𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 - 𝑡. ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑

𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑥𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑜𝑧𝑒

⁂☽ chapter seventy-four ☽⁂

IT WAS GETTING LATE IN THE EVENING WHEN THE GROUP FINISHED DINNER AND RETIRED TO THE BACK PORCH FOR DRINKS. Tom helped his father set up a small bonfire, in the middle of the group. The small flame ignites the dark sky, illuminating an orange glow on Calliope's face. She held a wine glass in her hand, slowly sipping on her white wine while watching Tom add more dry leaves to the growing fire.

With a small nudge to her shoulder, she turned to face her best friend, Zendaya who held a small smirk on her lips.

"Stop staring idiot," she whispered, motioning towards Tom who wiped his hands on his jeans, freeing his hands from any dirt and soot. Calliope smiled sheepishly, trying to avert her gaze anywhere except Tom.

It almost worked, until she heard Harry's voice call out to her, the younger brother standing beside his older brother and father.

"I bought some new camera equipment a couple of days ago, I was wondering if you could help me figure some of it out?" He asked, pointing back towards the inside of the house. She turned to look at Zendaya who was talking towards Sam before she responded.

"Sure, no problem!"

With Calliope following behind the curly-haired boy, Nikki wasted no time walking over her oldest son, resting a comforting hand on his back.

"Tom, can I talk to you for a second?" she whispered, motioning over towards and empty space on the patio. Tom nodded, walking behind his mother until the two were excluded from the rest of the group.

"So, Calliope?" She smiled, looking at her son expectedly, as he nervously scratched his head, a nervous laugh slipping past his lips, "She seems like a very wonderful girl and I see the way you look at her. Is something going on between the two of you?"

He bit his slip slowly, his fingers tracing over the condensation of the beer bottle, avoiding eye contact with his mother.

"She's just a friend," he mumbled, sighing slowly picking at the chipped painted that held on to the balcony railing for dear life. "Are you sure Tom? She looks at you the s-"

"Mum, please. Just drop it, we're just mates, only that," He interrupted, obviously growing increasingly frustrated with the conversation, but he couldn't help, but feel apologetic, looking at his mother who held a sorrowful expression on her face.

"I didn't mean to get upset with you, mum. I just- it's nothing," he lied, "I'm actually going out with Olivia," he muttered questioningly, almost as if he was trying to convince himself.

"Oh! Well, good for you Tom, Olivia is a sweet girl," Nikki smiled, rubbing Tom's shoulder comfortingly. She never thought the two childhood friends were ever going to try a relationship with each other. She placed a loving kiss on his forehead, before walking back towards her husband.

Tom turned back to face his backyard, looking up and watching as the sky filled with stars. They were hard to see but were visible if you squinted hard enough. Tom zoned out the cheeriness talk from behind him, zoning in on how he was feeling right now.

With the conversation behind him, he couldn't dream of a world where Calliope reciprocated the same feelings he was feeling. He shook his head, finishing the drink in his hand before pulling out his phone from his back pocket. He was over it. Pining over a girl that obviously didn't feel the same way.

So he came up with a plan. He would tel Callie how he felt in Venice, and if she didn't feel the same... then he was moving on. Turning over a new leaf, focusing on other important things... like Olivia. Right?

_

iMESSAGE
olivia
TODAY 8:39 PM

SPIDERMAN
I'm going to Italy to film some stuff for my new movie.
When I come back, maybe I could take you out?

olivia
like a date?

SPIDERMAN
yes.

olivia
I would love to go out with you Tom.

SPIDERMAN
great, can't wait :)
READ AT 8:41 PM

_

a/n: uh oh tom what you doing!??