Unlikely Heartbeats

Morning Reflections

**Unlikely Heartbeats**

**Chapter 3: Morning Reflections**

Sophia woke up to the soft light filtering through the curtains. She stretched, glancing over at Tom, who was already awake and looking at her with concern.

"Hey," she said softly, her voice still tinged with sleep. "About last night... Thank you for calming me down. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Tom smiled, though the tiredness was evident in his eyes. "Anytime, munchkin. I'm just glad I could help."

Sophia sat up, her eyes still searching his face. "Do you want to join me for breakfast downstairs?"

Tom hesitated, his exhaustion clear, but he nodded. "Yeah, sure. Let's go."

They got dressed quickly and headed downstairs, finding Bill and Gustav already at a table, chatting animatedly over their breakfast.

"Morning," Tom greeted them, sliding into a seat. "Where's Georg?"

Gustav grinned. "Still sleeping. Must've been a rough night."

Bill looked up from his coffee. "How did you guys sleep?"

Tom and Sophia exchanged a glance, deciding to keep last night's events to themselves. "Slept well," Tom said casually, and Sophia nodded in agreement.

Sophia then asked, "So, what's the plan for today?"

Bill leaned back in his chair. "Not much. Today is just a day off. Next week, we start rehearsals for the tour."

Tom perked up. "How about we go out for dinner later?"

Everyone agreed, and just then, Georg stumbled downstairs, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry for sleeping in, guys. What did I miss?"

"Not much," they all replied in unison, and Georg chuckled as he joined them, grabbing a plate of food.

After breakfast, they headed back to their rooms to get ready for the day. Sophia took a long shower, the hot water soothing her tense muscles. She carefully did her makeup, making sure everything was perfect. Meanwhile, Tom took his shower in the other bathroom.

"Tom," Sophia called out, standing in front of the mirror. "What should I wear?"

Tom stepped out, towel around his waist, thinking for a moment. "How about that mini skirt with the tank top and those black boots? And maybe the silver bracelet."

Sophia hesitated, then pulled the outfit together. As she stood in front of him, Tom couldn't help but admire her. "You look amazing," he said softly.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Bill poked his head in. "Hey, do you guys want to go to the mall?"

Sophia and Tom agreed. "Are Georg and Gustav coming?" Tom asked.

Bill shook his head. "No, they didn't want to go. Just us."

They arrived at the mall, and the paparazzi swarmed them immediately. Sophia found herself being pushed around, but Tom stepped in, pushing the paparazzi back to create room for her. Bill was shouting at them to back off.

Finally, they made it to the Dior store. Bill decided to buy a white jacket, trying it on with a pleased grin. Tom turned to Sophia. "Do you want to buy something?"

Sophia shook her head. "It's not really in my budget."

Later, Tom secretly bought her a Dior purse, planning to give it to her in private. After they finished shopping, they decided to head back to the hotel. In the car, Bill sat between Tom and Sophia, nudging Tom and whispering about her, making Tom blush slightly.

Back at the hotel, they each went their separate ways. Tom watched Sophia walk away, clutching the secret gift, and wondered how he would find the right moment to give it to her.