The Tommo Way

Chapter Thirty: Interruptions and Healthy Brunches

Hello everyone, I can't believe I am already on chapter thirty! (: I know I repeat myself but once again a big thank you for reading the story! I appreciate every single reader and smile every time I see that someone voted on the story, it really means a lot!
I have a pretty busy week ahead of me because university is starting and my schedule is just crazy but I'll do my best to update at the weekend or at the start of next week.

Have a lovely evening,
Melody

The next morning Louis and I left for Nottingham right after breakfast. Although Louis had told me repeatedly that he wouldn't mind staying longer, I could tell that he was eager to get back to London after being gone for a few days. "Do you want to go straight back to your place or should we meet back up at my flat for a brunch or something?" I asked him while I watched him jam his sweater into his tightly packed backpack.

Louis shot me an amused look before returning his attention to the stubborn sweater, which refused to fit into the backpack. "Since when do you eat brunch?" Louis said and emphasised the word 'brunch' as if it was a particularly nasty insect. "Call it whatever you like, smartass, as long as it means food I'm in." I shot back and Louis grinned. "So you're just looking for an excuse to eat, aren't you?" He said and shook his head, trying to give me a reproving look. I held up my hands. "Obviously!"

Louis shot me another amused look but the sound of fabric ripping open made his head snap back to his backpack. I followed his gaze and saw that part of the seam on the side had ripped open due to the pressure from Louis stuff jammed inside it. Louis let out a groan and cursed under his breath. He threw the backpack to the ground with an annoyed look and let himself drop onto my bed, giving his bag a little kick. "You know, if you don't like your backpack, you don't necessarily have to kill it." I said, shaking my head but Louis ignored me and buried his face in his hands instead.

Carefully, I picked up his bag and shut the zipper in one swift motion, trying my best to stop the seam from opening wider. I placed his backpack back onto the ground and put one hand on Louis' shoulders. His shoulders were hunched and his hands gripped his hair tightly, his face still turned to the ground. I gently drew little circles onto his back, trying to calm him down. Louis had been on the edge all morning. He had been good at hiding his emotion yesterday but ever since he had talked to his management on the phone earlier this morning, his nerves had been frayed.

"You're gonna be okay, Louis." I said quietly and his face re-emerged from his hands, a worried line on his forehead. Louis exhaled loudly and straightened up. "We should get going." He said briskly and got up. My hand that's been stroking his back fell slack onto the duvet and I watched Louis gather his stuff. "You still haven't answered my question." I said, sounding more light-hearted than I felt.

Louis looked up and flashed me a smile. "Of course I'll stick around at your place for a while." He said and I felt his smile being mirrored on my face. Louis' smile turned into a cheeky grin before he added: "I'm only coming for the food though." Instead of an answer I stuck out my tongue, earning a chuckle from Louis. "Very mature, love." Ignoring his comment, I hopped off my bed and snatched my jacket and bag from the ground.

After saying goodbye to my mother, Louis and I both got into our cars, for the first time driving the same route in two different cars. The drive from Nottingham back to London was a lot faster than taking the train since I didn't stop in every single village on the way. I arrived shortly after Louis who was expecting me with a smug grin on his face. "My, you are a slow driver, Abby!" He teased me as I climbed out of the car door but I only raised an eyebrow. "I'd rather be slow and safe than fast and dead." I said which made Louis duck his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way." I waved him off and collected my bag from the trunk of the car.