tidal wave

•~• chapter one •~•

It was the start of Autumn when Bre got the call about Susannah's dedication. She was happy and of course, excited for the day. But as the time got closer she got more nervous. The past year she'd shut herself away from the world.

Well in particular since December...

Her excuse to Laurel and Belly was how busy she was. But in reality, she couldn't face seeing anyone. She was used to putting on a happy facade but she didn't want to fake it for her family.

But she wanted to go to Susannah's dedication. It was something she was overthinking for weeks. Tobias didn't get on with her family, not one bit. And they weren't the biggest fans of him either. It started when they visited Belly at Finch to help her move in, and he made subtle digs at Bre and then Laurel and John hadn't liked him since. They found it weird how she never stood up to him, even though they knew she was meant to be with Conrad.

Then came their week-long break-up in March. Bre had wanted to go and see Hattie and Keegan for months and Tobias had given her every excuse in the book for her not to go. Like how they were saving for a deposit for a house or the fact that they were still in school and she shouldn't take a break. Their argument started after Tobias had told her about his old high school friends coming to see him the exact week that she wanted to go to California. It didn't end the way either of them wanted and Bre took off. She went and stayed at her cousin's. Going for a surf every day and reading on the deck. That week the most she had been able to breathe since being with Tobias. She thought about ending it with him multiple times that week. How better off she'd be, how much she would be able to do by herself.

Yet the moment she returned home and he was making dinner, she didn't leave. She didn't have the confidence either. So she stayed. And she was beginning to hate every moment of it. Since then Tobias had changed, he was way more interested in her. Complimenting her more, buying her flowers and even making an effort to take an interest in her. Bre thought that maybe it was the start of the story she'd wanted all along.

They were getting ready for the end-of-year party, well it was the end of the year for the majority of students. Not Bre or Tobias. They'd been selected to start their residency early.

Bre was wearing a skintight black dress with her hair curled and some heels. And Tobias was wearing a shirt and a black tie. The pair looked like a happy couple. The whole walk there they were holding hands and joking about the next year.

"Oh you forgot to tell me, are you going to come to come with Cousins this weekend?" Bre asked so innocently. Tobias shook his head. She knew not to ask.

"You know can't, the guys are here for the week" Tobias laughed, he wasn't taking her seriously.

"Okay, well I'm still going" Bre smiled kissing him on the cheek. They were arm-in-arm the whole way through the crowd. It was those moments when he was so affectionate to Bre that she forgot how he truly treated her. Like the bruise almost showing through across her cheek because of the week before when he had too much to drink or the scar on her wrist from where he grabbed her when she was wearing a bracelet and it cut her.

And yet she still looked at him with the same love and respect as on the first date. He was everything she'd ever wanted right?

They spent the majority of the night together, dancing, kissing, and drinking. She loved spending time with his weird friends from high school, who were way too funny to be his friends.

She took a moment out to go to the bathroom when she heard his friend Fred talking.

"Dude that girl is here" He said very loudly. Maybe he thought she couldn't hear or maybe they didn't care.

"What girl?" She heard Tobias say. He said it in a way that he was confused.

"The girl from March, what was her name" Fred said again.

"Darcy" Tobias said, the sound of his voice made him sound like he was smiling.

"Dude, she's so hot" Fred shouted. Bres' heart was pounding. What girl?

"Fred, she was hot. Don't even get me started on that night" Tobias laughed. Had he cheated on Bre?

"What was the other girl's name?" Fred asked laughing again. Bre had been gone for 5 minutes. 5 minutes.

"Bro there was one every night" Tobias laughed. In that moment Bre opened the door revealing Tobias and Fred standing there with their beers laughing.

Bre didn't even take a minute before grabbing her bag and walking out. She could hear Tobias shouting after her, but she could barely hear herself breathing.

The sound of her flat shutting was the moment she broke down in tears. She trusted the wrong person. How could he do that to her?

It was around 4am when she could hear him begging to let him in. He didn't have a key as she had a bag. She could hear his friends standing there laughing at him. Was she a joke to them?

Bre didn't sleep that night. She spent the night packing her bags. She could easily find somewhere to stay. But then she realised she didn't want to leave he had to. So she began throwing his things in bin bags.

By the time the morning came, Bre showered and went for a run. She picked up coffee and breakfast and headed back to her apartment.

It was only when she got back to her door that she saw Tobias there. And in that moment she knew she didn't have the strength.

"Can we talk?" Tobias asked, it was a quietly painful question.

"About what? How did it take you an hour to cheat on me?" Bre let out, she was angry.

"I thought we were broken up" Tobias exclaimed but it didn't make a difference to Bre. She could never move on that quickly.

"For 2 seconds" Bre spat back.

"Please don't throw this all away" Tobias said. Bre shook her head. She didn't think she could trust him ever again.

"How many girls?" Bre asked closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Don't do this to yourself" Tobias said standing up. At any other time, Bre would have felt intimidated but she didn't this time.

"How many girls? If you think there's any way of us coming back tell me the truth" Bre said shaking her head.

"6" He said shaking his head. She had only been gone 6 nights. It was the best 6 nights of sleep she'd gotten in years.

"That's one per night" Bre shook her head disgusted at him.

"I thought we were done" Tobias said trying to defend himself but it didn't work.

"I don't trust you, and I don't want you near me again" Bre said slamming the door in his face. She took a deep breath before going about the rest of her day.

She tidied the whole apartment. Finding little memories from her time at Cousins.

Then she was ironing her dress for the dedication when she heard the knock at the door.

She opened it to reveal Tobias on one knee with Hydrangeas. The only time he visited Cousins Bre had told him that it was her favourite flower because of Susannah.

"Get up" Bre said rolling her eyes.

"No...You have been the girl for so long I call home. I know I may be a dick sometimes and I take you for granted. But nothing has been more of a pleasure than building a life here with you. Although I can be annoying and a dick sometimes and I've broken your trust there is nothing I would do to make it up to you. So Bre will you marry me?" He said. Bre was in shock. It was everything she ever dreamed of. Getting married. Wearing the white dress.

And before she could register what was said she kissed him.

She kissed Tobias and put the ring on. She could get married. Sure he has some things that need working on but she loved him. Right?