𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 | Tom Holland

1

Toms POV:

The usual chatter of the cafeteria welcomed me as I stepped into the room. I picked up a blue tray and queued up for food. 

I snapped my head in the direction of the centre of the cafeteria. Most of the noise was coming from there, as usual. There was a big crowd surrounding two specific people. My younger brother sat with them, as usual. 

I turned back to face the lunch lady who snatched my tray from me and scooped a big gloop of a mushy, brown substance onto it. 

I sighed deeply, wondering what it would taste like today. I wasn't sure they even knew what it was. 

"Hey, move over, you freak" Someone shoved me along the line, making me bump into several other people. 

"Hey! Watch it!" 

"Back up, loser!" a few people yelled at me, and I gave a dirty look to whoever had pushed me. I collected my tray again and headed towards the very corner of the room, where I normally sat, alone. 

I picked up some cutlery and took out my phone, putting on my headphones. I cranked up the volume to block out all the voices, and began eating. 

Surprisingly the food wasn't too bad, it was just how it looked. The loud music blasting through the headphones, and everyone who passed my table either laughed at me or tried to throw some rubbish at me. 

I ignored them, as I normally do, and finished eating quickly. My table was right next to the bins, so I scraped all of the remains into them.  Before I left, I glanced over to the middle of the cafeteria.

Through all the people surrounding her, I caught a glimpse of Ellie. Her brunette hair gently swayed as she talked and her blue eyes shining bright. Her boyfriend Dan slung his arm around her and kissed her forehead, winking at her. 

They were everyone's 'one true pair', because they were both rich and snobby. Everyone knew how much of a bitch Ellie was. She didn't even talk to people who weren't on her 'level'.  So I guess that ruled me out. 

We had gone to the same school since nursery, and not even then did she dare to notice me. And I still don't get why my brother was her friend and not me. 

I quit staring before anyone noticed, and headed to the studio. 

I go there to spend my break and lunch because I loved making tracks. I recorded a few people too, like Molly Williams, one of the best singers in the school. I sung a bit myself, but I never actually showed my tracks to anyone though. 

"Hey Tom!" a voice spoke to me as I entered to cosy area. I dropped my bag onto the floor and smiled at Molly. She was the only person who didn't treat me like pure shit. 

"Hey" I responded, sitting on my chair. I ran my hand through my hair as I got my track for Molly ready. 

"I'm really excited to see what you made Tom!" she grinned at me, sitting in the seat next to mine. 

"I hope you like it, I spent most of last night on it." I pushed the CD into the player and it started to play. 

"Woah" she laughed in disbelief, after it had finished, "That was amazing! Thank you!" 

"No problem" I blushed, giving her the CD. 

"I was going to ask you, uh" she pushed a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear, "I saw you making a cool track the other day, but you never showed it to me." I bit the inside of my bottom lip and looked around the room awkwardly. 

"Oh, uh, that was nothing." I scratched the back of my neck as I looked down to the floor. 

"You know" she looked at me with squinted eyes, "People underestimate you, you are actually amazing at singing and making these great tracks, but people think you're some loser who eats by himself." I blushed again, smiling.

"Thanks, but I'm not sure anyone is going to look at me differently anyways." She sighed, and after a few moments got up, picking up her bag. 

"I have to go get some homework done, so I'll see you around?" she smiled at me reassuringly and left before I could answer.

She was quite popular too, but she didn't want anyone knowing about us hanging out.

Of course she wouldn't, I would ruin her reputation. I made sure that no one was around before I slid my track into the CD player. I worked on it till the end of lunch then left to go to my next lesson. 

———

I didn't go home with my brother today, let alone any day, he didn't let me. I had my own car to drive home with, but so did my brother.

He would normally bring his girlfriend around everyday, and I had to stay out of their sight at all times. 

My parents didn't really care about me that much, as long as I got good grades and stayed out of trouble. 

I pulled into the small garage parking my car and took off my sunglasses, locking my car. I wouldn't consider our house large, and I wouldn't say we were wealthy, it's just that Sam got famous on social media and started earning money from it. I guess that was why he was popular in school. 

I dropped my keys on the small, wooden table by the entrance of the house, and pulled off my coat. 

I went straight to the kitchen and got some food, taking my backpack with me. I stopped when I caught my reflection of myself in the mirror on the wall, sighing at myself. 

What was wrong with me? 

I grabbed some crisps and went straight to my room. I stopped by the living room to get my charger, but in mid-step of opening the door, I saw Sam and his girlfriend making out on the sofa. 

They ignored me, so I quickly grabbed it, avoiding any eye contact with them. I never usually talked to Sam anyways, unless he asked me to pass the salt or pepper when we had dinner. 

Before I started studying, I checked my social media, but I shouldn't have bothered. Barely anyone lets me follow them, so I had zero notifications when I turned on my phone. I was stuck with an iPhone 4s when my brother and parents had an iPhone 11. Sam was probably getting blown up with messages from his fans. 

I left my phone and opened my laptop, putting on some music and then opening my textbooks. 

About half an hour later, the doorbell rang. I wasn't expecting anyone, and my parents don't usually come back from work till late. I slumped down the stairs and approached the door. 

I looked through the little glass hole and my heart immediately started thumping against my chest as I saw Ellie standing there, her hand on her hip and her other one holding her phone. 

I quickly fixed my hair in the little mirror on the wall by the entrance of the house and straightened my jumper before opening the door. 

She turned her head to look at me, then opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. 

"Sam? Elysia?" I asked, knowing she wasn't going to talk to me. I was surprised she even opened her mouth. She pursed her lips and nodded at me, plastering a dirty look on her face and rolling her eyes. 

I walked over to the living room and knocked on the door, cautious to what they might have been doing in there. Sam opened the door, revealing his frustrated face to me. 

"Ellie's at the door" I pointed over to the door and went back up the stairs. But I leaned against the wall up on the landing to eavesdrop on their conversation. 

"Hey, Ell" my brother greeted her. 

"Was that your brother?" she asked with a slight disgusted tone in her voice. 

"Yeah" Elysia replied in the same tone. 

"That's why I don't talk to him" I could sense Ellie roll her eyes. 

"Just ignore him, he's a freak anyway." I heard Sam mumble. 

I didn't want to hear any more. I slipped into my bedroom and collapsed onto my bed, my stomach facing the ceiling and my arms spread across the blue covers. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the voices that mimicked the people who called me names at school. 

Thank the lord that I had Molly.