Chapter 7

"Can we stop to pick something up?" Tommy asked me, once we were in the car.

"Yeah, sure. What are we getting?"

"Just a few things... like extra toothbrushes and whatnot...some groceries...I don't know if anywhere 'round here's open..." I peered at him through the corner of my eye and could have sworn I saw his mouth form a small grin.

I blushed and looked forward. Was he implying that I was staying the night? Not that I was complaining. I was too tired to make a second trip anyway.

April 1998

Tommy furiously walked into my room, and shut the door.

"Hey, not so freaking loud. I don't get what you're so upset about."

"Are you fucking stupid? Why would you fuck a guy like Tyler? After everything my mom went thr..." He began.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, folding my arms.

"I know him, he beats the crap out of his girlfriends." He paused. "Is he the first guy you've..."

"No", I said quickly. He looked hurt for a quick second and walked towards my closet. Then, he turned back around to face me, still visibly upset. I didn't have the guts to tell him that I had never done any of that stuff yet.

"God, relax Tommy! I didn't know! Anyway, he never hit me." I shrugged.

"Don't tell me to fucking relax. I want you to stay away from him."

"Alright!" I screamed by accident. I just wanted him to shut the hell up. My mom was in the kitchen and I didn't want her to hear.

"But, why the hell are you telling me? Shouldn't you yell at him?" I asked, quieter this time.

"I already did...I broke his fucking nose."

"Shit..." I said. He began to look away from me, finally calming down.

"I get it, he's bad news. I'll stay away from him." I assured him, moving closer and hugging him. He reluctantly hugged me back.

"Promise me." He said.

"I promise." I said, looking up from his chest.

PRESENT

"Key, please?" I grinned up at Tommy and he handed it to me.

I carefully opened the door. "After you." I let him go in first, while I carried the two bags.

"Jesus, look at this place."

When I got inside, I followed his gaze. "Wow, they really outdid themselves. They even bought you furniture and everything."

"Yeah...this is definitely better than prison...Uh you can put the bags down on the counter." He said probably regretting mentioning it.

I walked into the modernly decorated kitchen, put the bags down and started to look around.

"It's beautiful. I thought Brendan said it was nothing big..."

He shrugged. "Well, he's got the money, so..."

After examining the place, we finally reached the bedroom and Tommy sat down on the bed.

"Oh, I just remembered! I have something to give you." I told him as I reached into my bag.

"What?"

I took out a framed photograph that Anna took of me and handed it to him.

"Ahhh..." He said picking it up to have a look. "It's nice." He said, while making his way over to the of bed to lie down.

"Yeah..." I crossed my arms. "So you know where you're puttin' it then?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He laughed. "Yeah I do. Right here." He reached his arm out and put on the bedside table. "First thing I see in the morning." He stated.

"Good." I replied with satisfaction.

I joined him and we both started to stare at the ceiling. I sighed loudly, which made him chuckle. I glanced over and he was staring at me.

"What?" I asked, turning to him.

"Nothing." He said softly.

May 1998

I was sitting on my front porch when Tommy came bustling around the corner. Fresh from work, carrying a duffel bag and still in his fast food uniform.

"Jesus, what the hell did you do to your head?" Tommy asked. He was referring to my extra-fried straight hair. A far cry from my usual curly dark brown locks.

"What, you don't like it?" I looked up at him, with one of my eyes shut due to the blinding sunset.

Tommy came up the steps and sat beside me. He began to pat the top of my unusually flat hair. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"No. Now you look like one of those bimbos at school." He said shoving my head forward.

"Ow!You know what, Tommy?" I laughed. "Fuck you. I'm nothing like those girls." I laughed pushing him back.

"Yeah, I know," He sighed. "Let's go inside." He stood up.

"Yeah, and you better change before your ass sits on my bed." I told him.

Tommy went straight to my room while I stopped at the bathroom to dunk my head under the shower. I quickly dried it with a towel.

I walked into the room, hair still a little wet, but back to it's curly state, to see Tommy turned around with his shirt off - about to put a white t-shirt over his neck. He stuck his head through, followed by his arms and I watched the fabric fall smoothly over his back.

He didn't seem to have noticed me enter and then proceeded to do a belly flop onto the bed, his face landing in the pillows.

"Hey!" I called out.

"What?" Caught off guard, he flipped around onto his back.

