to deal with the fact that she'd probably never forgive him for the things he said.

Some nights, he wishes he could take it all back, to just tell her the truth and hope that she'd stick around. But then he tries to convince himself that she wouldn't have stayed, that she would've probably left him the second things got overwhelming.

Which is selfish, isn't it? Blaming her for his mistakes.

"All the things I did..." Brooklyn sang with more power and emotion in her voice. Her eyes shut tighter and she tried her absolute hardest not to let the lump forming in the back of her throat get in the way of the last recording session of the day. "All the things you did..." A single tear ran down her cheek. "Well, I hope I was your favorite crime"

Tom looked up at his ceiling from his bed, a soft smile tugging at his thin lips when hearing Brooklyn's new song play through his phone speaker.
She did it. She took his offer.
Before, hearing those bitter and pain-driven lyrics would've shattered him, but now, they make him feel all warm inside. It was obviously a joke but she took it and created something pretty fuckin' great.

He's proud of her.

[ @julia_carlee: guys hear me out!! it's Charlie Puth. ]
[ ^ @harry_vincent: u got nothing to back u up. It's def Shawn Mendes, duh ]

[ @roland.james: k wait, but I did the research. Apparently her best friend is dating Haz Osterfield... and who's his best friend??? Tom H.... ]
[ ^ @gabriellelove: have they even met though? ]
[ ^ @fiona_tanner: exactly. How do we know they even know each other? ]
[ ^ @roland.james: they must have ]