The Rumour Mill - Completed

35. Truth

LIBBY'S POV

We finally pulled into the university car park and I glanced over at Tom and the now empty lunch box on his lap.

"You feeling any better?" I asked nodding towards the huge vacant container on his knees.

"Yes thanks, I didn't realise I was so hungry." He replied slightly abashed.

"I'm glad you had it, I'll know where to come next time she feeds the five thousand." I smiled, for once grateful my mum was such a fuss pot. "Well we're back!" I announced, getting out of the car.

"Yeah home sweet home" he said, I could almost hear the relief in his voice.

I opened the boot and wrestled with the first of the two heavy boxes my mum had packed full of food for me as Tom got himself slowly out of the car.

"Here let me help you with that" he offered taking the box off me, the second he felt the weight of it his face drained with colour and the shudder of pain coursing through his body made me instantly grab it back off him just before he collapsed to the floor.

"Oh shit Tom are you alright?" I cried in a frightened panic as I threw the box back into the boot of the car and crouched down to cradle his head in my lap, lifting it from the floor. From what I could see he hadn't banged it, there were no new cuts or bruises, for that I was grateful.

It took him a while to come round and remember where he was. "What happened?" He asked looking up at my in a daze.

"You passed out, you took the box off me and passed out" I confirmed, still cradling his head in my lap.

"Oh right, I don't remember" he frowned, "But it was worth it, waking up to the loving care of nurse McKenzie" he joked, trying his best to smile through his cracked and bloody lips.

"Don't you ever give up?" I sighed exasperatedly as I lightly slapped his chest in disapproval.

"Aarrggggh" the painful moan escaped his throat the second my hand touched him, I immediately felt guilty.

"Oh God Tom, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you" there was again panic in my voice.

"It's ok" he said dismissively, "Can you help me up please?" he began struggling to get his legs under him so he could stand, I helped him into a sitting position and then very slowly pulled him to his feet.

"Let me see" I ordered and without waiting for his permission I had yanked his jumper up to reveal his torso.

I had thought his face looked bad but I was not expecting his injuries to be so obvious and colourful. There were at least a dozen large oval welts, too big for fists, so I guessed he'd been kicked.

"Geez Libby I know you find me irresistible but don't you think you should wait until we are in my room before you start undressing me." He joked as he tried to pull his clothes down and cover the mass of red and purple hues covering his chest.

"Your room, good idea" I replied, only half listening to what he had said. I could see him wiggle his eyebrows as my brain finally took in what he'd said.

"With the state you're in, you couldn't manage it even if I offered you a pity shag." I frowned as we began the slow walk back to his room.

By the time we made it to his door he was exhausted, and what little energy he had was now spent. All colour had vanished from his face, even his lips had turned a pale blue shade, obviously the pain was getting too much for him. After wrestling the keys out of his jeans pocket and enduring a tirade of inappropriate sexual innuendos he collapsed on the bed. I removed his shoes as gently as I could and placed the duvet over him.