chaotic ↬ t.holland UNDER EDITING

26 : real life

S E P T E M B E R  6 T H ,  2 0 1 8
maddie and tom were hanging out in maddie's hotel room, like they had been doing for the last couple of days. every time tom suggested they go out to eat or see a movie, maddie would always decline and say she'd rather stay in. tom knew the reason why, so he didn't pressure her and agreed with whatever she wanted to do.

maddie didn't want to see anyone except for adam, lucy and tom. she wouldn't even let Robert into her room. her usually chatty and bubbly personality had withdrawn, leaving a silent ghost of the old maddie.

this behaviour had started on the 4th of september, three days before maddie's birthday. tom guessed that this was the day her parents had died, as lucy and adam had never given him an exact date.

it was now the day before maddie's birthday, and once again, her and tom were watching movies and eating room service in maddie's hotel room. tom was more fidgety today, and maddie kept glancing over at him to see tom bouncing his leg or chewing his nails. he is probably getting bored, she figured.

maddie sighed.
"tom," she began, "you can leave if you want to."

tom paused harry potter, leaving harry dangling off his broom. he turned to look at maddie with a confused expression. "leave? why would I leave?"

"I can tell you're getting bored, stuck in here with me all day." maddie's voice was quiet. tom had to strain to hear her. "shit, I haven't opened the blinds in three fucking days!" maddie laughed bitterly.

"maddie," tom said gently, "I know."

maddie looked genuinely confused. "know what?"

"about your parents."

"who told you?" maddie asked, her eyes filling with grief and sadness.

"adam and lucy. maddie, I'm not going anywhere. if you want to stay in here for the rest of your life, I'll bring you food and clothes so you don't have to leave. I've got your back."

a single tear slid down maddie's face. "thanks, webhead." she smiled at him. "I have to take a shit, now." maddie got up and headed to the bathroom.

"wow, way to ruin the moment!" tom called after her, but maddie only flipped him off as she shut the bathroom door.

as soon as tom heard the lock slide into place, he got to work. pulling out his phone, he sent a message to lucy.

tom
project smh is a go.

a few seconds later, he got a reply.

lucy
the birds have left the cage

there were three, quiet knocks on the door. tom silently got up and let ally, josh and matt in, holding a finger to his lips to tell them to be quiet.

he shook hands with matt and josh, and went to do the same with ally until she pulled him into a hug. "thank you for doing this," she whispered.

tom smiled. "it's the least I could do."

the sound of the toilet flushing came from the bathroom. silently, tom directed matt and josh to hide in the closet, while ally, who was the smallest, slid under maddie's bed.

just as ally's foot disappeared, the bathroom door swung open. "phew," maddie said, waving the air around her nose, "I wouldn't go in there for a couple of days. that was a big one."

tom laughed, and as maddie walked over to her bed, a hand reached out from under it and grabbed her ankle.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" maddie screeched, jumping back. ally popped her head out from under the bed the same time as josh and matt jumped out from the closet.

"SURPRISE!" they shouted in unison. maddie fell onto the floor, was silent for a few seconds, then burst into tears.

"is this real?" maddie said through her tears.

they all nodded. "we've missed you so much, mads," ally said.

ally, josh and matt wrapped her in a group hug. In the embrace of her best friends, maddie looked up at tom. "was this you?" she asked.

tom nodded. "I had a little help," he admitted.

"thank you," maddie replied, tears still streaming down her face.