Tom POV
The rest of the week blurred past in a haze. I didn't have to dodge Tyler or Imogen anymore because neither of them showed up to school. I kept telling myself I didn't care—probably plotting how to toy with me, like they always did. But that lingering feeling of worry refused to fade.
Tyler? I didn't give a shit about him. But Imogen? Was she okay? Was she sick? Or something… worse? The thought gnawed at me, but the little demon on my shoulder quickly dismissed it.
"She's probably making out with him or some shit," it sneered. "Tyler's probably fucking the daylights out of her right now."
I tried to push the thought away, but it clung stubbornly to my mind, twisting and looping in my head. The more I thought about it, the more it gnawed at me.
"Face it," the demon whispered nastily, "Tyler's using her to get to you. You can't resist a pretty girl, can you?"
I clenched my fists, voice low and firm. "Of course I can."
But the demon just chuckled, voice mocking. "No, no you can't. All Tyler had to do was send a pretty girl your way, and boom—"
I cut it off with a wave of my hand, sighing. I didn't want to listen to that shit right now. Instead, I walked out of my house, heading toward the park. It was Saturday, and I refused to let them kill my mood.
I needed space. I needed to clear my head. And maybe, just maybe, I needed a break from all the bullshit. I sank down on the grass near the park lake, quiet and lost in my own head. I stared at the water, watching the ripples dance across the surface, trying to clear the chaos inside. Took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the cool air, and let it out slowly.
Pulling out my laptop, I opened it up and started watching my favorite anime—"Jujutsu Kaisen." I related a lot to Toji and Sukuna. Toji had this cool-headed, confident, and self-centered personality. He didn't give a fuck about anyone but himself. And Sukuna? That arrogance, that cruelty—he was never afraid to take what he wanted, no matter the cost.
Part of me knew I'd never be like them, no matter how much I wished I could. I'd never be that fearless or ruthless. But still, I figured—why the hell not try? Maybe it wouldn't hurt to pretend for a bit.
I hated that little part of me—the one that cared, that wanted to be loved. It made me feel weak as hell. That weakness was what gave people like Tyler the leverage they needed to break me, to push me around. And I hated that I let it. I hated that I cared enough to even think about it. But here I was, trying to drown out all that bullshit with some anime and a quiet moment, knowing full well it probably wouldn't last.
After some time, I drifted off—my mind slipping away from the chaos and into a peaceful land, where nothing mattered. I let myself go, floating in that calm, hazy space. But eventually, I woke up. The sun was already setting, casting long shadows across the park. I knew I should get moving. I packed up my shit, slung my bag over my shoulder, and turned to walk toward the pavement, mind still foggy from the nap. That's when I heard a voice call out, "Hey, Tom."
I looked up to see Imogen smiling and waving from the back seat of her dad's Bentley. She got out smoothly, walking over to me. She was dressed casually—sweatpants and a grey oversized hoodie—and honestly, she looked pretty damn cute like that. "Hey," she greeted softly, and I nodded in response, not really sure what to say. "Where you going?" she asked, her face full of curiosity, that innocent yet slightly knowing look she always had.
"Home," I replied, voice low.
She hesitated for a beat, then smiled again. "Let us drive you. My dad won't mind," she said, her tone casual but firm. I stared at her for a moment, weighing the offer. Part of me wanted to refuse—wanted to be alone. But another part, the one that was tired of walking and tired of everything, silently nodded. What the hell, maybe a ride wouldn't hurt.