Sparta ~Tommy Conlon

Chapter 9: Distance

Malia's POV:

We were a week into school here when it started snowing, Tommy has been incredibly distant but I figured it was just because he was tired, he goes to school for half the day to get his core classes then goes home to check on his mom, he goes to the gym, walks me to work from school, he goes to work, then he walks me home after both of our shifts, he helps his mother, I make her dinner, Tommy and I do our homework, we eat, then we go to sleep. The days are long and tiring, but I don't regret any choices I've made. I haven't had any contact with my family yet but that's ok, they know I'm ok and that I'm safe. The temperature has been dropping quickly so every night I have been cuddling close with Tommy. This whole no heat situation is going to suck but I think we will be fine in the long run.

School here wasn't bad, Tommy and I have core classes together but obviously, he leaves and I stay with electives. I wanted to leave with Tommy but the administration board wouldn't let me because I'm not related to him and his mother. That's the only reason they let him, because of his mother. All the kids here were nice, Tommy and I haven't had issues with any of them so far which is really nice. They all think that we are either siblings or dating, the majority think we are dating but Tommy and I consistently tell them that we are just friends but they never believe us.

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. The more time that passed, the more that Tommy and I drifted apart. He stopped going to school, he wouldn't walk me to work, I mean those two things really didn't bother me it was that he wouldn't walk home with me. It was dark, and I'm only 15. At least with him, no one would look in our direction but now that I'm all alone in this still new town everyone would look. We don't necessarily live in the best part of town either. I got a ton of looks while I walked home. I would work on my homework all alone and I would eat alone. I waited for Tommy but he wouldn't come out of his mother's room until usually 11 PM and I was always asleep by then.

I never brought this up to him, I couldn't. I didn't want him to think I was being selfish, I knew that his mother was getting worse by the day. She started coughing up blood and I honestly didn't know how long she'd be able to keep going like this. I was curled up on the couch wearing leggings and the sweatshirt Tommy gave me, the hood was up and my hands were in the sleeves since the sweatshirt was still too big. There was a blanket wrapped around me and my knees were tucked close to my chest, that's how I always slept now that Tommy was distant. I learned to sleep with the lights on for Tommy's sake. The last thing we needed right now was for him to trip on something in the dark and break something. I missed my best friend, I hated that he had to be his mother's primary caregiver. If only his father wasn't abusive... This is Paddy's job! Not a 16-year-olds. I started crying, my thinking was making me upset. I just wanted to sleep even though it was a Friday night. I didn't have to work until Sunday but I'd be cleaning all day tomorrow.

As the tears fell down my face I felt a gentle hand rest on my face. My tears were whipped away and I could hear him sigh. There was warmth on my forehead from his lips, "I'm sorry Malia."

His presence was gone in the blink of an eye, and I internally sighed. The distance between Tommy and me has become so great that we don't even sleep together anymore. He sleeps in a reclining chair now, it breaks my heart that he is distancing himself so much. Even when we first met we weren't this distant, I heard him moving around in the kitchen. I haven't had a conversation with him in 2 months. My heart ached to talk with him again and I wanted to get up and wrap my arms around him so badly but I couldn't. I shook my head, fuck it.

I pushed myself up and saw Tommy looking out the window with his back to me. I was silent and made it over to him, I wrapped my arms around him. I shut my eyes and took in a deep breath. He jumped when my arms wrapped around him which was strange since he never jumps for anything. He turned to face me and pulled my arms off of him. I looked at his eyes and saw hurt in them. He has gotten taller in the past 2 months, he's probably 5'9" now. He has never been the tallest but he could kick anyone's ass whether they were 5'6" or 6'2". I was only 5'6" but Tommy and I have always been close in height, this was a change. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around my lower back and lifted me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around him and he just held me for a few minutes. He brought me over to the counter and set me down. We were at the same level and his eyes were locked on mine. My hands were on both sides of his face, I sadly smiled at him. He set his hands on my wrists and leaned into me. "I've missed you," I whispered.

"I missed you too,"

"Why did you distance yourself?"

He broke the eye contact and sighed. "I had to,"

I jumped off the counter and grabbed his arms, "Why? Tommy, we haven't been this distant since we met, please talk to me." He turned away and went back to where he was moments ago. "Tommy, you gotta talk to me,"

"No, I don't."

I felt a pang of hurt and let out a sigh, "Ok, just know that whatever it is, I hope you feel better soon, I miss you, Tommy. Goodnight, I love you." I walked towards the couch and laid back down and let a single tear fall. I wrapped the blanket around me and sighed.

I know exactly what's running through his head, and yes, I love him, not just love him, I love him...

Tommy's POV:

What the actual fuck? She said it again! Does she mean it..? Because I love her...