Tears rolled relentlessly down my face, making my eyes sting and wetting Tom's shirt as I desperately clutched onto the fabric. The boy held me tightly in his arms, his lips pressed against my hair and tears also leaving his eyes at what my boyfriend, and his best friend, had done. 

"I'm so sorry, Y/N. I'm so fucking sorry." Tom choked and shook his head, his arms holding my body on his lap being the only source of comfort right now. 

"I just can't believe that Harrison would do that to me. After everything that we've been through. After years of what I thought was real love." I sobbed into Tom's chest. He sighed and nodded, wrapping his arms even further around me. I knew that I'd probably just unintentionally hurt Tom with my words, as I was aware that he was also in love with me, but I knew that at that moment, all he cared about was comforting me and protecting me from the harsh truth that I had been forced to face just half an hour ago.

"Oh my god, that food was amazing." I sighed in bliss as Tom and I walked along the corridor towards the apartment that I shared with Harrison. 

"So was the company. I always miss you guys when I have to leave to film." Tom nodded, giving me a small smile as he looked down at me. I returned it and bit my lip. 

"Just a shame that Haz didn't feel up to it." He shrugged as I dug my key out. 

"Yeah, was a bit weird how he suddenly felt sick. We've been out all day shopping and he was fine all day, so I'm not sure what happened." I shook my head, making Tom shrug again as I unlocked the apartment door and let us in. 

"Haz, babe? I'm home!" I yelled out as we walked in and Tom shut the door. 

"Where is he?" Tom mumbled, both of us looking around with furrowed eyebrows as the apartment appeared to be completely empty, despite Harrison having stayed behind when we went to dinner. 

"I don't know. Maybe he just went for a lie-down." I shrugged. Tom returned it before his gaze drifted to the sofa. I followed his gaze, both of our eyes widening and a pit starting to form in the bottom of my stomach as Tom gently picked up the purple lace bra that sat on the sofa cushion. My eyes wavered as he held the material up and looked at me. 

"This isn't yours, is it?" he mumbled quietly. I shook my head, rage suddenly filling me as I started to storm down the hallway and towards our bedroom. 

"Shit, Y/N, wait." Tom gulped as he rushed after me. 

"Why, Tom?! Harrison is cheating on me right behind this fucking door, I'll be damned if I don't catch him red-handed." I nodded. 

"Okay, but are you sure that you're ready to see this? You're about to catch your boyfriend with another girl." He spoke. I gulped, tears pricking my eyes as I placed my hand on the door handle. 

"No. I'm not sure." I admitted before pushing the door open. Immediately Harrison and the girl scrambled to cover themselves, the girl squeaking as she covered her naked body with my bedsheets and Harrison grabbed a pillow to cover his crotch. 

"Fuck, Y/N, you weren't meant to be home yet." He gulped. My eyes widened. 

"You fucking asshole!" I yelled before lunging for him. 

"Woah!" Tom shouted as he quickly grabbed me and hauled me up, keeping me away from Harrison as the blond looked at me with wide eyes. 

"You asshole! I fucking loved you! And you do this to me in return!" I screamed, trying to lunge at the boy but my actions were futile as Tom's arms around my waist stopped me from going anywhere. 

"I'm sorry, Y/N, I really am. I never meant for this to happen, I promise, babe-." 

"Don't you dare call her that." Tom scoffed and shook his head as he looked at his best friend, disgusted. 

"Don't get involved, Tom." Harrison spat. 

"Fuck "don't get involved", who the fuck is going to pick up the pieces of YOUR girlfriend's broken heart now that you've done this? Not fucking you." He snapped and shook his head. 

"Tommy, please, I just want to go." I choked. Tom looked down at me, his angry facial expression dissolving into a heartbroken one as he saw me crying. 

"Of course." He nodded, giving me a small smile before looking back up at Harrison with a scowl. I looked at the blond boy, the boy who I'd considered "the one". Well, until now. 

"I'll get my stuff later. Don't call me, don't text me, just leave me alone because we're done." I choked. 

