no matter what decision your heart makes, I will be waiting for you...

Part 42

The evening before departure day had arrived. I diligently packed my dress as neatly as possible into the suitcase before closing it. I doubted Tom had started packing yet, but how should I know, he's been hanging out with Cassie in his room all day. And Harrison has only packed a few white t-shirts so far. And one or two shirts because of the work he still had to do there. I had already bought moving boxes, but I haven't started packing them yet. I wanted to do that as soon as I get back from Los Angeles. Since I want to enjoy the last week without any stress or drama. As the first to finish packing, I proudly and relievedly went into the kitchen to grab a water.

"Why can't I come with you?!" I heard Cassie arguing from Tom's room. Not that I was eavesdropping, but her high-pitched voice could be heard screaming all the way down the hall.

"Because only workers are allowed to come. No companion! There is nothing I can do about it!" Tom argued back. Man, sounds like a heated argument in there...

"Harrison's taking Jenna with him too, so why can't I come?!" Cassie asked again. It wasn't my intention to keep listening, yet I couldn't stop either.
"Cassie stop!" A rolling suitcase was heard, and then the sound of the slatted frame, as if Tom had thrown the suitcase on the bed to pack it.

"No Tom, you will not pack now. Not without telling me why I can't come!" For a brief moment there was silence. Whispers could be heard from Cassie's side, but I could not make out what...

I was still standing at the kitchen island with my water bottle to my lips while my eyes and all my concentration was fixed on Tom's bedroom door.
"Cassie, the things you would do with me do not change my fucking mind. You can't come, end of discussion!"
"Why don't you just tell me why you don't want me there?!" I couldn't see them, but I knew Cassie had a pout on her face as tears threatened her eyes. He voice all squeaky.

"Damn it, Cassie. Because you are annoying, just like you are right now!" he yelled at her. I think even Harrison could hear that... 3 seconds later, a crying Cassie ran out of his room, grabbed her jacket and ran out of the flat. The second the flat door slammed, I started to let out a loud sigh. Of course Tom was tough, but who could blame him, as annoying as Cassie is. I didn't even notice that Tom also came out of his room like an angry bull, and walked past me to the fridge to get himself a water as well.
"Shut it! It's not funny." he warned me with an exhausted undertone. Placed his water next to me on the kitchen island.
"Why can't I come with you Tommayyy!" I mocked cassie in the best high pitched drama queen voice I could do. Tom giggled, sat down next to me.
"Seriously now, who does she think she is?" he asked me, not knowing how to help himself. I shrugged. For a while there was silence. Until a question occurred to me, which I honestly had to ask.
"Can I... ask you a question?" I turned my body towards him. He nodded.
"Are you really not allowed to bring a companion?" I asked, staring at his side profile. And I was right. Taking in his exhausted state, I saw that his hair was a mess from all the arguing and stress. Cassie really does him no good..
His head shook slowly, eyes focused on his thumbs which nervously rubbed off the label of the bottle
"No" he murmured. Silence reigned again. Tom certainly had his reasons for not wanting her there. But I understood that he didn't want to talk about it. "I don't want her there. She's just so-" He wanted to say it, I could see it. He wanted to say that she was annoying. That she was always bitching and letting out everything he could think of. But he controlled himself, stopped in mid-sentence and closed his mouth with a shake of his head. "I should consider myself lucky. I will write her a letter of apology and bring her flowers from America." he spoke up softly. But he didn't sound really happy, as if it wasn't what he wanted, but what he had to do. So forced... I quickly shrugged the thought off. Even though it hurts to hear what he is willing to do for the wrong person, I shouldn't get involved in his business any more....
On the other hand... I worry about him. I shouldn't, and he deserves not to be happy, but stupid me who still loves him wants him to come to his senses and see that she isn't the one.
"Tom?" I asked him again, my voice low. My worried eyes watched as his fingers slowly stopped rubbing the label off and left the little paper shreds scattered all around the bottle.
"I know..." He replied, knowing without me saying anything, what I wanted to tell him.
His heavy breaths revealed that he was deep in thought. And it was hard for me not to worry about him when I saw him in this state. At times like this, I find it hard to live with Tom. I don't know what to do. If he was my lover I would comfort him, if he was a friend I would try to talk to him, but in this situation we were neither. We were more than friends but less than lovers. We were somewhere between being together and being friends. And also somewhere between enemies and strangers.

He didn't say anything else for a while as I waited for him to go on. Surely didn't he want to share his thoughts either. Why should he? "I should probably go back to packing my suitcase. Long flight tomorrow." He stood up with his water bottle in his hand as he smiled at me once more. "Good night Y/N" He said.

"Good night Thomas" I replied. He swallowed, hating the name Thomas out of my mouth. But he ignored it and went back to his room.

I sat in the dark kitchen for a while longer, finishing my bottle of water before I went to bed. Excited about the flight, I didn't fall asleep until 2am. But therefore I slept soundly.

What do you think? Does Cassie deserve better? Or rather Y/N because she has to watch Cassie and Tom doing something together all the time? Or are you team Tom? who is struggling with his feelings?