Built To Last

Ch. 2

AN:

y/f/n = your first name

y/l/n = your last name

Tom's POV:

"No, we're in Gainesville, Florida" This was getting confusing, and Tom knew his dad wasn't getting any further from his home. He had to hurry this up. Suddenly another thought struck him, "If she doesn't even know where she is, how will she have a place to go?" Tom almost didn't recognize the thought as his own. Sure, the girl was nice enough it would seem. And he had to admit there was something charming about the way she looked, even with her hair and clothes all messed up. But still, she was weird! But she was interesting. But weird! But...

Tom didn't really know how or why, but somehow the combination of his increasing anxiety and intrigue with the strange girl led him to decide that if she had no place to go, she could go home with him. Not like that of course, just for a place to stay. There was a room that could be made up to be a small guest room not far from his own. No one would even have to know she was there, he could just sneak some food to her after everyone had gone to bed. And if she wasn't signed up for any school then she couldn't be called in absent.

In the few seconds it had taken him to come up with his plan, the girl had begun pacing quickly.

Y/n's POV:

"No, we're in Gainesville, Florida," said the boy. His face was unreadable, but his tone carried everything y/n needed to know. She could tell he was almost as confused as she was, but she could see that he was genuinely concerned, maybe he even cared a little. Though his expression was unclear, she could see in his eyes that the gears inside his head were working full speed.

"What is he thinking?" she wondered. Maybe she'd never know.

"Hell, what am I thinking?" she realized all of a sudden that she'd been so wrapped up in trying not to seem insane that she hadn't taken a moment to think over anything herself.

That was when the panic set in. Her chest felt tight and it was harder to breathe. She could've sworn her heart was beating loud enough for the Tom doppelgänger to hear. Y/n felt as though standing still for any longer would kill her. So she began to pace. Back and forth, over and over. It helped her feel a little better, but she realized it probably didn't help her look any more sane.

"Hey, are you okay?" Tom v2 asked, pulling y/n out of her thoughts. His voice shocked her back to the reality that was the two of them standing out on the street. She was pretty sure she was okay...but was she really?

"Yeah of course," she replied quickly, before she could think too much about it and change her mind.

"Okay well I just thought maybe like," he continued, "Well" he paused. She realized he didn't know her name. "Shit, I have 0 manners, huh."

"Y/f/n Y/l/n" she responded, trying not to make it awkward somehow.

"Well, Y/n, if there's anything you need some help with, I could maybe lend a hand. If you want."

Tom's POV:

"Yeah of course," she replied too soon.

Tom knew her hasty answer wasn't true. Sure, he hadn't known the girl for very long, but he could just tell. How, he had no way of knowing. While Tom secretly prided himself on his ability to remain unreadable (he thought it made him more cool and mysterious), he had a way with understanding people. When she had turned from her pacing to respond to him he could see in her eyes that everything was not okay. Not that it would've taken a genius to figure that out. Her gait was stiff, her jaw clenched, her eyes slightly wider than before. He knew that feeling, that deep-seated fear, all too well; he'd felt it before more times than he could count. Which reminded him that he was still running late. At this point he'd have to practically run to get home in time. If he was ever going to offer the girl help he knew he would have to do it then.

"Ok, it's now or never Tom," he thought, "be cool, be nice, don't be creepy."

"Okay well i just thought maybe like. Well," he paused when he realized he didn't know her name. Luckily she caught on practically right away.

"Y/f/n Y/l/n" she said softly, as though trying not to embrass him.

"Well, Y/n, if there's anything you need some help with, I could maybe lend a hand. If you want" he said, a little faster than he'd meant to.

"Oh yeah that was great, reeeeeal cool"

She paused for a moment. Maybe this wasn't the most well-thought-out plan. Maybe she had everything under control after all and didn't need him or his help. Maybe she would just think he was a creep and tell him to fuck off. Maybe she could smell his fear. Wait no, that's weird, what? He really needed to calm down.

After thinking for a second, a smile found its way onto her face. Tom couldn't help but realize that she looked rather pretty like that, with her eyes creased in the corners and her soft features lit up. He could get used to her smile.

"That's really sweet of you," she paused, "wait I'm sorry I don't think I caught your name."

"Oh! Sorry 'bout that, it's Tom," he rushed out, how the hell did he forget to even tell her his name?!

"Well, then, thanks Tom," she replied, her eyes narrowing just a tad. What did that mean? Why would she do that? Why on earth was he panicking at her every move? He couldn't believe how stupid he was acting.

"Hey, you know who you look just like?" she continued, "Tom Petty!"

"Oh well yeah that'd make sense, seeing as that just happens to be my name," he laughed. How did she know him?

She began to laugh. "Fuck that's cute," he thought. He really needed to snap out of it.

"That's great," she continued laughing before resuming, "what's your favorite song?"

"Oh probably 'Johnny B. Goode,'" he responded. That was kind of a random question.

"No, no, sorry I meant your favorite Tom Petty song."

"I don't have any songs, yet."