the bully and the loner | tomtord

xix - the worst shower i ever had

tom's pov

i stares into my sad bowl of soggy honey nut cheerios and milk. the cereal made a formation that looked like the whole of asia for some reason. i would've almost let out a chuckle if i weren't so angsty today.

it's been a month since training and the daily routine was ticking me off. i didn't give a single flying fuck anymore.

a month and i still haven't been granted a position while my peers have been promoted to any department.

"thomas."

i glared at tord. "you know that i hate being called that."

"i know, eat your cereal."

my hands balled into fists under the table as i stare more, contemplating what will happen if i run away. "i'm not hungry."

why am i acting so angsty? like how most teenagers going through puberty acts around their parents. i grit my teeth.

"then go to the academy, what do you think you're waking up for?"

my lips thinned as i raised my head to see tord's face. which was unmoving, eyes glued to his phone screen.

"aren't you going to do something?" i quietly muttered under my breath. but his ears picked it up.

"what?"

i angrily muttered. "nothing."

he stood up so fast that i almost fell off my seat. i didn't even hear the sound of the wooden chair scraping the floor. i could feel his powerful aura seeping through every crack of the room.

"i know you said something, thomas." he said with his eyes set on me. 2 silver voids looking at me with direct eye contact.

i gulped nervously as his eyebrows rose. i should've stayed quiet.

"so? spill!"

"aren't you gonna do anything?" i said, voice shaking as i tried to calm down. trying to not thoughts race in my head.

"what do you mean?"

my heart seemed like it was palpitating as my hands shook nervously. it was just a simple sentence but i was afraid it would fustrate him to the point he'll kill me.

calm down.

i looked up at him. "aren't you gonna promote me to a higher position instead of a lowly academy student?"

his hands slammed on the wooden table as the spoon clanked loudly in its bowl, some pieces of soggy cheerios were scattered on the table. i trembled in my seat. his phone thankfully didn't fly away from the sheer force.

such a bad idea to voice out something. i couldn't move nor speak. as if i had a disability.

"are you sure you worded it correctly?"

"i t-think so?" i whispered, unsure of what i said to make him like this. fear trembled in my low voice as i see his reaction that i didn't want to see.

"lowly academy student?" he muttered but i could hear his angry words. "lowly academy student?"

"my parents spent months and years building an academy." he began softly. "carefully handpicking each student."

his voice was suddenly as sweet as honey as he possibly remembered his time with his parents.

"they built this school using their own funds. the students weren't as lowly as you said."

"what if i didn't promote you?" he said, with a sickening smirk. "what if you were a 'lowly' academy student forever?"

he walked to my side and grabbed my hand. i looked at him with a tremble. his eyes no longer directed at me. more like directed at the bathroom.

"come with me, thomas." he muttered softly in my ear. his sweet voice trying to take gain over me.

"what if i don't want to?" i bit back at him. hoping i don't trigger a nerve.

he smiled. "then perish, such a simple action and you won't do it?"

i gulped nervously as i stood up. what would happen if i followed him? what would happen if i followed the leader of a gigantic army?

he led me to the bathroom. i watched him as his hand travelled to the silver doorknob and locked it.

he turned to look at me as i trembled with fear. i  shyly looked away from him and looked at the wall instead. god, he made me feel inferior.

"strip, but keep the underwear." he commanded as my 'eyes' widened.

"w-what?"

"are you deaf? strip but keep the underwear!"

i hastily untied my tie and it dropped to the floor. i unbuttoned my shirt and unbuckled my belt. i felt the cloth fall down to the floor as i stood half-naked in front of tord.

"hm." he said as he nodded. checking out every part of my body as i blushed. "a good shape, keep it up thomas."

"i said not to call me thomas." i muttered as he rolled his eyes.

"stand below the shower head." he said and i followed. i shivered as my feet encountered the cold floor.

"i'm here to see if you can survive in harsh weather." he began as he looked at me straight in the eyes. the only thing seperating us was the fiber-glass divider. "since you want to be promoted so bad, i think i'll give you a little test."

"now, turn the knob to the left. to the maximum level." he commanded. my hand shook as i reached for the knob as i held on.

i'll turn this fast so i'll deal with this faster.

steaming hot water met my warm skin as i gasp in the shock. the sensation brought me to tears. i was on the brink of crying as i turned my head to see tord's face, who was nodding.

the dry undergarmet i was wearing now clinged to my skin. i cringed at the feeling of wet cloth.

it felt as if darts were pricking your skin, heating you up as the painful sensation was repeated over and over.

the cold floor grew hot as it began to steam. my feet was drowning in harsh steaming water as my body felt numb to the sensation.

it felt like hours that i stayed there. my fingers were turning prune-like as a tear fell.

"okay thomas." tord's voice suddenly began to ring in my head. "turn it now to the right, of course to the maximum level."

i turned it and freezing water came into contact with my hot and moist skin. it cooled me down for a bit but still had that dart sensation.

the cold water thundering down on my body were like ice spikes. this was a painful shower and i hated it.

eventually it didn't cool me down and instead freezed me. and the hot water pooling at the bottom suddenly grew cold as i shivered. teeth chattering at the temperature.

this was torture.

"alright, tom. you can stop now." he said as i stepped out of the shower. shivering as my teeth chattered. he got me a towel and wrapped it around me. i muttered a small 'thank you' as he made me sat on the cover of the toilet seat.

"you did a good job for a recruit. of course they won't use a shower for these kinds of tests so this one was weaker compared to the real one."

he looked at me and pecked my forehead. i allowed him to.

"you're giving me mixed signals, min kjærlighet"

for some reason, that norwegian word made me feel tingly. even if i didn't know the real meaning of the word.