Just Like a Movie.

Kisses, Lies and Video evidence

"Hi Alice, it's me, Tom - you remember? Tall, bearded, moderately attractive... good sense of humour? " her voicemail played as she took a shower.  The voice that launched a thousand fantasies echoing in the bathroom. "Darling, I hate to do this to you, but I'm going to have to cancel our day together - well some of it at least.  Please can I see you tonight instead though?  I'm so sorry.  Something's come up that I can't get out of.  Call me when you get this kitten. Please? Oh and I promise to come clean about the lie. It's important and I need to get it our the way. Call me love...." the beep sounded and Alice sighed, putting the gel bottle back on the little shelf.  

Was this the life she was about to enter?  Of missed dates and fleeting voicemails? Of being side-lined while the great and good spent time with the man she now wanted to be with more than she ever dreamed possible?  

Actually no, it wasn't.  She smooshed some gel onto a flannel and rubbed furiously, making herself wince but bringing her back to earth.  She wasn't his girlfriend, she wasn't his anything.  This was just... well it was just San Diego.  It wasn't one of her cheesy Hallmark films. People like Tom just didn't fall in love with random people they just met, no matter what he'd blurted out.  That was the lie, wasn't it.  He wasn't starting to fall in love with her.  Just as she wasn't starting to fall in love with him.

No, if truth was on the table, then her particular lie was she already had. What his was?  Anyone's guess.......

Tom bit his lip and cursed inwardly as his phone rang.  Of all the horrendously timings.  He'd asked her to call him and now?  Now she had? He couldn't answer.  Thankfully it was on silent, so he could carefully turn it screen down and continue as if nothing had happened.  

He smiled at the interviewer. "Sorry, distracted for a moment there.  What was the question again Josh?"

"No worries, what I - and probably the rest of the world at this point - want to know at this point is... who IS she?" he pointed to a monitor that had a still in glorious technicolour of Tom and Alice kissing the previous day.  Tom groaned and put a hand over his face, seemingly taken unawares by the sight. Josh grinned and winked. "Come on Tom, spill!"

Tom now looked at Josh, one eye screwed up and a wry smile on his face. "A gentleman never kisses and tells. You know that.  So nothing, therefore to tell."

"Nope.  Not buying it.  We need more Hiddleston.... her name at least?"

"Miss."

"Very funny! You know what I meant." Josh grinned as he looked at his long-time friend. Over the years they'd built up a close friendship on and off camera. He wouldn't press this, but he HAD to do his job.  The press conference this morning had been engineered so that this very subject could be brought up, dealt with and then?  Ignored.  Attack was the best form of defence and Josh really wanted to help defend both of them."

"Her name is Alice and that's all I have to say. That's all there IS to say Josh.  We're just having fun in San Diego." 

"So nothing serious then?" 

"No."

Josh smiled. He could tell when Tom was lying at a hundred yards and this?  This was a MONSTER.  He knew though, that was all part of the plan.  He'd been complicit in setting it up. He just nodded and changed the subject.  To the outside world, the job had been done, wagging tongues silenced for now. 

Now they could all relax.  

Well, not all of them.  Having tried to call a couple of times, with no answer, eventually Alice had given up.  Tom would contact her when he was ready.  After all, it was him that was letting her down.  No, she scolded herself, he wasn't.  He was just who he was and she had to deal with it.  Life wasn't like Forrest's box of chocolates, it was more like a box you couldn't see into but had to trust when you put your hand into it.  Sometimes you got something nice, sometimes you got burned.  You just had to wait and see, the reward was worth the risk... wasn't it?

Sitting in a small café later that afternoon, Alice idly watched re-runs of the news broadcast for the local area. After the usual traffic reports and weather reports now they were onto the local interest stories, mostly centred around Comicon. "Oh Jesus Christ!" she stared helplessly as a horrifyingly familiar image flashed up on the screen.  A couple kissing, seemingly unaware of the world around them.  In love and in a world of their own.  The caption? "New romance for the world's most romantic actor...." She gasped, her eyes wide open, her smoothie in mid-air and her heart in her mouth.

Someone at the next table did a double take at her and Kenny instantly knew it had the potential to go south very quickly. Without a second thought he grabbed her arm, "Come on let's go. Now. Before this lot put two and two...." they stood, taking their drinks and fled into the sunshine.  Walking hurriedly away to a quiet bench further down the boardwalk, they didn't speak.  Kenny's mind raced, this was a development they hadn't counted on.  Did Tom even know?

Finally, about half a mile from the nearest tv screen, they sat.  For a moment they didn't speak, just looked out over the bay, collecting their thoughts.  Alice opened her mouth to speak and then thought better of it. Kenny looked at her.

"You do know what you're letting yourself in for don't you Sis?" he wasn't being horrible, he was just worried. "The further this goes, the harder it's going to be.  You of all people should know what the fans are like. You've been one long enough!" he nudged her gently and she smiled, a blush creeping up her neck and over her cheeks.

"Don't know WHAT you mean.  No idea who the man was until the other day...." she stuck her tongue out at him and grinned. "And anyway..." Now she looked more serious,  a small chill of reality creeping into the conversation. "We're really just a 'thing', a 'moment' He's Tom Hiddleston for God's sake, he just doesn't fall in love with random people he meets.  He said so himself.  On record as saying there's no such thing as love at first sight. He wants to speak to me, do the right thing and confess. I think he's going to tell me it's over before it's begun.  I swear I won't be 'that woman' Kenny.  I won't flog a dead relationship. Even if it was never really one in the first place. I just want to see him, just once more, clear the air. Maybe we can still be friends. He may not think he can love me, but I... are you even listening Kenny?" she became aware he was watching something behind her.

Kenny didn't answer, he just nodded his head and continued to look at a point somewhere above her left shoulder.  "Alice, stop - I think there's someone that needs to hear the end of THAT sentence but it's not me." He stood, his gaze not wavering. 

"No love, he's right, he doesn't but I do." the warm velvet voice sneaked into her ear and straight to her heart.

Alice spun in her seat and let out a little sob, her hand over her mouth. 

"Tom!"