The Girl in the Middle

The truth about Tom’s power

*Amber*

I have to admit that Tom was right and he knew very well what he did when he made my program. Even my days of relaxation is carefully planned so my muscles get the rest the need to recover from the hard work out.

Of course it has cost me pain, sweat and tears. But I make sure no one see me cry about the pain in my muscles and I quickly learned to ignore the pain in my chest when my lungs screams for air during my runs.

My program has changed along with my body. I soon got of the training machines and now I am working with the loose weights instead. Mostly Tom is here himself to help me or he makes sure that someone else is. My runs is no longer at painful experience and Tom has made sure I got the clothing and shoes I need.

One afternoon he steps into the training room just as I am getting ready to start my routine. A couple of younger girls had been cleaning and when they see him they immediately get all flustered and giggling making me roll my eyes.

"Good afternoon ladies". He say flashing them a huge smile making them blush and giggle even worse before they scurry out and he walks over to me. "Hi Amber, why the frown ?"

"You are such a .. such a..". I don't really have a word for it. Also I don't really know why it annoys me. I mean I shouldn't really care.

He is looking rather amused, raising one eyebrow at me. "I am waiting darling.. what am I ?"

"Impossible is what you are". I make a face at him and he throw his head back laughing freely.

Then he looks at me with that twinkle in his eyes. "Oh so I am impossible now, am I.. how so ? If I may ask".

I roll my eyes again, I am sure that he is more than aware of the women around him and the way he seem to affect them. Every girl here between 15 and 25 turns into a giggling mess every time he is near, the older ones are battering there eyes, trying to catch his attention and the old ones were clagging there teeth sending disapproving glances. "Like you don't know. The way all the women are swooning for you".

"Well I can't help my charms, can I now ?" He say grinning at me. That smile might very well be one of the reasons. It just seems to make the world brighter.

My eyes running over him and stopping when our eyes lock. "Yeah, I think it has more to do with those shirts".

He looks down himself, apparently he has a liking for very snug T-shirts in some material that kind of clings to him making them slightly see through at times, there isn't a woman alive between the age of 15 and 50 that won't appreciate the sight.

Today's choice is dark blue, a colour that fits him very well. He pull out at the bottom of the shirt like he is examining it, giving me a clear view of his abdomen as I am sitting down in front of him, making me bite my lip not to groan in frustration. "My shirts ?"

"Oh stop it Tom, don't play innocent with me". I slap him hard on the stomach and he jump away chuckling. "No seriously, what is all this flirting about ? I mean we all know you are handsome, but there is more to it isn't there".

He sigh and sit down across from me. "You want to know the truth ? The bare and honest truth". I nod. I want to know more about him. We have spend quite a lot of time together, but he rarely open up about himself. "Do you know what the key to my success is ? Why my gang is by far the biggest and most thriving ?"

I look expectantly at him. I have actually wondered about this several times. I mean he seem to be a great leader, but I wondered what set him apart from the others. "Actually yes".

"I never underestimates the power women holds. That is were Gerard fails. Not only does some women hold power as active members, were they are just as usable, sometimes even more than men. But even the women that are not active, the ones that takes care of the food, the children and everything else, they hold much more power than most, even themselves realises". He is biting his lip.

I am looking at him, intrigued by his point of view. "So what you saying that they women has the real power ? And you control the women, That's how you control the power ?"

"I wouldn't say control.. women shouldn't be controlled. They need to be.. worshipped and treasured". He say with a small lopsided smile. "I figured out pretty fast that I could play to my strength. I have the women here on my side, and when I have the women, I have the men. It's as easy as that. I flirt a little, keep them happy and well it makes everything run much easier".

"Oh and you are telling me you stick to flirting". I had heard some of the women gossiping about him. "Rumours say you certainly treasure women, especially the female body".

He chuckles lightly and shrug. "Well, some take a little more persuasions, what can I say, it's my duty to keep them happy".

"As I said.. you are impossible". I roll my eyes again.

He gives me one of those slow sly winks paired with a teasing smile. "But you still like me".

I can't help blushing slightly, not even knowing why. "Let's just get going with the training, we can't all rely on our charms".

Honestly I don't really know what to think. I like Tom, and I guess I get his point. I also like that he as one of the only men I have ever met see women as having just as much worth as men. He had trained Kattie when no one else would because she is a girl and made her one of the best fighters and now he is training me. But I kind of feel he is taking a bit advantage, but I guess he has to, it can't be easy keeping control of all these people, a lot of them older than him.

I watch him as I go through my routine. I have a feeling that he is putting up a facade, that he isn't as confident as he seem. But I totally get that, he has been handed at very big responsibility at a young age, if he seems weak in any way he will be ripped apart.