✔️ Midnight Sparks『 T.H. 』✧･ﾟ:*

Chapter 38: Perfectly

It took a million miles to find you

Stars to fly through

Spark of perfect chemistry

- Awake or Sleeping

- - -

I must have been looking out into the city lights for quite a while, lost in my own thoughts, before I became aware of Tom's gaze on me.

When I turned toward him and our eyes met, he let out a soft chuckle.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare," he said, a boyish smile spreading across his lips.

"Oh no, that's okay," I replied, shaking my head. "I spaced out for a bit there."

His smile unwavering, he uttered, "I always wonder what interesting thoughts you've got brewing."

Ha! If only you knew.

"Nothing interesting, I can assure you."

Tom tilted his head.

"What's on your mind?" I asked in return.

"I was just thinking about how it's been months since we met – but the comfortable feeling I get when I'm around you never goes away. Even with all the time and distance between us."

I looked at him in surprise. "Ditto." I plunged my hands into the pockets of my coat as the night continued to get chillier. "It's like, I have so much to fill you in, but somehow, now that we're here... I want to just, I don't know, maybe immerse myself in the moment. Words not required."

With a nod, he responded, "I know what you mean. It's funny. There was this interview I did a couple of weeks ago, and I was asked what was next for me. What other aspirations did I want to fulfill? I jokingly said world domination, but it did get me thinking. I have my ambitions and would always want to try and conquer new things, sure. But when it really came down to it, stripping everything down to the basics, I don't think I really need a lot to be contented with life. Sometimes standing still, when the moment is right – that's more than enough for me."

The tranquility around us, unfortunately, came to an abrupt end when a car below passed by with its windows down – and we could hear laughter and loud music booming from the vehicle.

"Hey I know the song," Tom spoke. "It's Robbie Williams."

"It's a different song from the one you told me about, right?"

"Yeah, that one was Eternity. This one is called She's The One. Hang on," Tom said, raising an index finger.

He placed his whisky glass on the high bar table beside us. Then he pulled out his phone and started scrolling.

"Aha!" he cried out triumphantly as he found what he was looking for. His phone's speakers began playing a song, which I presumed was She's The One.

♫ I was her, she was me ♫

"Come on, Alison Rose." Tom beamed as he left his phone on the table and leaned toward me with his left hand extended out. "Care to dance?"

"Can I say no and watch you do a solo performance?" I questioned with a grin.

"Absolutely not. I can't be humiliated alone here. You must join me," Tom insisted.

"Okay, Trevor McGeek. When you put it that way, how could I refuse?"

Tom laughed as he took my drink and relocated it to stand next to his drink on the table.

I tried my hardest to be unaffected when he gently pulled me in and our bodies began to sway in sync with each other.

I tried not to notice how our interlocked hands fitted perfectly.

And I tried not to think about how right it felt to be in his arms like this while wondering if She's The One was possibly a ten-minute long song – I didn't want this moment to end.

"You know," Tom murmured, his breath tickling my cheek, "The first time we met here – I have never been more glad to be interrupted by anyone."

"You seemed so lost in thought, I just felt like I was being utterly intrusive," I murmured back.

Robbie Williams crooned on.

♫ We were young

We were wrong

We were fine all along ♫

Tom shook his head. "My mind was in such a mess that night. I didn't know what to do, and at one point, I was looking up to the sky, asking for a sign... And then you showed up. Just like magic."

"The whole thing did feel pretty magical," I admitted. "I couldn't believe how much I felt in just one brief encounter with someone. The whole night replayed in my mind for days after that. I thought I was imagining all the –"

"Sparks?" Tom chimed in, chuckling. "I felt them too, Ali."

I laughed in equal parts of disbelief and relief.

Tom continued, "So when you asked me to move on – when we were outside of your hotel room in London – I promised you that I would, but honestly I didn't know how to. And I still don't. I mean, how does a person move on from the person who gave them the most magical times? Again and again?"

My breath caught in my throat. "I –"

Tom's fingers squeezed mine. "You wanted to know if I had moved on from Nadia. Well, turns out that wasn't really the issue... It was more of how I had not moved on from you. And Nadia realized it, even before I did. Which was why she asked for the break up. She knew I couldn't devote 100% to the relationship."

I gazed at him in wonder as it all sank in.

Tom elaborated, "We were holidaying in Rome and she brought it up over dinner. She was being so nice and understanding about it. We cut short our holiday and flew back the next day."

♫ If there's somebody calling me on

She's the one ♫

"It's always been you, Ali," Tom continued, his voice husky and heavy with emotion, "You're the one. And if you don't feel the same, or if you have someone in your life right now... That's okay. I'll be fine. But I don't want to be with anyone else – because I know now that it's pointless."

Tom stopped our dance, but didn't let go of me. "Ali? Say something please?"

I looked at him, my heart pounding.

What could I say, really? Perhaps words were not what I needed. Perhaps...

Before I had the chance to think twice, I stood on my tiptoes.

I wrapped my arms around Tom's neck and gently brought my lips to meet his.

I could feel Tom smiling as he kissed me back, his hands resting on my waist and pulling me close.

♫ I was her, she was me

We were one

We were free

If there's somebody calling me on

She's the one ♫

Right here, right now. Just us.

Everything felt right. The night had come alive, enveloping us with a thousand midnight sparks.

And as I gazed sweetly into those twinkling brown eyes, I knew that I was finally and truly home.