My Brother's Best Friend

t h i r t y - f i v e

Two days have passed and you still hadn't heard anything from Tom. Sure you were sad but you also completely understood if he didn't want to talk to you anymore. After all, you were the one that decided not to trust him in the relationship.

Today you were fulfilling the promise you had made to Paddy about hanging out, so you were currently on your way to the Hollands' house.

You rang the bell and a few seconds, it was being opened by the youngest Holland.

"Y/n!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arms around you.

"Hey, there!" You smiled as you hugged him back. "You ready to go?" you asked him and he nodded.

"I'm just going to get my shoes."

The two of you spent the day in town, entering shops and messing around, getting some snacks here and there. Later in the evening you went back home with him.

You ate dinner with him and his parents. The twins had plans and went out, therefore they were obviously not there. It was like always nice to spend time with any of the Hollands' , even though the situation between you and Tom.

"Hey, Y/n, do you want to play some video games after you're done?" he asked as you were currently helping Nikki with the dishes.

"Yeah, sure! You go already, I'll come meet you in a bit." you told him with a smile while drying the plate Nikki had just passed you before putting it in its place.

"Okay!" he said and ran off to the living room, making both of you chuckle.

The two of you were just in comfortable silence when Nikki started talking.

"Hey honey, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to but..." she spoke softly, "Have you and Tom talked? Ever since..." she didn't finish but you knew what she meant.

"Uh-..." you took in a deep breath. "No, ehm- w-we haven't." you stuttered, still feeling vulnerable.

"Are you planning to? I know he really wanted to." she asked, still speaking in her sweet, soothing voice.

"I, uh, called him like two days ago." you started explaining. "He didn't pick up but I- left him a voicemail. I don't know if he's heard it, I haven't gotten any response." you said with a tight lipped smile.

"I think he just hasn't checked his phone yet, he's probably very busy with filming and everything."

"Yeah, true.." you sighed, nodding your head.

It went back to silent for a little before she spoke again,

"What exactly happened? If you don't mind." she asked nicely.

"There was just this huge, stupid misunderstanding." you explained putting the last plate in its place while Nikki dried off her hands before finally turning to you and giving you her clear full attention.

"I just feel like such an Idiot for not hearing him out." you said, stuffing your hands in the back pocket of your jeans. "And now I think it may be too late." you admitted, your voice cracking as your eyes started pouring tears.

Nikki was immediately by your side, wrapping her arms around you and rubbing your back soothingly while holding you tight as you cried in her arms.

"I'm just- I'm just so scared." you sobbed.

"Hey, shhhh, it's alright." she moved her hand up to your head, caressing it gently. "Everything's going to be okay, you guys are going to work it out. I'm sure of it." she said and she felt you nod as you continued to cry like a baby.

-

1500 kilometres away in Barcelona, Tom had just gotten back to his trailer after a long day on set. The whole week had just been quite exhausting. He barely had any time to himself.

He was tired. All he wanted to do now was take a quick shower and go to bed as fast as possible, so he did.

After flopping down on his bed, he tried to just fall asleep but for some unknown reason he just couldn't. He got a glance of his phone on his nightstand and noticed he hadn't really checked it in days.

He took it in his hands and squinted at the brightness of the screen before lowering it. Once he could finally open his eyes without the risk of being blinded, he unlocked his phone to find a bunch of unread messages from friends and family, asking how he was doing.

And then he saw your name. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating and he wasn't, it was clearly there. One missed call and a voicemail.

His heart rate got quicker as he sat up and slowly started to play the message you had left him.

"Hey.." was the first thing he heard you say.

He hadn't heard your voice in such a long time and he hadn't realised how much he had missed it until now. But that didn't stop him from hearing the way it broke a bit as you spoke.

"Uhm, I know you're busy right now but- I'd like to talk to you." You wanted to talk to him, finally. "Maybe when you're back, or uhm- I don't know, whenever you want- and of course only if you want." he heard you say and of course he still wanted to. He wanted to be back with you as soon as possible.

All this time without you, he had been absolutely miserable. When he lost you, it was like he had lost a part of himself too.

"And yeah, I hope you're okay...Take care, I lo- I mean yeah take care." and the voicemail ended but he didn't overhear how you had almost said the favourite three words he loved to hear you say to him.

"I love you too, Y/n." he whispered, smiling sadly but at the same time happily because you finally wanted to talk to him.

That didn't necessarily mean you wanted to get back together with him but he was hoping for the best. He just wanted to have you back in his life, even as a friend. He didn't care.

-

"Y/n?" you heard Paddy call and you looked up, slowly letting go of Nikki to find him there in the kitchen, holding your ringing phone. "Your phone...it's Tom."