Always be my 22

Chpt. 19

-holding on to that-
Warning: not 100% pure

It took 8 weeks in total until I was able to dance again. Building back the muscles that weakened over my hiatus was agonizing, and I couldn't wait for the day to be over so I could go home and rest. "It's good to have you back stranger." Ash smiled as he came up behind and hugged me. "It's good to be back, the pain on the other hand can definitely leave." I smiled. "Madelyn!" Mr. O'dell called from across the floor. He made his way to us making me anxious, fearing that he would be telling me to go home and rest more. "How have you been?" He smiled sweetly, he was a very sweet man in his late 50s, a kind soul that genuinely cared for the people he employed.

"I've been doing great, stars really happy that we've been spending so much time with her." I smiled making Ash choke on his water. "We've?" He inquired. Mr. O'dell looked between us with confusion as I giggled at Ash uneasy. "My boyfriend has been taking care of me, ash you know this." I laughed uncomfortably meaning we were discussing my love life in front of my boss. "Well we hope to have you dancing in our next show, but we want to have a strong recovery Madelyn." "Thank you!"

As he walked off I turned my attention to ash,swatting his shoulder with the back of my hand. "Ow! What was that for?" "You know perfectly what that was for!" I reminded sharply, "I can't believe you were trying to embarrass me in front of our boss!" "Oh come on Madelyn you were gone for weeks! How else am I supposed to make up for all the fun we missed." He smiled, holding me in a tight hug so I couldn't run away... or get another swat at him.

The rest of the day went by slowly, bar exercises and turns that were definitely going to end up burning tomorrow. I packed up my bag and looked down at my phone after changing into a pair of joggers and one of toms sweatshirts, getting ready to head outside, noticing a text popping up on the screen.

My22🤍: have a surprise when you get home darling, can't wait for you to get back.

As I opened the door, the dimmed glow of candles caught my eye. Rose petals were all around the room as well as bouquets of my favorite flowers. "Tom?" I called out into the apartment. Star got up from the couch and made her way to me, her paws scurrying on the floor from across the room. "Hi silly girl, where's dad?" I said before hearing faint strums and picking patterns come from behind my room divider. I sat down on the bed beside him as he began to pick out a melody.

You're a ray of sunshine, nothing but,
A pair of wings on my back.
I'm just a boy on a skateboard,
With two patches on my kneecap.
The brightest stars burn fast,
Some things were never meant to last

I couldn't help but fall harder as I heard him play, giggling to the memories of Tom trying to teach me to skate.

So I'm holding on, to the memories we have, Cause I'm sure, I will fuck this thing up, The first chance I have.
So I'm holding; I'm holding onto that.

Let's lose our hair together; we don't care, Hook on my hand, you in stolen underwear.

So when our heart is done, heaven's been,
I'll still make your heart skip now like you were seventeen.
Two patches on my kneecap.
So let's grow old and ugly, and hate the world,
Lord take my youth, but please don't take my girl

His voice filled my head, bringing tears to my eyes when he sang of living out our lives, something that truly sounded like paradise.

So I'm holding on, to the memories we have, 'Cause I'm sure, I will fuck this thing up,
The first chance I have.
So I'm holding onto that.

We all question love, I say, 'What for?',
I found a piratess that makes me jaw drop. I'm off tomorrow now for six months, that's Sod's Law,
This girl ain't off the shelf, mate, she's top drawer.
Think we've had some times? Well, there's lots more,
Keep kissing me, girl, what you stop for?
Other girls get me tight lipped, you drop jaw, Not off the shelf, mate, no, she's top drawer.

I'm holding on, to the memories we have,
'Cause I'm sure by now, I'd have fucked it up, The first chance I have.
And so I'm holding, I guess I'm holding onto that.

As he held out that last note I couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion rush through me. The feeling of happiness from hearing him sing, the feeling of giddiness as he sang such beautiful words about me, the feeling of love... something I haven't even said to him properly out of fear from him leaving, but I knew it was so strong within me.

"That was beautiful tom." I smiled before kissing his lips sweetly. "It's not very hard to write something like that when your subject matter is absolutely stunning." He smirked as he looked into my eyes. He set his guitar on floor, our eyes meeting as we were enamored with each other. After building up the tension between us to see who would give in first, his lips met mine, kissing me with a fit of passion. His hand slid to my shoulder, pushing me gently down to the back of the mattress, his lips now trailing down my neck.

"Tom..." I sighed as his hand slid under my shirt, his finger tips running across my skin. His ice blue ocean eyes, turned a deeper shade as he watched my hand slide across the cotton as grasped onto the sheets, our hips moving together in a euphoric rhythm. "Fuck..." he moaned as I wrapped my legs around his waist before flipping him over, unbuttoning the blue floral print shirt that went perfectly with his eyes.

He slid off his sweatshirt I was wearing and noticed I wasn't wearing a bra, making him smirk, taking his trousers off to leave him in his boxers. "Cheeky Maddie, running around Epsom in nothing but my sweatshirt and joggers." He stated, "guess what else I'm not wearing." I said coyly before he pinned me to the mattress again, our eyes roaming around each other's bodies, noticing the only fabric between us was his boxers and my remaining joggers.

He kissed me like I was the oxygen he breathed, as if his lips pulled away from mine He'd no longer be able to live without them. "I want you to move to LA with me."