"Y/N, please don't do this." He gulped. 

"We're way past that, Harrison. The moment that you started seeing her, fuck knows how long ago that was, we were done." I nodded, making his blue eyes waver. 

"Come on, darling." Tom mumbled, his hand on my lower back gently leading me out of the bedroom. Tom gave Harrison one last stern look, his jaw clenched at the boy as he shut the door before looking at me. 

"Here's what we're going to do. We're going to go to the shops and you're going to get whatever the fuck you want in terms of junk food, ice cream, absolutely anything, I'm going to pay for it all and then we'll go back to my place. Does that sound like an okay place to start?" he asked. I nodded and sniffed, wiping my red and wet eyes with the sleeve of Tom's hoodie that he'd given me to wear as I looked up at him. 

"Come on, then." He sighed, giving me another small smile as he wrapped his arm comfortingly around me and led me out of the apartment.

So, that was it. That was the story of how I had ended up on my best friend's sofa, surrounded by empty ice cream cartons, and finally figuring out that all of those years ago when I had been asked to pick between the two since they had both fallen in love with me, I had picked the wrong boy. Even back then, I hadn't been completely sure in my decision, as secretly I had fallen for both boys, and so I had based my decision off of who I got along with most and who I could see a future with. But admittedly over the years, stolen glances between Tom and I, the occasional stolen touch and other small moments had led me to question if I had picked the right boy. And obviously what I had just witnessed, confirmed that I hadn't. I snapped back as I felt Tom's fingers gently move against my cheek, making me look at him and give him a small smile. 

"You okay?" he asked quietly. I shrugged and looked down. 

"I'm still trying to process it, to be honest. Not only that he cheated, but that I'm now single and I've also just lost one of my best friends." I nodded, my eyes wavering as a tear fell from them. Tom sighed and nodded, his finger gently moving to wipe away the drop of saltwater. 

"I'm so sorry that he did that, Y/N. I mean, we've known the guy for over twenty years, I never thought that he'd ever do that, but obviously, we don't know him as well as we thought that we did." Tom mumbled. I gulped and nodded before timidly looking up at him. 

"Can I ask you something?" I asked quietly. 

"Course." Tom nodded, shifting slightly in his seat so that he was so close that our knees touched. I bit my lip. 

"Do you still love me?" I asked. 

"I never stopped." He admitted, giving me a gentle smile as he shook his head. I gulped and looked at him, my heart starting to beat faster. 

"To be honest with you, Tom, I never stopped loving you either." I spoke. His eyes widened slightly. 

"B-but...but you chose Harrison." He scoffed and shook his head. 

"Tommy, we both know that I've questioned my choice over the years, and what we just saw only confirms that I did make the wrong choice. I know that I believed that he wouldn't do that, but I know that you won't." I shook my head. 

"No, of course I wouldn't, but..." he sighed and looked down. 

"What's wrong, Tommy?" I asked. He looked back up at me. 

"I just...I don't just want to be a rebound." He admitted. My eyes wavered as I looked at him. 

"Darling, don't get me wrong, I would love to be with you. But I want to be with you. I don't want to just be a rebound, I want it all with you. I want the Sundays lying in with you, I want the hand holding, I want to be able to beat up Harrison if he tries to get you back, or beat up a guy who tries to hit on you when we're out. I want it all." He nodded as he took my hands. I bit my lip, trying to push back my smile as I stared into his stunning hazel eyes. 

"I feel the same, Tom. I'd never forgive myself if you were just a rebound. I want it all, and I want it all with you." I whispered. Tom's lips broke into a smile, a laugh leaving his lips as he leant forward and pressed our lips together. I returned it instantly, holding his face as his hands moved to my waist and pulled me into his body. I couldn't help but smile as he broke the kiss but touched our foreheads, his hands gently cupping my cheeks as he looked at me. 

"I may have lost Harrison, but I've found you. And that's worth it to me." I spoke quietly. Tom gave me another small smile and gently bit his lip before leaning in and kissing me again.