Simple Love (A Tom Daley Love Story)

Chapter 36

Tom's POV

It was the first practice where there were more countries at the pool and it was getting pretty crowded. It also meant that less practice could be done as there was always queues for the boards. I was standing on the stairs between the 7.5m and 10m board hearing the distant conversations of everyone else. I wasn't really focusing on any in particular just idly wondering what was for lunch until I heard a conversation between 2 guys behind me and I caught 1 word... Lily. My ears pricked up and I listened closer, "- the fit british one? The physio?" I heard one say, "Yeah," the other replied "She's so hot, I would." My cheeks flushed with annoyance as they talked so disrespectfully about Lily... My Lily. "Though a lot of the British girls are hot..." The first said, "That blonde one, Tania or something... Tonia that's it, she smokin' too." I felt my annoyance prickle more as they talked about Tonia too until the other said "But yeah that Lily girl, fit ass and those boobs are quality." I felt disgusted that these dickheads felt they had the right to speak about girls like that and I was just about to turn round to tell them this before a third voice joined the group to say "Who Lily? Yeah I had lunch with her the other day." My stomach plunged and knotted and my hands clenched my shammy, I decided against challenging him and turned my head slightly to see who it was and I recognised the third voice as Zach who I'd met at competitions before. But before I could think of a comment to say it was my turn to dive. But my mind was unfocused, my head spinning and as I made to grab my hands when I saw the flash of blue I over-rotated and crushed my thumb, my legs smacked and my thumb instantly seared with pain. This couldn't be good...

Lily's POV

I was facing away from pool talking to Anna when I heard someone smack onto the water, pretty unusual with this high standard of divers. I turned curiously to see who it was and to my dismay I saw Tom's dark head emerge from the water with a grimace on his face. A lot of people quickly called out "Tom are you ok?" He didn't reply but swam all the way to the steps to walk out and limped slightly towards Anna holding one hand in the another. I immediately moved forward to help but he brushed past me without even looking at me, it was no accident. I was pretty hard to miss standing right next to Anna. I only saw his back and heard Anna's murmurs "Oh Tom it's swelling up... And look your legs are bruised too... What just happened?" He refused to answer and just said "Nothing Anna, can you sort it out?" She nodded before giving me a weird look, Tom was never like this. But she lead him mutely and I watched him go, the hurt brewing inside me.

I had to watch the rest of the practice, Tom evidently didn't want to see me so I sat on the poolside, tugging at a loose thread in my shorts with my unfocused eyes watching the water. Someone drew themselves out of the water next to me and said "Lil? You ok?" It was Chris. "Um not really, when Tom hurt himself he just ignored me, walked straight past. But I have no clue what I've done." He sat down next to me and put a slightly soggy arm around my shoulders and said, "Yeah I saw that... Hang on-" he leaned forward a bit and hollered over to Kassidy sitting a few seats down "Kass! Could you come here a minute?" He turned to smile at me saying "Don't worry Kassidy will know what's up." She hurried over with a worried expression and said "Hey I've been meaning to come over. Is this about Tom?" I nodded and she sat down on the other side if me, put her arm around my waist and said "Yeah I have an idea..." Chris motioned for her to go on. "Well," she said,"I saw on him up on the board with Sam and Conor behind him. But then Zach joined them... And I'm pretty sure they were talking about your lunch date the other day..." I hid my face in my hands. "Oh no!" I said as Chris looked at me weirdly "He just offered to have lunch with me whilst you all were training, it didn't mean anything and Tom hurt himself because of me!" Kassidy rubbed my side slighted and my voice pitched increased and just said "Lily you forget that you and Tom aren't a couple, even if it's obviously imminent to us, he shouldn't have got upset really, you have every right to have lunch with whoever. Now I'm gonna go talk to him. See you later!" And with that she wondered off, I tucked my head onto Chris's shoulder miserably and he said "Lils don't worry she'll bring him around, it isn't your fault at all," at that point he was called by one of the coaches so he kissed the top of my head and said "Catch you later, keep your chin up Lily!" I nodded and pulled out my phone and went on FaceTime pulling down to the 'W' contacts, pressed one and waited for it to ring. The caller accepted and I said "Hey Willzy."

Thank you all for the reads, votes and comments! They are really appreciated so keep em coming!! Xxxx