Chapter 17❤

Finally, once again it was the weekend. I had spent the whole of Saturday studying and catching up with homework so I could have a day's rest the next day. Which didn't go to plan.

At all.

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I was chilling in my room, earphones in ear, wearing nothing but an oversized tee and reading on an app my mum thankfully didn't know about, when Tommy suddenly burst into my room.

"Tammy, I need your help ASAP," he exclaimed.

"Hey! Knock next time!" I replied, attempting to cover my legs with the duvet.

I glanced down at his attire and saw he was bare footed, wearing slacks and an unbuttoned shirt.

Did I mention that his shirt was unbuttoned?

"And calm down bro, where's the fire?" I joked.

"This is not a laughing matter." he said flatly.

"Okay, what's up?" I asked, now curious letting my hair out of its messy bun.

"Mason JUST texted me saying the date was TODAY and he is coming to pick me up in 10 MINUTES," he told me.

"Okay... and what has that got to do with me?"

He just muttered something underneath his breath in response.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked.

"I can't tie a tie," he murmured.

I heard what he said this time, but still wanted to mess with him.

"Huh?"

"I cannot tie a tie alright! Happy now?" he shouted.

"Okay okay, no need to shout. Calm your boobs." I teased.

"Hey! That's my line." he noticed.

"Well now it's mine."

He paused in thought.

"Whatever, but just this once. Since you're helping me." he sighed, letting it go.

"What makes you think that I know how to tie a tie?" I inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"How about the fact that you live in a house with four guys? I'm pretty sure you would have picked it up along the way," he mused.

Well when you put it like that... how can I possibly argue?

"Fine, fine alright. Where is this tie?" It was now my turn to sigh.

"Right here," he replied cheekily, lifting up a red tie.

"Come here." I beckoned.

He sat opposite me on his bed, fumbling with his shirt buttons.

Once he was ready, I reached up to wrap the tie around his neck. I fixed my gaze on my work, wrapping and looping until finally I was finished.

"All-"

I stopped midsentence as I looked up to see Tommy already looking at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." he coughed, looking the other way.

"Okay then..." I said slowly.

The ring of the doorbell halted any conversation that might have continued. Tommy's posture visibly relaxed and he stood up to do up his belt that had been left undone.

It was then that the door decided to open.

"Um..." Joe trailed off.

Now, anybody entering my room would see exactly this:

Me; wearing an oversized tee-shirt with my unbelievably messy hair.

Tommy; crumpled shirt, bare- footed and fumbling with his belt.

I'm sure you can get the picture...

"This is not what it looks like!" Tommy and I both exclaimed, wide-eyed, at the same time.

"Yeah, sure, okay...?" He stuttered before tiptoeing out of the room and slamming the door.

There was a moment of silence before Tommy spoke again.

"I'm gonna wear some shoes and put a comb through my hair."

"Okay, have fun on your date," I smiled.

"Thanks, wish me luck?" He smiled back.

"Firstly, where are you going?"

"Le Rouge." he supplied.

Fancy...

"Good luck."

-with that good for nothing chatterbox. I bet she'll talk before you even attempt to kiss and-

"Thanks." he replied, before exiting through the door.

However, I didn't have much time to continue my thoughts as the sound of somebody scampering downstairs resounded through the quiet house, greetings were shared and finally a door slammed shut.

Once again, I switched on the screen of my phone and opened the app. It had been a good half an hour when I finally snapped.

Had they kissed yet?

Was June acting normal for once?

Were they flirting?

A buzz paused my mental procrastination.

The lit up screen of a smartphone caught my attention and I jumped out of bed to pick it up from where it lay on the floor.

To look or not to look?

Look the evil side of me taunted.

I pressed the flashing notification.

From Reese: How is it going? Discovered anything yet?

I flipped the phone over before I could scroll up. Discover what? I knew Tommy would trust me enough not to look through his messages, so I tried to live up to his expectations by not reading any further.

I trusted him so I would ask about it when he returned from his date.

Which reminded me, I obviously needed to get his phone to him. After all, he did need to answer that text...

---

I finally left the house at 8pm.

After my mums... mumness?

I was jogging down the stairs to leave the house when my mum exited the kitchen.

Great! Just great!

"Linda, just go for it. You're a single- pringle at 45? Come on! Woman up and make the first move, I know you can- Oh hang on a second Darling," my mum paused on the phone and looked up at me from below the stair case.

"Tammy, where do you think you are going?" she asked firmly.

"Tommy left his phone, I'm just going to return it to him," I informed.

"Hmmm," was all she said before going into the living room.

Probably up to her matchmaking again

I thought as I went out of the door.

At this moment, my jean-clad legs were sliding into the driver's seat of my car. Turning on my engine, I reversed out of the driveway and drove the half an hour journey to the restaurant.

---

I did not think this through.

At all.

How I was meant to enter such a posh restaurant wearing a cardigan over a camisole, Ugg's and skinny jeans was beyond me.

I peered down the semi- empty street and did a second of rejoice as I spotted Mason's car.

Please let a window be down, please let a window be down...

