Time Never Stops

Chapter Five: Noticing the Obvious

(F/A/D): favorite alcoholic drink / (Y/L/F/T): your least favorite topping 

Word Count: 3820

I open my eyes at the soft light coming from the partially opened curtain. I nuzzle my face back into the pillow and listen the pitter-patter of the rain on the roof and Tom's soft breathing. I roll over carefully as to not jar Tom's arm that is across my back.

He's still fast asleep when I finally am able to roll over completely to look at him. His face is free of worry lines and in the glow of the early morning sun he looks younger, like when I'd wake up next to him when we were thirteen after spending the previous day exploring Kingston. His breath releases from his slightly pouted lips in small puffs, and his ruffled in curls spread across his forehead wildly from a long, peaceful nights sleep.

I slowly crawl out of bed, only once I am free from under his arm. I slip on my favorite sweatshirt over my t-shirt and shorts before making my way downstairs to start up the coffee and cook breakfast. I turn on my phone and wait for the notifications to come rolling in from the night before. I stretch my arms over my head before I grab eggs, green peppers, cheddar cheese, and ham from the fridge and begin making loaded scrambled eggs while the bread in the toaster toasts. I hum along to some tune that lingers in the back of my mind while I work and smile at the notification that my and Tom's fans enjoyed the update from last night.

My mind is brought back to Tom and his weird behavior the past few days. Now, Tom is a weird person in general, but the way he had been acting was a little further out of the ordinary.

The first incident happened on the second day of our trip. Tom and I had been wandering through the Portland Art Museum, I wandered away from Tom while he is looking at one piece, over to a painting. As I stand there looking at the piece, admiring it, a man comes to stand next to me.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" The man asks, he glances at me from the side, smiling at me.

"Absolutely gorgeous," my hand lifts to point out my favorite features, "I love how they captured the light coming from the back window, it causes the colors of the flowers to darken on this side, and the way the other light source hits the roses makes them look like they are so much brighter, but it also allows the shadows of the petals to contrast making these parts here and here pop that much more."

"You seem to know some things about art." He says moving to face me, "I'm Jared."

"(Y/N), and I would hope so, my best friend and her little sister are both phenomenal artists."

"That's amazing." He mutters, "Have they ever thought to draw you?"

"Uh, no, why do you ask?" I let out a soft laugh.

"Because you, my dear, are a masterpiece," he states with a smirk.

I blush softly and let out a small laugh. "Well, uh, thank you, I definitely haven't heard that one before."

"Well, I'm sure I could think of more when I take you out this evening, my treat?"

I go to open my mouth to politely decline since I wasn't the one to just go out on dates especially since I was on vacation, but Tom beat me to it.

"This piece looks lovely, darling, no wonder you wandered away." He says, wrapping an arm around my waist and places himself on the other side of me before glancing around me to the man to my right. "Wouldn't you agree, mate?"

Jared nods, and gives me a tight lip smile. "Yeah, dude, looks great." He glances at me softly before nodding his head, "It was nice talking to you, (Y/N), have a nice afternoon."