Thank you so much for the reviews.

I'm not going to say that I am not going to put Tommy through anything like that again... because I would be lying... it is just not for a while. I'll give my boy a rest.

So this was going to be set at the end of Tommy's first year at university and then I remembered the valentines day chapter (which makes less and less sense the more I think about it) of this so we are going to say that this is halfway through his second year...

And just because I have to introduce Amelia properly.


Amelia

"Dude, just go over and talk to her."

Tommy turned to Jack. "I don't know. I don't think it would be a good idea."

"You have been like this the past five times you've seen her. Just go over and say hi."

"What ya talking about?" Jade said as she grabbed Tommy's arm.

"The girl he likes is here. But he is too chicken to talk to her."

"Not everyone is going to be like Mia."

"Who is Mia?"

"Not now Jack." She turned to Tommy. "Come on. What is the worst that can happen?"

She didn't really give Tommy a lot of time to answer before she asked Jack which girl and started to drag him over to her. He tried to find the words to stop her but it was too late as Jade tapped the girl's shoulder and left him to it. The girl turned to him.

"Hi, I'm Tommy." He said as he put his hand on his chest.

"Amelia."

"Lovely name."

"But I'm not an Amy or anything like that."

"Like I'm not a Tom."

"Really?"

"Mum has always said that she named me Tommy and that I never would be a Tom."

"My mum feels the same way. Always saying that if she wanted me to be called Amy, she would have called me that."

"Can I buy you a drink?" He said, noting her empty glass.

"I think you can."

He smiled at her as they made their way over to the bar. He leant against it as he turned towards her, hoping that one of the bar staff would still think that he was waiting.

"Are you at MMU?" He asked.

"Yeah, studying forensic psychology. I know, sounds dead boring but…"

"I think it sounds fascinating."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm doing the dead boring thing. How did you come about to choose that?"

"My granddad was in the police. He always spoke about it so fondly and I would have loved to follow in his footsteps but he was injured while off duty because he was always taught to run towards things rather than away. He ended up doing paperwork for half of his career because of it. I want to be in the force but not on the front line like he was. It was the way I thought I could help a lot of people." She smiled up at him. "So what is your dead boring thing?"

"Primary Education."

"That's not boring."

"Everyone wants to be a teacher."

"Not me. Can't teach to save my life."

"I got the teaching gene from my parents."

"Tommy."

He turned to look over the bar and smiled as he saw Dex the other side.

"So this is the new job?"

"Yeah, better than the last one. Actually think I might be able to stick this one out for a little longer. Aren't you going to introduce me?"

Tommy laughed as he turned back to Amelia.

"Dex, this is Amelia, a girl I met like five minutes ago. Amelia, this is Dex, one of my best friends."

"Nice to meet you," Amelia said.

"So we have a special cocktail for this week and this week only. Do you want to try that?" Dex said.

She nodded at him and Tommy found no reason to argue with that thought.

"Yeah. Two please."

"One cocktail and one mocktail coming right up."

"Mocktail?" Amelia said as Dex left to make the drinks.

"I don't drink."

"Right."

"Personal decision but I don't mind others drinking around me."

"What personal reason?"

He laughed. "Not really a 'I just met you five minutes ago' conversation topic."

"When is it a conversation topic?"

"Depends on how serious this is."

It was the way that she smiled up at him that just made his heart soar. He had no idea why he was feeling the way that he did with her. As he had said twice, he had only met her five minutes ago and only knew her name and that she was at MMU doing forensic psychology.

"So your parents are teachers?" She said, moving the conversation on.

"Yeah. Secondary though. I think that teaching the younger years might be better. Although I recently been reminded about how cocky 11-year-olds can be."

"What do they teach?"

"Mum's an English teacher. She used to be a headteacher but didn't really go back to work properly until I was 12. I mean, she is happy where she is now. She ends up doing half of Eddie's paperwork for him."

"And your dad?"

"Eddie? He is a headteacher. Used to teach maths."

"You call you dad by his name."

"He is my step-dad."

"Right."

"He… just has been more like a dad to me than my actual dad."

"I totally get it."

"Really?"

"I have always thought of Mike as my dad. Not that I have actually met my real dad. He walked out on my mum when she told him that she was pregnant with me."

"Sort of wish my dad did that."

"Really?"

"Not a 'I just met you' thing."

"Okay."

"Here you go," Dex said as he placed their drinks in front of them. "That is your one Tommy and don't worry mate, they are on the house."

Dex winked at him and Tommy knew that he was probably doing something that he shouldn't be. Not that he was going to complain about getting free drinks.


Tommy found them somewhere quiet to talk. He was generally into her and he liked that she was asking questions but took his answer that it wasn't really the right time to talk about those things.

"What were we talking about?" He asked.

"I was telling you about Mike. Mum met him when I was seven and basically, he wanted children but couldn't have any. When he married my mum, he officially adopted me and I started calling him Dad. I even took his surname. Mike is my dad."

"My mum met Eddie before I was born. It is where everything becomes a little weird and complicated but they worked at the same school together and then broke up because… my auntie was pregnant with Sophie."

"Why would they break up over that?"

