Diving Into Love, I Go - A Tom Daley Love Story

Chapter Ten

Tom's POV

The remaining time going to Erin's place was spent in a very awkward silence. Erin gripped the steering wheel with such intensity that her knuckles were white. She refused to look at anyone, only concentrating on the road ahead and her face pinched in concentration.

The car was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. It reminds me when I'm on the edge of the platform, the crowd silent and holding their breathes as I go through my dive in my head one more before taking a leap.

Taylor would occasionally let out a sigh of boredom from the back seats and both Adam and Matt looked out the window, their heads resting on their hands.

Looking sideways and sneaking a glance at Erin, I tried to figure out what made her snapped. The way she snapped at me, her usual warm green eyes were cold with hatred made me jump the conclusion I did something wrong. What have I done?

Erin clenched her jaw tighter and sat up straighter when our eyes met. Letting my eyes drop and turn my head to look out the window, I tried to figure out why she's angry all of a sudden.

I don't like it when girls are the silent type when they are angry. You never know what you've done wrong and can't ask them because they ignore you. As of now, I definitely like an angry girl to be screaming - then at least you know what's wrong.

Thinking back, she seemed like her normal self until we got into the car. She was happy enough when Taylor asked if I wanted to come along for tea. She just agreed and smiled, making Taylor delighted and hooked her arm around mine as she dragged me along with her to the car.

As I glanced over my shoulder,  I briefly saw Adam narrowing his eyes at me before looking away. I decided at that point that there is something going on between Adam and Taylor. Matt on the other hand just stared daggers at me in his usual standoffish manner.

Once we got to the car, Taylor insisted that I sit in front with Erin and that she'll squeeze herself between the boys. Besides, there is not enough space for all three of us boys to sit at the back without being crammed in and feel awkward.

Taylor, from the back pretty much dominated the conversation in the car. Erin kept quiet and the boys would contribute something once and a while.

Taylor being Taylor, she got a little bit cheeky and was toeing the line of being flirty. I thought nothing of it, laughing her comments off about my 'fine ass looking extra fine!' and 'hot damn body'. I didn't mind her boldness, I know for a fact that she's not interested in me whatsoever.

As soon as I laughed off Taylor's comment, Erin snapped.

Maybe she's jealous? Could she be jealous of Taylor and I? I don't even like Taylor that way.

That's it, maybe she's jealous. I wanted to reassure her that she shouldn't be jealous of Taylor. Taylor does not like me that way and I surely don't like her that way too. I consider Taylor, despite her habit of talking without thinking, as a friend.

Soon enough, Erin took a right into a country lane and within minutes she stopped in front of a big farm house with ivy crawling up on the front of the house.

The house was old, maybe Elizabethan because of the tall chimneys. In front of the house were a line of brightly coloured roses in full bloom.

Taylor and the boys stepped out and I followed their shadows. Erin brushed passed me and open the front door.

"Gran? Grandpa?" she called out flicking the lights in the front room on.

The front room was spacious with a grand fireplace. The embers in the fire place glowed under the fire guard, keeping the front room warm but not so it's dangerous and set fire to something. The walls were decorated with photographs of Erin in various stages of her childhood. There are a few photographs of a young woman that looks similar to Erin. They have the same smile and dark hair. It must be her mother. But the woman only featured in a few photographs of Erin and they were only in her early years. I wonder why is that?