LOVE, LEIA (letters to tom) • Tom Holland au •

NINE

Dear Tom,

             It's been a week since you invited me and Bryan to dinner. I couldn't help but notice how cold you were towards me. Was it because Samantha was there? Or maybe you weren't feeling too well? Idk. You didn't even say goodbye. It just wasn't right. And you're ignoring me completely at school now. Is something wrong? Let me know if it's something I can help you with. We're still friends, right?
                                         
                                             love,
                                            Leia

Like every other letter Leia has written, she crumpled the one she just wrote once again, shutting her eyes aggresively, massaging her temples.

After Bryan had spoken to Tom during their dinner the week before, it had taken a toll on Tom. He kept thinking if Bryan's words were true and if he was actually harming Leia emotionally. Because Tom knew for sure that hurting Leia was something that he never wanted to do.

Tom had ignored Leia completely since then, thinking that maybe if he'd distance himself from her, he'd be able to think straight. He couldn't lie, he was definitely flattered when Bryan said that Leia was head over heels for him. It lifted some weight off his shoulders and it made it a little easier for him to see her with Bryan. But he couldn't help but think that maybe it wasn't true. How could someone like Leia ever see something so positive about himself? He couldn't stop thinking about her and he knew that he had to stop. He had a girlfriend, and he felt as if he was cheating to be thinking of a different girl rather than his own.

He didn't blame Bryan at all for his harsh behavior, in fact he understood Bryan a hundred percent. Even he would've done the same if it meant protecting Leia. Which is why he chose to stay away.

But Leia, on the other hand, was not having it. It was pissing her off and it was stressing her out. It made her extremely anxious. She would blame herself thinking that maybe she had said or done something to offend the couple. Had she been too obvious with her affection towards Tom?

Leia sat in a slouch, finally deciding on calling the said boy who haunted her mind. Tom's phone rang over five times and Leia was about to give up, but her eyes went wide when Tom had answered the call.

"Um.. Hi" Leia greeted, her tone sad

"Hey, Leia. What's up?" He responded after contemplating.

"Is everything okay?" Leia asked, hoping he'd chatch on to what she called him for

"Yeah of course, why wouldn't it be?" Tom couldn't help but frown as he tried to sound unaffected.

"With us, Tom. Is everything okay with us?"

"Us? Is there even an 'us'?" Tom chuckled bitterly, trying to hear what Leia's reaction would be. Trying to see even the smallest sign of Leia actually liking him.

"Ouch. Geez, Tom. With 'us' I meant our friendship. What's gotten into you? You don't sound like yourself" Leia sighed, eyebrows furrowed. Her heart was pounding so hard, and her palms were wet and clammy.

"I'm sorry. That was a dick move." Tom apologized, immediately feeling remorse for acting so rude. "I didn't think you'd notice that I was keeping my distance" he explained

"Well I did. And I just want to know what's happening, Tom. Are you okay?" Despite all the emotions that Leia was dealing with, she still had the heart to worry about Tom.

"Yeah.. Leia, about that. Bryan had mentioned something about you.." Leia's heart had started beating even harder than it already was, if that was even possible. The whole phone call was making her anxious and she felt like crying. "Don't get the wrong image, okay? But he mentioned something about you liking me?" Tom asked cautiously as if he could see the poor girl's expressions.

Leia's eyes shut at that, she held back her tears from falling. The very thing that she had been trying to keep a secret had been told to the very person she was keeping it from, by the person she least expected would do it. It shattered her heart. It broke her. It made her feel terrible because she didn't want to come between the couple. She didn't want to ruin anything. In fact, she was willing to keep it a secret for as long as she was breathing for the sake of Tom's happiness. But Bryan had the audacity to ruin it all. She released a shaky breath before bringing the phone back to her ear.

"What? He said that?" She chuckled nervously, trying her best to put on a facade. "You know, Bryan tends to say things that aren't real. Don't mind it. He was probably just kidding anyway" she lied. She didn't want to, but she did. For him.

"Oh." Was Tom's only response. Admittedly, it made Tom upset for some reason. He didn't know why, but Leia's denial made him feel things he wasn't supposed to.

"Yeah" Leia let out a forced laugh. "Don't mind it" she sighed before ending the call without exchanging farewells.

Leia then grabbed her sweatshirt before exiting their house, knowing exactly where she was going to go.