Stronger // a Tom Holland Fan-Fiction

Part 2~ Blast from the Past

After the fight yesterday with Xavier, things have been tense between the two of us. We have barely acknowledged eachother all morning! I can't take the silence any longer.

Xavier is sitting on the couch, drinking his coffee and reading the news on his phone.

"Xavier. I'm going for a jog," I slip on a pair of sneakers and grab my earphones. 

Xavier doesn't look up from his phone, "okay sweetie."

Sweetie. Huh. He's never called me that before. I shake my head and slip out the door, playing music from my 'depressing' playlist. Jogging through the streets quickly turns to running and running quickly turns to sprinting. I'm sprinting and zigzagging through the large crowds. I don't know where I'm going exactly, letting my feet lead the way and instead focus on what I'm going to do with my life. 

When I snap back into reality, I find myself at a random park. I look around, the setting still unfamiliar. Whilst attempting to catch my breath, I moan and pull out my phone, finding my location on Google Maps.

"Corinna, is that you?" I snap my head around immediately and am shocked by who I see.

"Harrison?!" I run over and leap into his arms, enveloping him into a hug, "oh! I'm so sorry, I'm really sweaty right now."

He chuckles, "it's fine, really. Gosh, it's been so long. What are you doing here, in America?" 

"I could ask you the same thing myself!" he thinks for a moment, "hey, do you want to catch up over coffee? Coffee's on me!"

"Now? I mean, sure! I have nothing better to do anyway," I reply.

"I was supposed to meet up with a mate, but I'll let him know we can catch up later.

"If I'm intruding, it's fine. We can catch up another time," I suggest.

"No, it's okay really," he laughs, "he owes me big time."

I giggle and try to look presentable which is a very hard task when you've just gone for a run.

"Alright then. This way," he leads and I follow.

**AT THE COFFEE SHOP**

We snag a table in the corner of the shop and order.

"So how's your family? How's Dean?" Harrison asks.

I hesitate, "um, yeah, they're okay."

"That doesn't sound very convincing," he says as the barista returns with our drinks.

"Have you, um... have you heard?" I speak slowly, ensuring I don't break down into tears in front of him. 

I already can tell just by looking at his face that I'm going to have to deliver the bad news once again, "heard what?"

I inhale and exhale and look down at my coffee. My heart rate increases and my breath becomes shaky.

"Dean, he..." my eyes flood with tears yet again, "he took his own life seven months ago."

Harrison is shocked. He drops his packet of sugar, spilling all of the contents. His eyes bulge out of his head and his mouth, slightly ajar. I knew it would be hard for him to hear this.

I had lived in London for three years with Dean, 3 months before he had died. There, the two of us had met Harrison and the two of them had instantly become best friends. They lost touch after we moved back to Australia, but it never ruined the special bond they shared.

"Wow, Cori. I'm so sorry for your loss, I had no idea," he speaks softly and stutters, clearly shook, "how have you been then? How have you coped?"

I shake my head, "I haven't. I moved to the U.S. with my boyfriend a few months ago just to escape the memories and to chase my dream in acting- the dream Dean had encouraged me to pursue. That one flopped and since I live with my boyfriend, he's my financial support. But I feel our relationship crumbling. Now I'm trying to find a job in makeup and I'm desperate."

"If only there was anything I could do to help," he shakes his head then immediately stops as a realization comes upon him, "did you say you wanted a job in makeup?"

I sit up straighter and nod my head a little too eagerly.

He leans back, smirking, "Corinna, just consider me your knight in shining armor."