LATIBULE | Tom Holland

chapter two

AFTER HOURS OF driving, we finally reach a small rest stop, not far from our goal. my brother and Harrison go into the shop at the side of the rest stop to get something to eat, while Liv and Tom stay in the cars. i feel like i need to move a bit. but the car park was bad, we couldn't have chosen a more antisocial stop. on every corner were adults or teenagers, drunk or on drugs.

nevertheless, i decide to walk around at least a little. i was walking a few laps around the end of the car park when a hand grabs me. i turn around and take out my headphones, thinking it was my brother. but it wasn't. unknown brown, almost black eyes meet mine.

"hello sweetheart, are you here all alone?" the unknown man asks me, but he doesn't let go of my arm.
"let go of me" i say, between desperate attempts to free my arm from his grip. why did i have to get out?

other men came running towards me with disgusting grins on their lips. i just wanted to scream, run away, lash out, but to no avail. they come closer and closer and became more and more intrusive, their hands all over my arms and stomach.

i squint my eyes, hoping it would make it easier. but suddenly they stop. i turn around to find familiar hazel brown eyes. they look at me, with fear and anger in them. he grabs my arm gently and pulls me out of the group of young men. they complain, but nothing could have interested him less at that moment.

he gently puts his arm to my lower back and pulls me close to him. when we were back at my brother's car, he turns me to him and hugs me tightly. only now do i really realise that it is Tom. my head sinks into his chest and a few tears leave my eyes.

"thank you" i mumble in a creaking voice into his fast-breathing chest. "it's all right, everything's fine" he replies with gentle strokes over my head as he places a light kiss on my head. this is not how i imagined our first real hug, but i can't complain about lying in his strong arms.

unconsciously i shiver, i'm not cold but it's probably still the shock that lies deep inside me. Tom pulls back from the embrace and looks at me, his eyes showing how worried he is. "are you alright?" i nod and smile weakly at him. he rubs his hands over my arms one last time before walking back to the car and returning with a grey scrap of cloth.

"you're shivering, i'm not sure if it's really cold, but just take it." the boy says while nervously scratching the back of his neck. i couldn't help it, but my face turned pink. "thanks Tom" i reply again and take the jumper from his hand. at the same moment Harrison and my brother came back, both concern in their eyes.

"what happened? we only saw you hugging each other and it didn't look very happy." my brother asks as he takes a bite of his pretzel. "she just had some problems with the guys back there, but it's all good." says Tom as he looks at me with a smile.

"Let's go then, it's only a few more miles." Charlie calls and swings himself into the driver's seat. i get in next to him, still holding Toms jumper tightly in my arms. "so you're already starting something?" he scoffs and laughs as i give him a death stare. "he was just nice to me"

Charlie starts the engine and with it all the windows open again. the wind made it colder and colder with time, so i decided to wear Tom's jumper. it was huge on me, but so soft. and it smelled like him, well at least i think it's his smell, but it smells damn good. i pull my legs close to me and rest my head against the door, letting the endless streets pass me by until my eyes slowly flatter shut.

—

i wake up when someone gently shakes my shoulder. i open my eyes slowly and see the brown-haired girl from before standing in front of me. i give her a slight smile, which she returns. "we're here" she says. i unbuckle my seatbelt and get out of the jeep. Liv and I take the last of the bags out of the cars and go downstairs to the ju