𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜, ᴛᴏᴍᴍʏɪɴɴɪᴛ

♧⃘ twenty-five ♧⃘

We've been in the car for a few hours. I don't know where we were going, but it definitely was somewhere far away from here.

Just then, I remembered something. "Oh my sh*t, what day is it? Hehe, I rhymed."

"Uh," Tom started, looking at his phone, "it's Thursday?"

"Oh. Cool, but I was wondering-"

"It's June 24th. And time, 8 PM. Woah, 8 PM already?" Nephie asserted.

I looked at Tommy, wanting to see if he caught on.

"What?" He stammered, laughing. Soon, his faces was taken over by realization. "Oh... oh my god."

"What?" Niki yawned. Wilbur was looking back through the rear view mirror.

"My uh.. my birthday is tomorrow." I smiled.

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Tom's POV

I stepped out of the car door, breathing in the fresh air I had lacked for hours.

I turned around and grabbed Juniper's hand to help her get out.

"Why, thank you good sir." She nodded, and slipped out of the door behind me.

"Of course, m'lady." I laughed.

Wilbur stopped at a gas station so he and Niki could use the restroom. Now it was just me, Juniper, and Nephie.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I need to get something off my mind." Nephitie came up to us.

"You aren't interrupting!" I stammered.

"I mean, they kind of did- either way, it's fine." Juniper smiled.

Okay, this is random, but I adore her smile.

It's something that could just light up the room, even if there is no light in there. Just darkness.

That is, until she smiles.

No, she doesn't even have to smile to light up the room.

Oh my god, that was so cheesy.

Snap out of it, Tommy. She's your best friend.

I zoomed back to reality, and Juniper was hugging Nephie.

"Of course! I'll start using those from now on. I'm happy you are experimenting with what you think is best for you." Juniper concluded.

"Wait- sorry, what?" I asked.

"I'm using they/him pronouns now. You know, instead of they/them?" Nephie smiled. "And nim/nimself, but yeah."

"Oh! That's good to know." I smiled.

The first few days where Nephie walked into our lives, I had been a bit nervous.

Though they are younger, I felt like Juniper was going to hang out with him more than me.

And that sounds so selfish, I know. But I feared I would lose her.

But Nephie was cool, and I knew that Juniper wouldn't stray away from me.

They're a really easy person to warm up too, if I'm being honest.

"How long have they been in there?" Juniper questioned, looking at the building.

"A while." I mumbled.

"Really?" Juniper turned to me, gasping.

"Yeah, why- oh." I rolled my eyes, and she smiled again.

"I'm going to go check on them, stay here. Nephie, make sure little man Tommy doesn't go off anywhere."

"Oh, shut it." I scoffed, then watched her walk off into the gas station.

"So..." Nephie longed.

"So... what?" I looked down at him.

"You like her, don't you." They grinned cheekily.

"Who? Juniper? What, no." I turned away.

I can not be catching feelings for someone. No way.

Especially someone who is that out of my league.

"Mhm, alright." He sighed. "But don't come to me asking how to ask her out when you have that moment where your life flashes in front of your eyes."

"What moment- I have never had that type of moment happen to me." I looked back at them.

"Hm, not yet you haven't."

"Guys! Come here!" I looked ahead and saw Juniper waving for us to come inside.