Unlikely Heartbeats

Rumors and realizations

**Unlikely Heartbeats**

**Chapter 5: Rumors and Realizations**

Sophia woke up with a smile, remembering how the waiter at the restaurant had assumed she and Tom were a couple. She thought to herself, "Wait, do I like Tom?" She shook her head. "No way, that's not possible. We're just friends." But the rumors about them dating were everywhere, and they couldn't seem to escape them.

She turned to wake up Tom, who was still asleep, his face peaceful. She sat at the end of his bed and gently shook his shoulder. "Hey, Tom, check your phone. There are rumors that we're dating. It's hilarious."

Tom rubbed his eyes, reluctant to wake up as he had been dreaming about Sophia. "What?" he mumbled, reaching for his phone. As he scrolled through the messages and notifications, he saw the rumors.

Just then, Georg burst into the room, talking rapidly about the rumors. Sophia sighed. "You guys need to start knocking. What if I'm changing and one of you comes barging in?"

Georg blushed and apologized. "Sorry, Sophia. But have you seen the rumors?"

Tom, now fully awake, interrupted. "Yes, Georg, we know. Calm down. We're not dating; it's just some rumors fans started." He turned to Sophia, a teasing grin on his face. "But look at us in the photo. Don't we look cute?"

Sophia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. "Tom, if my parents found out I was secretly dating someone—which I'm not—they would kill me."

Tom moved closer, gently playing with her hair. "Hey, don't worry about it. It's just rumors."

Georg, still excited, called Gustav and Bill into the room. Gustav asked, "Are you guys okay with the rumors?"

Tom and Sophia nodded. "Yeah, we're fine," Tom said.

Bill's eyes lit up with excitement. "Guess what? A TV host invited us and Sophia to do an interview. Isn't that amazing?"

Sophia's eyes widened with delight. "My first interview!" She hugged Bill. "I'm gonna get ready."

As she hurried to the bathroom, Tom turned to the others. "Alright, everyone out. Let's give Sophia some space to prepare."

The band members left the room, leaving Tom and Sophia alone. Tom watched her with a mixture of admiration and affection as she gathered her things.

Sophia caught his gaze and smiled. "Thanks for being so supportive, Tom."

"Always, munchkin," he replied softly. As she disappeared into the bathroom, Tom couldn't help but wonder if the rumors might eventually hold some truth. But for now, he was content to be by her side, whatever that meant.

As Sophia got ready, she thought about the day ahead and the interview. Despite the swirling rumors, she felt a sense of excitement and anticipation, knowing that she was about to embark on another adventure with her best friends. And maybe, just maybe, there was a part of her that was beginning to see Tom in a new light, though she wasn't ready to admit it just yet.