Chapter Fifteen: Wanna live underground…

Adam's POV

"Hey, Adam!" I heard someone call to me from behind. I turned, seeing Drake rushing up to me with a smile on his face. He looked adorable tonight with his naturally curled hair gelled back against his skull, burnt orange skinnies and plaid. I smiled back at him as he came up to me, wrapping his arms around my chest in a tight hug. I laughed, hugging him back before stepping away from him.

"Good job tonight. You sounded fantastic," Drake complimented with a blush gracing his tanned cheeks. I grinned while being conscious of my braces, feeling my own face heat up a little as I looked away from him. Not to sound vain, but I should have been used to people praising me for my talents as a singer. But every time someone said something remotely nice about it, even if it was just a "You did good", I got flustered.

"Thanks, Drake. The snowflakes looked beautiful, by the way." I told him, watching his face go a darker shade of scarlet than before. He smiled shyly, nodding in thanks before someone else pulled him away. I watched him go, the hustle and bustle of parents and friends crowding around the other choristers, praising them and handing them flowers.

I sighed softly, turning around to scan over the crowd. I'd seen Tommy sitting in the audience through the show, but I still hadn't seen him come out of the auditorium. Or maybe he had but he had to leave. But wouldn't he have at least come to say goodbye before running off? Or could he have texted me, or something? I sighed again. Maybe I was just over thinking everything, as usual. Besides, it wasn't my place to freak out over where Tommy was. He and I were just good friends, and nothing more.

I smiled as more people came up to me, saying how wonderful I sounded or that they enjoyed the concert. Despite the fact that I was mentally searching for the blond, I was sincere in my gratitude to those who came to me. Each compliment and each smile made my heart beat faster with excitement. This was what I'd always dreamed about, being a singer and going to the big cities to sing for people and have a good time. Sure, a winter choir concert wasn't anything like the fame I dreamed of, but hey, it was a start.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned, staring into Tommy's bright chocolate brown eyes and I couldn't help the grin that spread itself across my face. Tommy grinned right back, reaching forward to give me a hug. My heart stuttered in my chest as I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close to me.

"You were fantastic tonight," he commented into my chest, and I smiled, feeling my face burn as we pulled away. The part of me that was utterly head over heels for him wanted to keep him in my arms, but I knew that I couldn't. I didn't know if Tommy felt..well.. anything for me in that sense, and, if he didn't, I didn't want to ruin our friendship because I decided to let the barriers of my affection down.

"Thanks Tommy. I'm glad you could make it here," I said, still smiling brightly. The hallway was beginning to thin itself of crowds of people as choristers and their family members left. I could see my parents talking to my choir director, Neil shifting from foot to foot in boredom at their side. I chuckled, shaking my head a little before turning my attention back to Tommy.

"You still coming to my house tonight?" I asked, and Tommy smirked, nodding once before pushing his hair out of his face.

"Yeah. My dad said he didn't care, which is his way of saying it was fine. I, actually, bumped into your parents on the way in, so my bag's already in their car," he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his skinny jeans. I smiled slightly, nodding once as we began to walk over to where my parents stood, waiting for us.

"Also, who painted all those snowflakes? They were gorgeous," Tommy asked, glancing up at me from behind the fringe of his hair. I chuckled, licking at my freckled lips.

"Drake, he's a friend of mine. Artist, you know? He's got a good future ahead of him if he stays with it, and I think he will," I explained, thinking about some of the other paintings and sculptures I'd seen in the art rooms that Drake had done. He had an amazing future ahead of him. Between having an eye for detail as well as a vivid imagination, he could— and would— go far.

"Awesome. I bumped into him before the show started. He pointed out that the best snowflake was in the back corner, right by your head." Tommy snorted and I laughed, slipping my hands into the pockets of my pants. "Fitting, though, I guess. It was like a giant, glittery crown behind your hair," Tommy joked and I pulled a hand from my pocket, shoving him back a few steps.

"Oh, come off it." I said, grinning ear to ear at him as he came back to my side, bumping into my shoulder with his. More than my crush for Tommy, this was what I loved most. Being able to be completely comfortable around him and just joke about nothing at all. It was peaceful and comforting.

"I'm just saying, maybe if she wasn't such a prude she'd be able to see just how much of a great guy he could've been for her." I argued, motioning to the rolling end credits of Labyrinth. My laptop was sitting on a small table facing my bed, Tommy and I laying side by side on our stomachs. The blond rolled his eyes, shaking his head and smiling slightly.

"Yet you fail to remember that Bowie's character is, like, thirteen hundred years older than Connolly's character? Not only is that considered pedophilia, but he stole her baby brother away!" Tommy retorted, rolling onto his back and tucking his arms under his head, using them as a sort of pillow.

We'd been up in my room since coming back to my house from concert, and my mother had been gracious enough to order us a pizza and bring it up to my room for Tommy and I to share. There was a two-liter of Coca Cola sitting on the floor at the foot of my bed, well within arm's reach for either of us, the pizza box mostly empty, yet, neglected on the floor next to the soda bottle.

