Unexpected Chances (Tom Holland AU)

Chapter 5

5. Sometimes you can love somebody with all of your heart and at the same time not want them back - because you're worth more than that.

"W-What? H-How did you figure that out?" Your eyes widened in shock as you tried to get out the question.

"So I am right?" Harrison didn't know if he was completely wrong about the disliking you seemed to have taken to Jo, but you had just confirmed that he was spot on.

"I mean, y-yeah.. yeah you're right —," You said as buried your face in your hand, a bit embarrassed about Harrison finding out like that, "and before you kick me out of the house for not telling Tom immediately, I'm sorry. I-I just didn't know how and — and then I had a small breakdown and I didn't know if Tom would believe me and -"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Harrison said as he shook his head, "I understand. It sucks that he doesn't know already, but no one is blaming you."

"I am! Tom's been super nice to me and here I am talking about how his girlfriend is cheating on him with my ex-boyfriend while he has no clue about it." You groaned, "I feel like a terrible person, but I don't know how to tell him. He loves her! I had weeks of preparation for the truth to hit me, I can't just go: 'Hey Tom, did you know your girlfriend is a cheating bitch? Oh and do you know how I know? Because she's the girl from Byron's work.' — I can't do that, can I?"

"That's exactly wh-"

"W-What?" Both of your heads shot up to see Tom standing at his now open bedroom door.

"Shit." Harrison mumbled as you were still struggling to find the right words to say to the brunette.

"Are you really that desperate to get me and Jo to break up?" The boy asked as his eyes found Harrison's.

"Mate -"

"She wouldn't cheat on me." Tom said, almost as if he was trying to convince himself more than the two of you, "It's been a year and a half. Harrison's never liked her, how do I know it's true?"

Both of you knew he wasn't trying to offend Harrison or imply that Harrison was lying about Jo cheating just so Tom would break up with her. He was confused. He didn't have any preparation for this talk. He was thrown into the deep end.

"It's true, Tom. I've seen them." You spoke up carefully. You didn't know Tom well enough to know how his reaction would be. You didn't know if he was going to be angry at you or if he was just not going to believe you.

"It can't be true. She wouldn't do that to me. Our relationship is going great." Tom shrugged, "You must be wrong." He said as he said down next to you as if nothing had happened.

"Tom, we need to talk about this." Harrison said, his eyes focused on his friend.

"There's nothing to talk about. You're wrong. And you need to stop lying about my relationship."

"She's not lying tho, is she? You know it Tom. Deep inside, you know it. This is why you're putting up your stupid defense mechanism right now. This is why you're trying your best to stay in denial."

"I don't fucking know it! I don't fucking know her. All I know is that her boy- exboyfriend is a cheating scumbag, which doesn't make Jo one as well. Yeah, I'm sorry you've been cheated on, but that doesn't mean you can go around destroying other relationships. Why didn't you tell me yesterday? Or three hours ago? Exactly, because it isn't true." Tom said as he got up from his seat on the couch again, "It is not true, and you two better stay out of my relationship from now on."

"Tom —" you said as you shot up from your seat as well, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I didn't know how to do it. And I know I just dropped this bomb on you without any evidence, but I am not lying."