When We Were Younger | Book 1

Pasta

Sophie:
The next day my phone gets spammed with text and phone calls from both Bill and Tom.
I ignore them and delete every text, every missed call. Marco can't know.

I'm a little relieved he is at work and won't be home until six.
I startle a little when the doorbell rings, not expecting anyone.

I open the door and see Tom standing in front of me. I look at him confused and he stares back at me. "What are you doing here?"
"You weren't answering.. I was worried. I wanted to make sure you are okay."

"I am." I say quickly.
"Can I come in?"
"Uhm," I stammer and step aside without saying anything else. He walks passed me, his arm briefly touching my shoulder.

"Are you sure you are okay?" He ask again and I nod, looking at my feet.
"You don't look okay."
I look at him a little offended. "Thanks?"

"That's not what I mean." He says. "It looks like you've been crying."
"It was just a short night, that's all."

"Marco looked angry yesterday."
I shrug my shoulders. "He just wanted to go home."

He takes a step towards me and gently put his hand on my waist.
"Look into my eyes and tell me everything is okay."

A lump forms in my throat, not being able to say a word. "I'm fine." I barely manage to get out.
"I don't believe you."
"That's your problem, Tom. Not mine."
I walk passed him and cross my arms.

"You have to go. Marco will be home any minute."
"Are you scared of him? Is he hurting you?"
I shake my head. "No."

He walks closer to me and puts his hand on my cheek, looking into my eyes.
"Sophie," he says. "you can always talk to me, okay? You can always call me, text me, come to my house, no matter what time it is, I don't care. Okay?"
I nod. "I know."

Tom went home, and I started dinner, making sure it will be ready and still warm when Marco gets home.

Tom:
I throw my keys on the kitchen table and sigh deeply.
"Everything okay?" Bill asks, looking at the keys I just throw in front of him.

"I don't know. I have a bad feeling about Marco."
"I think you're just jealous."
I shake my head. "No, that's not it. You saw how he looked at her in the club. How angry he was, how he grabbed her arm."

Bill looks at me and leans back a little.
"Maybe he was jealous, you know, since you guys kissed. I think I would be.."
"He has no right to be jealous." I snap at him.

"It's honestly not our business, Tom. It's up to them to decide what type of relationship they want."
"So we are not gonna do anything?"
"About what?"
"Marco.."

Bill sighs. "You'll just have to except that she is with him, you can't force her to break up with him."
"Nevermind." I say annoyed and walk away from him.

Sophie:
Just when Marco walks inside to put his plate on the kitchen table.
"Dinner is ready." I say with a smile on my face as I look at him.
"I told you I wanted pasta for dinner."

"Pasta?" I say confused, looking at the plate in front of him. I made him his favorite meal, a stir fry dish with noodles, vegetables and chicken.
"You wanted pasta?"
"That's what I told told you! YOU STUPID BITCH!" He yells at me, throwing the plate towards me.

He storms off, leaving me behind, which is the best possible scenario for me.
I kneel down on the ground, gathering all the pieces from the plate, tears forming in my eyes.

I pick up every shard, every piece of food, cleaning the floor with tears on my eyes, making my sight blurry.
I startle when I hear the door slam shut behind me and I jump up.

"He sits down at the table, taking my plate and starts eating. Not saying a word.
I stand still, to scared to move, to scared to make him even more angry.

"I want a beer." He says, between two bites and I walk to the sink. I quickly put the broken plate and food down before I grab a beer out of the fridge and put it in front of him.

Tom:
"I have been thinking." Bill's says as he comes up to me and I look at him.
"You really have feelings for her, don't you?"
"I think so."

"You think so? That's not enough Tom, we are talking about Sophie. You have to be sure."
"I never felt like this before."
Bill nods. "You can't force her to break up with Marco, but you can tell her how you feel."

"Why? She does not have feelings for me."
"Are you sure? I mean, she kissed you."
"Because Marco cheated on her."
Bill shrugs his shoulders. "Maybe, maybe not. I know she had feelings for you when we were still in school."

"She did?" I look at him confused.
"Don't tell me you never noticed. It was so obvious."
It crossed my mind a few times, yes, but I wasn't 100% sure. She never told me she had feelings for me at all.
"Maybe..."