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Thomas needed some help. In math. That was quite understandable. That thing was a nightmare. And being the perfect you were, in fact; being the crazy person you were. You accepted to help him in math. He had to pass a small diploma to attest that he completed his school cursus successfully.

With X-Factor, he took some lack in math. Even before, it wasn't the best but now it was worse.
He came in, one night in your room, quite late actually. He begged you to stay up with him and help him.
That's pretty much became an occurrence for you both, staying up until late to work his math while the rest of the group was sleeping.

And tonight was no exception.

"I just don't understand !" He whined, resting his head on the table. You brushed his hair out of his face. It was currently three am and he swore to you that he wouldn't go to sleep without understanding what equations were.
Ha had trouble with them so you had to review the basics. "Come on Tommy, that's the most simple. What's x + 1= 0 ?" You pushed a little.

Maybe it was because he was tired, or he frustrated with math. But suddenly, he got up, making the chair fall behind him, you jumped in surprise. You looked up at his face, he was all red with anger. "And you can see that it isn't going through my skull ! I don't know what's wrong with you, but I'm sick of you humiliating me. I perfectly know that it's a very simple equation. But that doesn't give you the right to throw it to my face." He shouted, and you were almost sure now that the whole house was awake. "I know Tommy, and I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm sorry." He scoffed and walked away.
As he exited the room, he bumped into Ethan's shoulder who came in after. "Everyone alright ?" He quietly asked. You rubbed your temples, knowing it was bound to happen. He had to snap one moment or another.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Sorry that we woke you up..." he took a sit next to you. "I wasn't sleeping anyway. But are you truly fine ? I know how it gets when people yell at you." He was right about that. But you couldn't be the victim, if Thomas were to learn it, he would be furious. He had the right to be angry and people care for him. Just as you were about to answer, Damiano and Vic came in, in their pyjamas. "Are you okay ? We heard some shouting." Damiano spoke. "I'm fine, I'm more worried about Tommy. He has been on edge for the last few days. I guess he just needed to snap once and all." You quietly explained. "Vic, can I sleep in your room ? I don't want to pressure him." The blonde quickly nodded. "Of course. He probably needs some time to cool off." You smiled and bid your goodnights to the boys before leaving with Victoria.

You were cleaning your afce in her bathroom as she was sitting on the bed. "Do you think he's gonna be alright ?" She said to you as you approached her. You smiled softly at her kind question. "Of course... we have a date tomorrow..." "That's right ! He never cancelled a date with you. Even when he was angry !" You nodded and she was right. He never stood you up once even at how frustrated he could be. You went to sleep, with the hopes that everything would turn out fine.

The next morning, he was the last to join breakfast. You were aware of the fact that he didn't like to talk when he just woke up, especially if he went to sleep angry. So you just handed him a cup of coffee. He didn't even bother casting a glance at you, he avoided you and went to make his own coffee and went to drink it and smoke outside. You kept your smile even if you felt dejected. He just needed some time. "Ahia... He must be furious..." Ethan commented and you sighed in defeat. "He just needs time, he'll come around eventually." You didn't take notice of the group casting glances at eachother.

The whole entire day, he avoided you, swerving every attempt you made at talking or even standing next to him. It broke your heart a little but you could understand that his ego was a little crushed. The evening came and Vic had decided to help you to find an outfit for the date. You were planning on going to your usual place. The tradition is to go there individually and meet each other there, like a first date. Vic dressed you in a beautiful cream dress, making you hair fluffier, with a small bag to go with it. You took your heels in your hand and went down the stairs. Damiano whistled at the sight. "Mamma mia." you chuckled and twirled. "You look wonderful y/n." Ethan's compliments always made you feel special, but Thomas' were the best because he always said the first genuine thing going through his mind. "Duh, I dressed her up !" Vic's voice resonnated through the stairs and she finally appeared.

You looked around. "If you're looking for Thomas, he's in his room probably changing." Ethan winked and Vic turned to you excitedly. "It's time for you to go before he sees you." "But-" the three of them started to push you out of the house. "Now off you go principessa." You could hear the smile in Damiano's voice. You laughed and kissed their cheeks after slipping on your heels. A Uber was already waiting for you. "Passare una bella serata !" Vic mused as the three of them waved. You waved back and got into the car, going to the usual place.

You were sat at your usual table, wainting for Thomas to come on. It was a busy night at the restaurant but it was still enjoyable because the staff knew you. Though, you hated to be alone with so many people around. But you were waiting, for him. Refusing every waiter as long as he wasn't seated in front of you. You waited and waited. You were playing nervously with your napkin, casting nervous glances around you, when a waitress you knew walked up to you. "Miss, would you like something to drink ? You've been in this hot place for quite a while now." You looked down at your watch, and you had indeed been waiting for over an hour now. You sighed and gave in, asking for a glass of wine.

