Lost Lovers | Tom Holland

Chapter II: La La Land

Chapter II: La La Land

"How to know if your prose is purple." - TheWritingPractice.com

"Sophie, aren't you gonna eat something?" Sam asked as Sophie looked for her keys in the living room.

"Nah... I'll just take something at work."

"But you don't start until eight." Sam said suspiciously. "I've never seen you so excited, so committed..." He said, as if in thought. He leaned on the doorframe to the kitchen with a yellow spatula in his hand.

"It's a fantastic opportunity... " Sophie said after a while. "I don't wanna mess it up by being too late."

"Right..." Sam said with his hands up as if in surrender. "Tell Tom I said 'hi', would you?" He said casually and turned back to the kitchen.

"I don't really see him that much." Sophie protested.

"But if you do." Sam laughed, amused at her defensiveness, and Sophie left.

Work had been stressful. The work was stressful. But staying concentrated while Tom was there was excruciating. Every time they spoke it felt like there was something that needed to be said, yet they didn't. Two weeks had gone by since Sophie got the job and she and Tom had that strange moment in his trailer. Eventually, they were interrupted by Jac who wanted Tom back for the next scene. But things like that, losing track of time and space, drowning in the unspoken draft between them, seemed to happen every other day and it was tiring, at least when there was no clarity. Sophie had started to think she had imagined everything. Every day it was the same, when they saw each other their faces lit up, when they spoke she felt like he understood her in everything. She never felt awkward around him, they had the same humour and could discuss and help each other with their work. But that was it.

"Good morning, sunshine." Tom yelled behind Sophie while running to catch up with her outside catering. He was wearing a blue cap and Ray-Bans.

"Quoting Hair are we? That kind of morning, I see. I respect that." Sophie teased while chugging the last of her cold cardboard-coffee.

"Well, I am a musical-kid, after all..." Tom laughed. "You're a bit late today, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I couldn't find my keys and your brother had to inquire about..." She paused. "Stuff... He's really annoying. He hasn't left the apartment for weeks. And I don't wanna know when he last washed his bathrobe." The thought made Sophie frown in disgust as they walked into catering, which was nearly empty.

"Maybe we should force him to go on a trip. Something to get his mind off Emily?" Tom said while he bit into an apple. "He does have friends besides you right?" He smiled.

"Sure... I guess I could call... Josh" Sophie sighed and Tom looked at her, intrigued.

"Why?" Tom laughed but listened intently.

"Why what?"

"You sighed when you said that. Like, 'I guess I could call Josh'" Tom imitated and slumped his shoulders excessively while sighing. "What's wrong with Sam's friends?"

"They're mostly idiots. Chad or Brad or whatever they're called, studying until they reach the time-limit of education, which is a thing apparently. Then they go to work for their daddys' companies. Besides, it's pack behaviour whenever I see them and they're nothing like Sam, I've never understood it." Sophie said but realised how cynical she sounded and grew silent. "But I can call Josh. He's not like that." She said while filling a basic white porcelain mug with dull, tepid black coffee.