Love, A Fan • A Tom Hardy fanfic

2:5

Stella sat in her bed, tears poured out and she hated herself for saying everything she said. She didn't mean it but it felt as if her heart was broken beyond repair. Knowing Tom was still with Charlotte hurt, knowing they still had sex was worse, but the worst of all was knowing that Tom was having sex with both of them hours apart.

Sure, she shouldn't have done anything with him when he brought her home but they had a draw to each other. They only spent a total of 6 nights in bed with each other, 7 if she counted tonight and yet it felt like they knew each other for ages.

Hugging her legs while she cried she stared at the open doorway. She was waiting for Tom to come up those stairs and try to apologize. If she was being honest with herself, she was really picturing him running up the stairs and telling her how much he loved her and then they would live happily ever after, but she knew her life wasn't a movie. Expectations of a man on a white horse was only going to lead to being disappointed, yet she waited and waited.

Her tears had dried while she stared into the darkness. Sometimes she had to shake her head to get her eyes to refocus. Looking at the glowing green numbers on her alarm clock, she concluded she had been sitting there for over an hour. Her feet planted on the deep red hardwood and she wrapped herself in a robe before slowly and quietly creeping down the steps. Again with her expectations she peeked around into the living room planning to see Tom passed out on the couch. When he wasn't there she checked the porch where she had left him.

"Tom?" Stella opened the screen door and looked around but no sign of Tom. Stepping out onto the wood planks, she peered around to the driveway but again nothing.

The only thing left of Tom was a cigarette butt on the front step, which Stella really couldn't conclude that it was his or hers from another night. She had the satisfaction of being the one who ended things but then she also was filled with doubt and regret. She went back inside and closed the door behind her, securing the deadbolt this time.

. . . .

On the ride back to the Manhattan, Tom ran through the nights events remembering the moment it all got out of hand. Tom didn't mean to sleep with Charlotte that night. All day he was waiting for Stella, counting down the minutes until he would see her again. He went to the market on the corner to get fresh strawberries, well as fresh as they could be in New York City, as well as a jar of chocolate for dipping. The thought of Stella's full lips wrapping around the red fruit was enough to make Tom more than a little eager. He wanted to drip chocolate down her stomach just so he could have the privilege of cleaning her up.

When a dainty knock rapped on his door in the late afternoon his heart skipped a beat. A quiet voice called in but Tom was already in a frenzy.

"One second," he shouted as he scurried to the fridge to grab the decorative tray of strawberries. Setting then on the counter, he lit a dark red candle with the scent of golden gardenias and cherry blossoms, one he got recommended by the snooty and firtatious saleswoman. Before opening the door he lowered the lights and unbuttoned his black shirt so his tattoos were visible, knowing Stella found them sexy. Pulling open the door, his mouth couldn't be stopped, "I've been waiting all day for you."

"For me? How did you know I was coming?" Charlotte smiled excitedly, a smile he hadn't seen in months. "Oh I put your info for the flight, so you probably got an email. Well so much for a surprise."

It was sure a surprise, Tom thought as she wheeled in her luggage to the romantic hotel suite. He locked the door and flicked in the bright overhead lights, trying to diffuse the tone he had already set.

"Oh no, I liked them off. You did this?" Charlotte turned back to her fiance, happy tears welled in her eyes. "I've missed this Tom, I know I've been so busy too but, my god I missed you."

She took 3 long steps toward him and pulled his head to hers kissing him deeply. Thoughts of Stella flood his mind and even though his heart and his dick preferred her, his heart broke at the obvious pain in Charlotte's eyes. As she took a step back, pulling her shirt over her head, Tom searched for an excuse that wouldn't turn those happy tears into sad tears. Before he knew it, it was too late. She was naked before him and playing with the fruit.

. . . . .

"Stella?" Elisa called through her bedroom door. She wasn't expecting Stella to be home so early and assumed something must have happened.

Grunting, Stella rolled onto her back. Her head felt heavy and hungover, while her heart was shattered.

"Can I come in?" Elisa asked, just in case.

"Yeah," Stella said, deflated. She pulled the blankets over her head when she heard the door open.

"What happened?" Elisa sat at the foot of the bed.

"We had a fight," she peeked out from the heavy quilt.

"Yeah?" Elisa gave her friend a hard time but it was for fun, she did not like seeing Stella upset in any way. "What happened?"

"The highlights?" Stella prepared herself to relive it. "She was there when I got there. They fucked. I got really drunk. He drove me home. We fucked. And then we screamed at each other and he left."

"Stella, it's probably for the best," Elisa knew it was. "This guy had a fiance that he cheated on 6 months ago and again this week. Plus he had two girls in one night, that is not exactly the type of guy you actually date."

"Can I tell you a secret?" Stella asked. "It's been killing me."

"Sure, of course."

"And not blab?"

"Where did I get this reputation from?" Elisa looked slightly offended, but laughed anyway.

"This is the guy I've been hooking up with," she reached for her phone and shuffled through to the photo Charlotte took of them. She turned it for Elisa to see.

"What? You met him at the grocery store?" Elisa grabbed the phone to get a better look.

"Not really," Stella smiled wide, unable to contain all the excited feelings she had when they first met. "My letter did work after all."

"How? How? You're lying," Elisa screamed.

Stella explained the story of how he texted her and they went on a pseudo date before he took her back to his house and fucked her better than she had ever been fucked. Elisa concluded she would probably do the same and worry about the fiance another time.

"And he's been texting me, like, non stop since March," she said, feeling like he probably did care for her and she may have went overboard during their argument. "Which is why I had to see him... even though now I've really ruined it."

"Stella, I doubt Tom is your soulmate. You have been infatuated with him and now you are in lust. And maybe he is too which is why he can't stop texting you," Elisa reasoned. "He may not mean it maliciously, but the fact that he's still engaged should show you the truth."

"Yeah..." Stella thought about how Elisa was right even if she really didn't want her to be.

"Seriously, you can move on from this and find someone who really wants to be with you. Who you have things in common with," Elisa gave her leg a nudge. "I know an Irish doctor who has been worried sick this past weekend."

"Worried?" Stella asked.

"He heard you went to see your 'London bloke' and he was as grumpy as can be whenever anyone mentioned you," Elisa mimicked his obvious angry face that gave him away. "He is hot and totally wants to be with you."

[Part 3 and more to come]