You didn't even took a sip as you stared at the main door, waiting for the man you loved to go through it. That one hour turned into two, then then three. The waitress came up to you for what felt like the thousand time, asking if you were sure you wanted nothing to eat.

You saw in her eyes that she knew, and part of you knew too. Thomas wasn't coming anytime soon. Even with how angry he was, he never ever missed a date. He never stood you up because he knew you had social anxiety. But you had waited for three hours, it was now time to go... You felt like every eyes were on you, like the weight of the world was all coming back to you. It was suffocating.

You couldn't let yourself fall apart in front of so many people. So you kept your head high, paid for the wine and walked out. If you called a Uber and with the traffic, he could take at least an hour. So you started to walk in the cold, after thirty minutes, you dialed Vic's number.

"Hello ?" Her voice spoke through the device after three rings. She was perfectly awake luckily. "Vic, is Thomas around you at the moment ?" Your voice slightly wavering with the overwhelming emotions. "No, I'm with the guys, he left a while ago. I thought you had a date ?" You could hear the worry in her voice and that simple detail managed to break you down. You started to cry. "Vic, it was so embarrassing..." you sobbed. She moved on the other hand and you understood you must have been on speaker because Damiano's voice was the next to speak. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Y/n, what's wrong ?" You continued to cry on the side walk, people looking at you making you even more anxious as you walked alone.

"Y/n, calm down. Can you tell me where you are ?" She said softly, knowing you were in a state of slight panick. You nodded, forgetting she couldn't see you. You gave her the address and after ten minutes and sitting on the side walk, you heard a car roaring. You looked up and saw Vic and Damiano getting out of it. They took your shaking from, both supporting you by holding your forearms. You got in the backseat with Vic as she rubbed your shoulders. The tears had subsided, you were staring blankly out of the window. As soon as you got back home, you went to your room. You spaced out, not noticing that you showered and got into pyjamas. It only hit you when you cuddled the pillow, laying in the cold bed. You started to sob, crying uncontrollably. You didn't deserve that, never had Thomas hurt you that much. You heard the main door slam, followed by some arguing.

"What the hell is wrong with you ?!" Damiano shouted at him, pushing him. "Thomas, you left her in the streets of Rome, alone, in a panicked state." Vic's voice resonnated through the corridors. "Do you even consider how dangerous it could've gotten !" It was Ethan's turn. Thomas was tired and too stubborn to listen. "Hey stop." Damiano grabbed his shoulder and the yound man pushed him away, mumbling a 'Let go.' "No, I won't let go. What if something happened to her tonight, huh ? What if she got into an accident and we all learned about it too late just because of some stupid ego ? What if we all didn't get to save her or say goodbye properly-" "Damiano stop." Ethan begged as he saw Thomas' face fall. "No, I won't stop. I want to know. Would you have lived with yourself if something bad happened to her ?! TELL ME !" Thomas started to walk out but stopped in his track when Damiano scoffed and mumbled. "You're an excuse of a boyfriend."

You heard some movements, some screams, they were fighting. But you didn't even have the force to get up and go help. No, tears were keeping you paralyzed. After a little, you felt the bed dip behind you, arms circling around your waist. Your shirt felt wet and you realized he was crying on your shoulder, begging you to forgive him. You didn't answer, feeling empty and dull. You fell asleep that way...

The next morning, you got up before him, taking all of the stuff that you had here and going back to your apparemment. You left a small note under Vic's door.

You spent the next week avoiding his calls, hiding to the back on the shop you worked at when you spotted him going in. Your colleagues were covering you and his friends were angry at him. Eventually they forgave him and saw how miserable he was without you.

It was now the seventh night you spent without him. And you heard some rocks hitting the window of your room. You opened it to discover him, guitar in his hand down bellow. Next to him, a sign with : 'My girlfriend is actually a solution ... of equation x+1=0' You were about to close the window when he started to play 'One last time' by Ariana Grande. It was you guys song and you simply loved it. You got back closer to the window, listening to what he was playing.
After the song ended he turned back to you. "Amore, I'm so sorry. I got caught up in my own ego, forgetting that the only problem I should solve is my way to solve us. Ti amo con tutto il cuore. So please, one last time, I need you to be the x to my equation." You rolled your eyes at his miserable pun but it didn't take more for you to go down and open him.

You threw yourself in his arms and kissed him. He kissed back. "How ?" "The guys helped me." You brushed your thumb over the fading bruise he had on the cheek, probably from the fight he had with Damiano. "Does it hurt ?" He shook his head. "No more, but I deserved it." "Thomas..." he sighed. "I'm so sorry I was such a jerk. I can never forgive myself. I'm going to make it up to you. How about a date at home ?" You smiled. "Only if don't put pasta on fire." And he pinched your sides. You were happy to be the x he was looking for in his life equation.

Hope you enjoyed! See ya tomorrow!

XOXO