I chanted as I walked towards the vehicle. I loudly exclaimed a 'yes' and fist pumped the air at the sight before me.

The window was down by about 3 inches, of course, it was a very tight fit but I was a girl on a mission and I was going to fulfil it.

I took in a deep breath and with Tommy's phone in my hand stuck my arm through the gap in the window, trying to drop it in the pocket behind the driver's seat. The best I could do was drop it onto the floor and hope no stilettoes stood on the screen.

I jiggled my arm around, trying to remove it from the small gap but to no avail. After swallowing down the bile in my throat, I came to the realisation that I was stuck.

With my arm in a car window.

Standing like a vegetable.

On a semi- empty street.

Yes, this was my oh-so-lovely life.

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"Babe are you okay?" a blonde lady said from in front of me.

Her hair and jacket flew as a breeze rushed by.

"Yes, I'm fine thanks." I said through gritted teeth.

This was the twentieth couple that had approached me.

So I was counting? Sue me.

"If you're sure..." she trailed off.

"Yes! I am, so leave me the fudge alone," I snapped, feeling irritable.

"Honey, let's go," her partner (who I am assuming because, you know, he called her 'honey') beckoned her.

"Okay, I was just trying to be nice."

"Well in a world like this today, niceness gets you nowhere," he said pointedly, throwing me a glare over his shoulder as they continued their walk.

He could not be any more correct; I went out on a limb here for Tommy and ended up with my arm stuck in a window.

This sure would be a story to tell the kids.

-----

I had been standing here for an hour.

My arm was aching me badly and it was cold tonight, but an upside was that a kind lady from the coffee shop across the road offered me a seat to sit on and I had gladly accepted it.

But did I mention it was cold?

I think I did, but once more can't hurt can it?

I hugged my cardigan around my chest tightly and sat in silence. My phone vibrated from my pocket and I struggled to lift it out whilst still wrapping the cardigan around myself, unlocking my phone, I peered at my inbox.

From Mum: Whr r u !!!???

Good going with the text talk Mum.

Dad: Honey, are you okay?

More normal.

Jake: Have you seen where I put my Spiderman boxers?

Slightly less normal.

Joe: Goodnight lots of luv from Darren.

That's so sweet!

Wait...

Darren?

And all forms of normal have just exited through the window.

As fast and accurately as I could, I texted back to everyone, now using my chin to hold my clothes down.

You: I'm fin Mum, just in a kittle predicamnt

You: Dad, no wries I'm K

You: Jake, I have no freakin idea whr ur boxers ar nd I dnt care

You: Bye Darren?

Okay, maybe that wasn't so accurate...

The sound of laughter suddenly erupted through the quiet street and I glanced up to see the group walking towards me.

I tapped my foot impatiently as they advanced closer.

Talk about as slow as a snail...

Finally, they arrived at the car.

April was the first to notice me.

"Tammy? What the heck?" she cried in surprise.

Mason just blinked at me.

Tommy spoke next:

"Ok...?"

"Hi Tammy, we had the best night tonight and the food oh my gosh you-" June blurted.

"Anyways, WAIT, is your arm stuck in the window?" Mason realised.

"Well, you've clearly seen that so why should I have to waste my breath and-" I snapped but Tommy interrupted me.

"Woah, woah, woah, calm the heck down."

"Sorry, I'm just cold and tired and cold and achy and tired and cold and-"

"Okay, we get it." Tommy said.

"Well... are you just going to stand there or...?" I trailed off expectantly, my patience wearing thin.

"Oh yeah, right." Mason supplied, fumbling around in his pockets for his keys and finally unlocking the car.

"There you are," he said, winding down the window from the door controls, allowing my arm to be free.

"FREEDOM," I exclaimed, doing a happy dance.

A clearing of a throat made me snap back to reality.

"Oh yeah right... thanks." I smiled.

"So why are you here? Trying to spy on me?" Tommy asked with a raised brow.

"What? No! As if," I scoffed.

"What were you doing then?"

"Trying to give this," I paused, reaching into the car to get his phone, "to you." I finished, throwing the device.

"Oh." his teasing smile dropped as he caught the mobile.

An awkward silence began after that.

"So..."

"So..."

"So..."

"So..."

"So... Tommy, want to meet up again after this?" June asked with a sweet smile.

Poor girl, she thinks she has a chance.

Excuse my mean thought.

"Sorry June, but I'm not looking to date at the moment." His speech was directed to June, but he was staring at me as he spoke.

Okay then...

"Well that's a shame," she frowned.

"So let's get out of here shall we?" April chipped in.

"Yeah, bye guys." I waved, walking in the direction of my car.

"Not offering me a ride?" Tommy said from behind me.

"Oh yeah, want to come with?" I offered tardily.

"Well, since you asked..." he teased.

I rolled my eyes and continued walking, hearing Tommy bid his goodbye's to the others before catching up with me.

"Have a good time?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well that's one way to put it..." Tommy snorted.

"Really now, how did it go?" I asked more seriously.

"Worst. Date. Of. My. Life."

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