Her Fading Whisper ➽ Dylan O'Brien

Chapter 21

There was only one word to describe filming the next day. Awkward. I had not gone to Tom after Dylan and I’s conversation the day before, so he acted normal and as if Dylan and I were still together. That was what had made it awkward. Tom had noticed that we weren’t speaking and only mumbled things to each other when we weren’t filming. In one scene where Dylan and I had to speak as Thomas and Brenda, we tried to stay as neutral as possible. But it was that one scene where we were trapped in the tiniest compartment of a cave that really got to me. I didn’t understand what the emotion was. It was loss, sadness, and of course, plain awkwardness. Chest to chest, I could feel his breathing on the side of my neck sending a chill through my spine.

After a long day of filming, we were finally dismissed from the set to go home. Quickly, I got changed in my dressing room and grabbed my things. I rushed out the door, as to not be stopped by Dylan. But of course, Tom was there.

“Maddie,” he called, running to catch up with me as I walked to my car in the parking lot. I didn’t stop walking but slowed down a bit so he could catch up. I heard his uneven breathing behind me as he slowed to a walk next to me. “Maddie, what’s going on?” he asked me.

I quickly looked back at the studio to see if Dylan was anywhere to be seen. And he was. Dylan was standing outside the studio, staring at Tom and I. He was faraway so his facial expression was hard to read. I sighed to Tom. “Nothing, really.”

“Don’t lie, Maddie, I know when you’re lying. You and Dylan haven’t been talking to each other except for when we were shooting scenes. What’s going on?” he asked once again. I continued walking without answering the nosy Tom. “Maddie!” he exclaimed, grabbing my wrist.

I spun around. “Let go, Tom!” I shouted in frustration. He quickly let go of my wrist. Facing to my side, I could see out of the corner of my eye Dylan still standing by the studio and I groaned. “Everything is wrong! After you left the cafe, there was Dylan with Britt and they kissed Tom! They kissed! And then we got into an argument in the parking lot and he told me that he knew what I had done and I wanted to cry but I couldn’t, and then I broke up with him. And I just feel lonely all the time because he was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I really miss him and. . .” The tears poured freely from my face now, and my explanation was interrupted by Tom pulling me into a tight embrace. He slowly stroked my hair and whispered soothing words as my body racked with sobs.

“It’s okay, Maddie. Why don’t I drop you off at your house so we can talk a bit more? You can go get your car tomorrow after filming. . .” he suggested and I nodded. He put his arm around my shoulder and walked me over to his car, my body leaning into his.

He opened the car door for me and I got in, instantly leaning my head onto my hand from the windowsill. Tom got into the car on the other side and looked over at me. I avoided meeting his eyes as he studied me.

“I don’t know if this is too soon, but can I ask you a question?” he asked me through curious eyes. I nodded my head. “What was the thing you had done?”

I looked up at him. “What do you mean?” I asked him, sniffling.

“You said that Dylan told you that he knew what you had done. . .” Tom trailed off, asking for an answer.

“It’s really bad. . .” I indicated. Tom just nodded, telling me to go on. “I. . . well. . . when we went clubbing and Dylan had to sleep over your house because he had lost the bet, uh. . . I was really drunk and. . . I slept with Tyler.

Tom sucked in a huge breath and I looked away, ashamed.

“I was drunk, it wasn’t-”

“Maddie, I get it. It’s okay.” Tom said. “Does Julianna know?”