"Happy?" I asked with a smirk.

I crawled on as well and moved closer to him. "No, cuz now you're getting me wet."

"You bet I am." I turned to him with a cheeky grin on my face.

"Shutup Dani."

I nustled my head deeper into his neck. We both lay back on the bed, staring at the began to play with my fingers.

"Hey, Dani? Can you promise me something?"

"Promise you what?" I turned to him. I realized the change in his voice meant something serious. Every time Tommy got serious I knew it was either because he was thinking about his mom, or his brother.

"That you won't ever stay with a man who puts his hands on you."

I was silent for a moment. Where was this even coming from?

He finally turned to me. "You'd tell me right...if some guy ever hurt you?"

"Of course," I whispered hoarsely. "You would be the first person I go to."

"Good. I just wanted to make sure." He whispered into my hair.

Then he softly kissed the top of my head. "I just don't want you to end up like.." He stopped.

"Your mom?" I asked. He didn't say anything.

We stayed quiet for a good while after that.

"Um Tommy?" I asked, wanting to change the subject. "Shane told me you hooked up with Cassie Erikson." I said smiling a little.

"Did he?"

"Isn't she one in your English class?" He nodded. "You fucked her?!" I asked.

"No." He denied, flatly.

"You did!" I shouted out, sitting up on the bed.

"Nah, man. She's a bit of whore. I don't fuck whores."

I gasped. "How rude! Don't call her that, Tommy." I hit him in the chest. "Say she's... easily penetrable. If that even makes sense."

"Alright. So that's the kinda guy you think I am. The kind of guy who likes girls who are easy." He questioned.

"No... I just..." I started to say.

"No, no... I see how it is." He smiled at me. He was purposely trying to annoy me.

I frowned. "Shut up Tommy. I didn't say that."

"Anyway, I like girls who are a challenge." He began.

"A challenge? Meaning what?" I asked.

"Girls that don't have to do a thing, but can make a man pine for them for the rest of his life."

PRESENT

We inched closer together and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I then rested my head on his chest, wanting to so much, to be closer to him.

"This feels nice." I told him.

"Yeah." he grumbled softly.

Remembering that he must be exhausted, I made a motion to try to pull the covers out from under us, but he stopped me.

"It's OK, I got it, you just turn off the light." He whispered.

Tacoma, Washington June 1998 - Henry Foss High School

It was a warm afternoon and the final bell had just rung. The school year was over and I was getting the last few things from my locker. Within minutes, Tommy was beside my locker. He had graduated a couple days ago, but he still stopped by to see me. I was smiling because I had so much to tell him.

I was about to turn my head to say hello, when he spoke.

"I'm joining the marines."

My heart stopped. I stared straight into my locker and didn't move. I was silent. I couldn't believe after everything we'd been though, he was leaving me again. My palms began sweating and I felt sick. This was just like Pittsburgh all over again.

"Hello...did you hear me?" My finger clenched the locker door.

Why the hell was this was the first I was hearing about it? I mean, I knew he was impulsive, but did he really think this through?

"Alright, be like that... but I know what you're thinking and it's not just some sudden decision. I've been planning it for a while."

Planning it for a while... and you just decided to tell me today? Fuck off, Tommy. I wasn't going to reply to him. I wasn't going to say anything.

"And you know there's nothing left here for me now."

Yeah, except me, I thought.

He laughed at my silence. "Whatever, I leave early tomorrow morning, so drop by my place. Fucking landlord cant wait to get rid of me..." he mumbled. "Anyway, I gotta go."

He kissed me on the cheek and I didn't move.

He sighed. "Don't be late."

Well guess what? I won't be there, you asshole. He looked at me one last time before he took off.

Don't be late. That was the last thing he said to me. It played over and over in my head for months.

I purposely woke up late the next morning and I knew Tommy was already gone. I tried to tell myself that it didn't bother me. Once I graduated, I was leaving this place and never coming back. It didn't work. Why didn't I say goodbye to him? Tell him he could find me in some random city...some city that I just might be living in, in five...ten years. Now, I would never know how to find him. I would lose him again. I cried everyday for the next two weeks.

I knew that I would eventually forget the sound of his voice. I would try to remember it and tell myself that I had it right, but deep down I would know it wasn't the same.

I tried to tell myself that I would see him again, but I knew it was a lie.

A/N: Edited.