If I Can't Have you

(55) The Charity Ball

"What the actual fuck?" Tommy says, walking into the hallway of his home only to find his brother in law, and Isla sharing a kiss.

"I- umm, what?" Tommy stutters, genuinely confused, pinching the bridge of his nose, as the two teens jump apart, both a bright shade of red, "when? How? What the fuck?"

"Last week," Arlo says.

Tommy stands there silent, just glancing between the two of them, seemingly unsure of whether to congratulate them, tell them off, question them further, or ignore it and leave it for someone else to deal with.

"What is this?" Tommy asks.

"He's my boyfriend."

"She's my girlfriend."

Are the two innocent responses he gets from the 'couple' who were sharing an awkward look.

"Tom, please don't tell the others yet," Arlo pleads.

"Do either of your siblings know?" Tommy asks, and they shake their heads, "nobody knows... well apart from you."

"Lucky me," Tommy retorts.

"It's still new, and everyone is going to ask us question, we don't know how to answer," Isla says, "like with you and Jem."

"This better be nothing like what happened with Jemima and I," Tommy states firmly.

"We just want some time to figure things out between ourselves before we have everyone in our business," Arlo says, "and it's exactly like what happened with you and my sister, you kept it secret so you could figure things out, why won't you allow us the same privilege?"

"If you keep saying that the start of your relationship is the same as your sister and I, you might actually give me a bloody heart attack, with the way your speaking so casually about it, I'm making the assumption you don't know the full story, and it's going to stay that way," Tommy replies.

"Well we never hated each other, so that's different I suppose," Isla inputs.

"Yes, thats the difference we're going with," Tommy mumbles.

"Will you please allow us some time before we tell everyone else?" Arlo begs, "I'm not ready to be threatened by Levin yet, or scolded heartily by John and Max."

"I'm not good at keeping my mouth shut, you've got until the charity dinner on Friday, thats 5 days," Tommy states, "and please do not start fucking kissing in my hallways again, I honestly thought I was going to have a stroke."

"Makes sense given how old you are," Arlo teases, and Tommy clips him around the back of the head, "cheeky fucker."

He places a hand on each of their shoulders, walking them back towards the foyer where everyone else was gathered making arrangements for Friday.

"Funsponge," Isla mumbles.

"Yes," Tommy confirms, "especially when it's that sort of fun, you're fifteen."

"Isn't it better that we explore in a safe environment?" Arlo responds.

"Obviously," Tommy replies, "but the corridor of my house whilst your family are about twenty metres away is not the safe environment you may have thought it was. Now sit down, and shut up."

-

"Arlo? Isla? Everything okay?" Jemima asks, as they sit her Max, Levin and Evander down.

"Yes," Isla nods, "we just need to tell you something, please don't get mad."

"You haven't killed someone, right?" Max questions and the two adamantly shake their heads, "no, of course not."

Arlo takes a deep breath, reaching for Isla's hand, "we're dating."