"Because Sophie is my cousin and now my step-sister. She is Eddie's daughter."

"Okay?"

"Mum was reunited with my dad a year later, they got married and had me. I started secondary school and Eddie just happened to be the new headteacher at the school. So both him and my mum were reunited. Some… things happened regarding my dad and… Eddie has been there ever since. Been in my life for the last eight or so years. And Sophie as well."

"Lovely."

"Most people think we are nuts when I say that Sophie is my cousin and my step-sister."

"It is a little strange."

"But it works for us."

"And I think that is all that matters. I think everyone thinks that I am mad for calling Mike, Dad."

"I don't think you are." He paused and looked at her. "What is that smile for?"

"No one has really understood before."

"Likewise."

"Where have you been all my life?"

"In Scotland."

He liked the way that she laughed at his joke. In fact, it caused his stomach to do flips and he felt like he was finally feeling what Sophie felt when she was around Kerian. Or the way that Eddie described what being with his mum was like during his wedding speech. Maybe he had found his one.


It wasn't really like Tommy to bring a girl back to his room. But he made an exception for Amelia.

He wouldn't usually kiss someone that he had only met a couple of hours ago. But he made an exception for Amelia as she was already straddling his lap, holding on his face while his hands were on her waist, as she kissed him.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He said as they parted.

"What do you mean?"

"I just…"

"Is this your first time?"

He looked up at her, wondering how the hell she knew that.

"Yes but…"

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle."

"I'm not worried about that."

"Then what?"

He sighed. "I am here. Stone-cold sober. And I know that you aren't blind drunk but… I don't want to be… I don't want to take advantage of you."

"Honestly, you saying that is making me want to sleep with you even more."

"Really?"

"I don't usually just jump into bed with anybody."

"I didn't think that."

"But… there is just something about you Tommy."

"I… My mum would kill me if I took advantage of anyone."

"Again, you aren't putting me off."

He wrapped his arms underneath her and picked her up so that he could move them a little closer to his desk. He pulled open one of the drawers and dug around until he found what he was looking for. He was glad that she laughed when he held up the condom packet.

"Good idea." She said.

"Mum keeps telling me and Sophie that as much as she would like to have grandkids, she would prefer it when we can support them."

"I like your mum."

"I think she would like you."

She started to kiss him again and he was glad that she wanted to take control. He was a little out of his depth.

"Don't worry. I'll talk you through it." Amelia said as she started to turn them to lie him down.


The last time Tommy shared a single bed with someone, it had been with his mum just after she had told him about her past. He had definitely been a lot smaller and it felt like it was a lifetime ago.

Plus the reason he was sharing his single bed with Amelia was for a completely different reason.

He didn't regret what had happened between them and he did hope that she felt the same way when she woke up. He had tried to go back to sleep a couple of times but failed to do so each time. If she wasn't asleep on his arm, he probably would have got up and made her breakfast. Or something like that. Maybe just made coffee. If she liked coffee.

Maybe he just didn't want to seem like it was weird that he was watching her sleep.

She started to stir and he reclaimed his arm and started to work on getting the blood back to it. He only really noticed Amelia when she started laughing.

"What?" He said.

"What are you doing?"

"You made my arm go dead."

"Sorry."

"Was going to get up and make you breakfast. But I think it might be more appropriate if I take you out for it."

"I know I said it last night but where have you been all my life. Dear God, I need to thank your mother because she had raised a true gent."

"Honestly, she would murder me if I wasn't." He paused. "I think Sophie left a t-shirt when she was last here. You can borrow it."

"Truly one of a kind Tommy."

It was then that his phone rang and he knew, before he had even picked it up off the desk, who it was. He lied back down, with no intention of answering it now.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"Sophie. I'll talk to her later."

"No, answer it."

He managed to pick it up on the last ring.

"Hey, Sophie.

"So Amelia?"

"Trust Dex to be straight onto you."

"He just felt like it was right to inform me. Please say she is as far from Mia as possible."

He smiled at Amelia. "Of course she is. I'm not going to make that same mistake again."

"Good."

"And she gets our weird family."

"Tommy, go and buy an engagement ring. This girl is a keeper."

"Maybe I should invite her for a date first."

"I would be up for a first date," Amelia said.

"Oh my god. She is with you."

"Sophie."

"She must be special."

"Yes, I suppose."

"I'll call you later. I want all the details. Can I tell Rach?"

"I think you are going to tell Mum whatever aren't you?"

"Of course I am. Speak to you later."

"Yeah, bye." He laughed as he turned back to Amelia. "Shall we go to breakfast?"

"I think that would be a good idea."

He didn't know why he felt the way that he did at the moment but it was a strange feeling that he wanted to feel again. He wouldn't call it love there and then but he would later. It was probably the moment that he fell in love with Amelia Kings.


Just an update on my real life. Not having to self-isolate at the moment and I am not working from home (which is probably best for me because I get distracted easily). But it seems like the karate aspect of my life is going to stop. Therefore I might have a look at the plan I have for posting chapters of this story and might start uploading a couple of chapters on a Tuesday and Thursday.

With the Coronavirus, keep yourselves safe and make sure you are trying to keep others safe as well.