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

TWELVE

Walking through the hallways of their school have never been this difficult for Leia. Not until today it was.

She came to school in a very good mood, she was jolly and extremely happy. The events from the night before were to blame for that. The kiss to be more specific.

Leia was scared to face her friends -she refused to call them otherwise, still- but she was in a good mood nonetheless.

It all changed almost immediately though as soon as she entered the school campus.

The school was buzzing to begin with, everyone seemed to be talking about the same thing, as Leia observed. It seemed to be one of those saucy rumors that everyone's always obsessing over. But as Leia looked into it deeper, she realized that people were talking about her.

People sent her looks. Every single one different from the other. Most of them looks of disgust, though.

Confused and self conscious all of a sudden, Leia kept her head down, her hair blocking her face. Shielding herself from all of the stares she was receiving.

"She puts on such an innocent reputation, but deep inside she's a snake" she heard one say. Her confusion grew even bigger at that comment.

'a snake?' She thought. She was never one to speak of herself with confidence but she knew for a fact that a snake was something she'd never be.

"People are saying that Samantha's so upset about the situation that she's considering suicide" she heard another say. She snapped at that. Suicide was something very serious and spreading rumors about it boiled Leia's blood.

"Enlighten me, ladies?" She asked as she approached the two gossiping sophomores near her locker. "What is it you say? About Samantha?" She followed up her question. Her tone wasn't hostile nor was it rude. It was entirely a question out of concern for the said girl.

"Why are you acting as if you don't know? You caused the disaster" the blonde one said, causing Leia to freeze at her spot in even deeper confusion. None of it added up. Everyone around her kept speaking of her as if she wasn't there. But isn't that what highschool is? A place for people to gossip and spread rumors of people for them to judge? It's almost as if it's a necessity; almost as if they fed on it.

She didn't even bother, she kept her head low once again and continued her way to homeroom.

As soon as Leia entered the classroom, her eyes landed on Carmen. Sitting at her usual seat. But that wasn't what got her attention though. It was that Carmen was crying. No, she wasn't just crying, she was sobbing. Full on.

Even though Leia held grudge against her, she couldn't stop herself from being concerned. She loved Carmen still. Nothing would change that.

Despite the issue going on between them, Leia knew Carmen well and she knew that she barely ever cries. The only thing that had ever made her cry were dog videos.

She walked up to her and the girls surrounding her, giving her their best attempts at comfort. They all looked up once they had noticed her standing there.

"What happened?" Leia asked sympathetically. Just as Leia was about to reach for Carmen's shoulder, the girl beside her -Amanda, grabbed her wrist with brute force, causing Leia to pull back in shock.

"Don't even try, Leia! The guts you have to fake concern after what you did. Go back and hide in your hell hole" she spat with venom and hatred, as if she was there to witness what she was claiming had happened.

Leia shook her head, eyebrows furrowed. "I don't understand. Carmen, what's going on?" She asked once more, this time directing the question towards Carmen.

"Just don't, Leia" was the only response she got from her former best friend.

"Boys, girls, take your seats" Leia jumped in surprise at the sudden loud instructive voice of their teacher. She shook her head for what felt like the hundredth time, as if it would clear things up.

Leia sat at the very back, as always, she sat in silence. She glanced at Tom's empty seat, wondering if he had any idea about everything that was happening.

As if on que, Tom walked in the classroom, fashionably late, typical. Everyone stared at him in shock, as his face displayed a huge bruise on his left eye, and a busted buttom lip.

He apologized for being late, before walking towards his seat, next to Leia's.

Leia stared at him in disbelief. Ever since she'd known Tom, she'd never foreseen him with a black eye. He was never one for violence after all.

"We need to talk" Tom said sternly, just as Leia opened her mouth to ask what happened.

"About us" he continued. Leia couldn't help but worry, remembering that phone call they once had where Tom had asked her if there was even an 'us'.

She gave him a curt nod, gripping her pen, anxiety making her thoughts run wild.

Can this day get any worse? She thought.

It can. And it did