Not Just Friends

Chapter 13

Layla's POV

"He's just jealous" Tom mumbles in my ear and I nudge him disapprovingly trying to hold back a laugh.

"What are you two muttering about?" Harrison asks, an irritated look in his eyes.

"Tom's just being a dick."

"Wow, my own girlfriend is throwing me under the bus. How incredibly rude."

Wait. Girlfriend? I glance at Haz but he seems undisturbed by the title. I mean, obviously I want to be Tom's girlfriend, it's just that Tom and I haven't even talked about it yet, let alone gone on a date. Unless yesterday was a date?

"Come on, I'll make us some coffee and then we can go back upstairs to finish Captain America", Tom offers, letting go of me and walking over to the coffee machine.

"Can I join?" Harrison asks, "actually no, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. Don't want to be a third wheel."

"No, of course you can Haz!"

"That's nice of you Layla, but I'd rather not have to witness you too making out."

"We're not going to make out, don't worry. Right Tom?"

"Well... The thought has definitely crossed my mind, but if Harrison's there then no, I guess not."

"No, it's fine. I was going to go to the gym anyway."

"Are you sure?" Tom asks, faking disappointment.

"Yeah. Thanks for pretending to be unhappy I won't be there though."

"Hey, I'm not faking it!" I protest.

"No, I know you aren't. Your dickhead of a boyfriend on the other hand was."

Boyfriend.

"He's not wrong, Layla."

I shake my head and roll my eyes as the two idiots in front me laugh at themselves. I don't know how to feel about Harrison not being there. Obviously I'm happy about spending some time with Tom, but on the other hand I do feel bad for excluding our best friend. I know he understands, but still. At least it'll give me a chance to talk to Tom about our situation.

Tom hands me my coffee and we walk back up to my room, his arm around my shoulder. We arrive in my room and sit on the bed. Tom reaches out for my computer but I interrupt him.

"Hey, could we talk first?"

"Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"What was last night? What are we now? You called me your girlfriend? We haven't even been on a d-"

"Wow, okay, go one question at a time" he interrupts me. We both sit up straight, looking directly in each other's eyes.

"Yeah, sorry. So what was last night? Was it a date?"

"I don't know. I was thinking about that too."

"I guess neither of us asked the other one out, so let's say it wasn't. If that's okay with you."

"Sure. Next question."

"Sorry if I'm being annoying. I just want to know."

"No, you're not, don't worry. I want to know too."

Tom smiles at me, placing his hand on my knee. It's a perfectly normal smile, a smile I've seen thousands of times before, but this time there's something different. Something about it reassures me. Something about it is full of care. Something about it makes it impossible for me to not smile back.

"Okay so, you called me your girlfriend."

"Yeah?"

"I mean, is that what we are now?"

"Do you not want to be?"

A hurt look appears on his face, his brows furrowed. He briskly removes his hand from my knee.

"No, Tom, that's not at all what I'm saying. Of course I do, it's just that you caught me off guard. We haven't even been on a date yet, let alone talked about it, so I wasn't expecting it. That's all."

I gently move forwards, pressing my lips against his. I feel his mouth slowly curl back into that smile. That damn smile.

"Well, Layla Davis, would you do me the honour, of going on a date with me?"

"It would be my pleasure."

Happiness courses through me. I've waited so long for this. For us. I was just too much of a coward to actually do anything about it. I guess Tom was too though, so at least we can be idiots together.

"Okay, last question, what are we telling people?"

"Let's keep it to ourselves for now. I don't want to share our relationship with the world, not yet. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes."

Tom picks up my computer and I type in the code, before snuggling in the crook of his neck, his arm wrapped around me and his lips resting on my head.

-

Ahhh sorry for not updating for like 5mths. I'm going to try updating more often, but I'm not promising anything. Anyway, hope you liked this long awaited update.