"When was it ever mentioned that Bowie was thirteen hundred years older than her? I mean, yeah, he's a mystical motherfucker, but where does it say that? And, not to mention, she wished her baby brother away. He was only complying with that wish, so he's not to blame!" I said, sitting up a little more before readjusting to sit cross legged on my bed, staring down at Tommy as music played with the near-ending credits.

Tommy turned his head, facing me with a sly smile, "Dude, everyone knows that Bowie plays a thirteen hundred year old King. Even people who've never seen the movie know it. And regardless of whether or not she wished her bro away, he still came to take him away.

"And, to add to Bowie's pedo-ness, what's with all the 'It's only forever, not long at all' crap? I mean, don't get me wrong, in any other context but this movie, I'd appreciate the music more. But he's singing about spending eternity with a fifteen year old girl." Tommy retorted, sitting up himself to look over at me, his eyes hard and playful as he tried to prove his point that the Goblin King had been wrong in taking Sarah's brother and then wanting to seduce her to rule with him.

I raised an eyebrow at him, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared at Tommy. He mimicked my movements, raising both of his eyebrows at me and I couldn't stop the laugh that fell from my lips. I unfolded my arms, reaching out to gently smack his arm as my chuckles faded, "Get over yourself, Thomas, Bowie's not a pedo." I said.

Tommy whined softly when I hit him, mocking a look of pain as he rubbed his arm. But I could see the mischief in his eye when he looked back up at me, shifting on the bed so that he was resting on his knees, "Yeah, sure, Adam. The day Bowie ceases to be a pedo in this movie is the day that this fails to work—" I frowned as he leaped forward, digging his fingers into my sides. I realized, too late, that he was beginning to mercilessly tickle me, and in one of my most sensitive spots.

I bucked, falling onto my back with my head dangling over the edge of my bed as Tommy tickled my sides, his fingers flying like they had wings. I laughed, choking on air as I tried to push Tommy off of me. But he seemed to move, sitting mostly on my thighs while pining my hands down with his knees as he tickled up and down my ribs, trailing his fingers against my neck— another sensitive spot.

"T-T-Tom—Tommy— hahah! Tommy, Tommy st-stop! Stop!" I begged, pulling my hands free from his knees and reaching up to push him off. Tommy yelped falling back before grabbing my hands, pulling me up into a brief sitting position before falling forward. I squealed, tugging my hands out of his grasp to catch my fall. My arms landed on either side of his head, my legs straddling his hips as I stared down at him, our faces inches apart.

Tommy's eyes were wide, his mouth open in mid breath as we kept staring at each other before I finally pushed myself away from him, sitting down with my legs crossed and my hands in my lap. Tommy slowly sat up, not meeting my eyes as he fixed his hair a little bit.

"Sorry," I muttered softly, looking away from him, feeling the embarrassment washing over my cheeks as I swallowed the lump in the back of my throat. In my peripheral, I saw Tommy lift his head as he looked over at me before looking away again, shaking his head.

"N-no, it was my bad…" He said, trailing off a little bit. I licked my lips, looking back over at him as he glanced my direction, our eyes meeting for a moment before we looked away again. Tommy chuckled nervously, running fingers through his hair before speaking again, "Is it always like this for you?" He asked, and I frowned.

"What do you mean?" I pondered, giving myself enough of a kick in the ass to realize that there was no shame in looking at him once in a while.

"Is it… Always awkward for you? I— I mean, I-I'm sure I'm not the first guy you've been around and… Oh, God, what am I saying..?" Tommy mumbled, burying his face in his hands for a moment. I blinked, smiling warmly despite the fact that he couldn't see it. I reached forward, taking one of his wrists in my hand and pulling it away to look at his face.

"Hey, it's okay… And.. sometimes, yeah. But it's fine. I mean, as long as you're, like, not uncomfortable or anything around me then whatever, it's fine. But…" I shrugged, trailing off without really finishing any coherent kind of a sentence. Tommy nodded once, smiling slightly before swallowing, licking his lips as I let go of his wrist.

An weird silence fell over us as the music faded from my computer. I didn't really look at Tommy and Tommy didn't really look at me. We looked at everything but each other until Tommy stared blankly over towards my computer, speaking so softly that I wasn't even sure if he'd said anything at all, at first, "I know it was you. I know you know, too."

I turned my focus to him, raising an eyebrow in his direction before he spoke again. "I mean… That day where I came to school, sick.. I know it was you." I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling the heat washing over my face.

"Yeah.. Yeah, it was." I admitted. He didn't have to mention anything specific to get me to understand what he was trying to say.

"Why did you lie, then?" I looked away, swallowing again.

"Because I didn't.. I didn't want you thinking I was some kind of weirdo or a freak. I mean, think about it Tommy, I sang a..rather passionate song.." I trailed off, feeling weird and flustered again.

"Hey, hey, it's cool.." Tommy said with a smile. "It's cool, man. It doesn't bother me," I looked up at him, feeling a smile pulling at my lips. Oh, Tommy… You're too much.