A Song For You//[Thonny]

Chapter Twenty-Two

Thom's feet dragged as he walked back to his own house that evening, his mind reeling. The air felt cold, pressing down on him as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. The emptiness of his home seemed amplified, every room feeling cavernous and silent. As he dropped his keys on the counter, his stomach twisted again, gnawing at him with guilt and doubt.

He sat on the couch, the phone on the table close by, dreading but anticipating the moment it would ring with Jonny's number. And sure enough, barely an hour later, it started. The first ring was tentative, and he just stared at the small screen, willing himself not to answer. But he could picture Jonny on the other end, panicked, his mind surely spinning with the thought that Thom had abandoned him all over again. His heart ached as he left the call unanswered.

Another ring. And another.

Please, just pick up, he thought, even as he knew he wouldn't. If he did, he'd fall right back into that loop, telling Jonny that everything would be alright, keeping secrets, prolonging the damage. Colin's words lingered, hard and unyielding in his mind. This was what was best for Jonny, even if neither of them could see it now.

The calls kept coming, each one feeling like a small knife twisting deeper into him. He nearly caved twice, his thumb hovering over the screen before he forced himself to put the phone down. Every ring felt like another betrayal, the trust they'd rebuilt fraying with each missed call, every unanswered message. Eventually, the calls stopped, and Thom was left with a hollow silence and the weight of what he'd done.

----

The next day, Colin left his house early, his expression set in a grim determination as he pulled up outside Jonny's place. He didn't knock right away, bracing himself, then opened the door and stepped inside. Jonny was in the living room, looking like he hadn't slept, his gaze snapping up as soon as he heard the door open.

"Colin? Where's Thom?" Jonny's voice was tense, eyes red-rimmed and wild.

Colin's face was stern. "He's not coming, Jonny. I'm here because... we need to talk."

Jonny's shoulders tensed immediately, his face scrunching in confusion. "About what? What's going on?" He glanced around, almost as if expecting Thom to appear from behind Colin, but no one came. The emptiness in the house seemed to grow, the silence thick and uncomfortable.

"I know about the coke, Jonny," Colin said, voice measured. He watched as Jonny's face shifted, anger and desperation flickering in his eyes. "You can't keep going like this. This isn't who you are. You're going to get help."

The color drained from Jonny's face, and he took a step back, hands shaking. "Help? What are you talking about? I don't... I don't need help!" He shot Colin a fierce, defiant glare, his voice raising. "You had no right to tell Thom to stay away from me. I'm fine."

"Are you?" Colin countered, his voice firm. "Because from where I'm standing, you're falling apart. This has gone on long enough, Jonny. You can hate me all you want, but you need more than just Thom's promises to get clean."

As if on cue, the knock on the door echoed through the house. Jonny's eyes widened, his gaze darting toward the sound as dread settled over him.

"Who's that?" he asked, voice trembling. His gaze shot back to Colin, the betrayal clear in his expression. "What did you do?"

"It's people from the rehab facility," Colin said, and his tone softened, though his resolve remained strong. "They're here to help, Jonny. Please... just listen to what they have to say."

"No," Jonny snapped, backing away toward the stairs. "I'm not doing this. You can't make me." His breaths were coming in shallow gasps, and his hands fumbled behind him, searching for the banister as he moved.