Chasing Dreams

Chapter Twenty-Five - 'The Plan

Chapter Twenty-Five – ‘The Plan’

TOM P.O.V

Tom was finding himself overly amused by Ollie’s behaviour. San Francisco was passing in a blur, Tom had little time to stop and look at it, he was far too busy with the lives of others to properly enjoy the experience. Still, the food was good.

Perhaps it was wrong of him to find the misfortune of others amusing, after all he didn’t really know Ollie that well and he’d randomly thrust himself in the middle of an ongoing drama between Lacey and Ollie. Perhaps it was his need to prove the ‘jocks’ from his schooldays wrong. They were always the sort of people to do things like this to others, perhaps Tom wanted Ollie to suffer as he had at the hands of those ‘jocks’ when he’d been younger. Or perhaps it had been the look on Lacey’s face when she looked at Ollie; perhaps the sheer amount of pain, hurt and longing that lingered in her eyes was enough to convince him that he needed to help her.

He couldn’t fault his decision to fake date Lacey, from Ollie’s expressions; it was proving to have been a good decision to make. Lacey had been a surprise friend. When he’d accepted the job offer of replacement drummer he wasn’t exactly looking for friends because he didn’t know how long he’d be with the band for, but he was at least hoping that he’d get on with everyone. Lacey was like a sunflower, even when it rained she seemed to be in bloom. She never let anything bring her down and was always becoming stronger as a person. Tom had been like a moth caught in her flame, she was fiery, humorous and just such a kind person.

The more he got to know Lacey the more angered he became about the actions of the people around her. Some would have pitied her situation but Tom recognised that she didn’t need pity, she needed support. It was true that Ollie had behaved abysmally and hurt Lacey almost beyond repair, but it was also true that despite all the pain and hurt, Lacey still had feelings for Ollie. Tom hazard a guess that she would always have feelings for Ollie, indeed Tom noticed from the behaviour of others that Lacey and Ollie belonged together and having them apart was causing all sorts of disrupt to others.

He wanted to help Lacey, that’s why he suggested the fake dating thing. He also wanted to see for himself how much Ollie cared for Lacey. He’d heard people tell him of their feelings and their rocky relationship but he wanted to see it for himself. Then he’d be safe in the knowledge that when Lacey and him did break-up, he’d be handing her over to someone that would love and care for her.

He’d been suspicious at first, Ollie had trailed around Lacey like a lost puppy when Tom first arrived on the scene, then after they announced they were dating, Ollie avoided the couple like the plague, only talking when spoken to and offering little or no kind remarks.

However, Tom could see a change in Ollie; he could see that Ollie had grown up since the scandal had been revealed. Tom knew that Ollie’s feelings for Lacey hadn’t diminished but rather were getting much stronger. Tom spent much of his time watching Ollie watch Lacey so he saw all the covert glances, all the heartfelt sighs, all the anger and hurt when Tom touched her in any way and Tom realised finally that Ollie was ready to be with Lacey. He was ready to care for her and love her and not hurt her.

If it had been anyone else they would have ended the whole thing then and there, however there was a small part of Tom that wanted to keep the pretence up for a little longer. Perhaps that says something about his behaviour that he willingly wanted to see another person suffer for a little while longer.