A Good Day For Love To Die

Chapter 9

I went over questions after questions that I was dying to ask him. There were the sensitive ones, the personal ones but I just wanted truth before any of this went further. I definitely wanted to give my heart a break and not go another round of turmoil.

“You’ll be okay,” Lea whispered from behind me as she looked at me through the mirror.

I turned around, after countless of times looking at myself in the mirror.

“You think so?” I asked, suddenly uncertain of meeting Tom.

“You know… I may not like Tom as much but I think there’s a reason why he came back,” Lea reasoned out as he gave me a squeeze on the shoulder.

“So, while I go meet Tom, what are your plans?” I asked as I grabbed my purse on the dresser.

“Wait for Jay to finish his audition and he said he wanted to just meet,” Lea beamed.

“Lucky you.  Alright then. See you later,” I smiled at her as we walked out of my room.

I straightened out my blouse for the last time before I walked out of the apartment. I was mentally composing myself as I hailed down for a cab to meet Tom at a park near where his auditions were held. About 15 minutes later and countless mental pep talk, the taxi driver stopped in front of a beautiful park filled with families having a day out. After all, it was Sunday.

I did some mindless wandering by the pond and just people watching when I smelled the familiar cologne from behind me.

“Hey,” Tom whispered from behind me.

I jolted and whipped around. I took a step back and gave a half smile.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he apologized, looking worried.

“No, no. It’s fine. It’s just me, I guess. Umm, so how are you?” I waved him off and straightened myself out.

Tom definitely has changed in his mannerisms. He had never been one to apologize and most definitely, never one to pick up on small details to be concerned about. I liked this “new” Tom. He seems like a proper lad, not one rowdy one I used to know.

Tom took a step forward and stood beside me, smiling.

“I’m good. Think the auditions went well and I’m good because I get to see you,” he smiled shyly.

I blushed for a bit as we started walking round the park, looking for a bench to sit to have a proper conversation.

“Glad to hear the audition is one of a great one,” I smiled genuinely as we spotted a bench nearby.

“Race you there?” Tom suddenly challenged.

Before I could register, he was already sprinting. Instantly, I started racing forward but lost to him by a few inches.

“No fair! You cheated,” I stuck my tongue out.

“You’re the slow one,” he chided. “Just like you used to be,” he joked.

“Definitely like the good old times,” I said quietly as we took a seat on the benches.

“Erny…” Tom said quietly in a serious tone it changed the entire atmosphere.

I looked up, staring at his hazel colored eyes.

“Erny… I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the time I didn’t treat you proper. I’m sorry I had loyalty issues. But those times are most definitely in the past. I guess… Well, I thought I was never going to lose you because you were always so forgiving. Then, you left and somehow everything changed. Went back to Mum’s and she reckon I was stupid of losing you. Sigh. Tried dating that girl you caught me with, karma’s a bitch. She cheated on me. And well, mum said I best be doing something with my life. Then, I was in my room when I found the photos we took together and Erny, do you remember those messages we used to write to each behind the photos, well it ticked me. There were things you wrote about you wanting me to pursue music and thought I might give it a go.  After all those auditions in Manchester, Mum reckon I contacted you …” Tom launched into an explanation and it turned out to be him rambling on with tears stinging his eyes as he brushed them off.