Love is So High School || A Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction

The Invitation

"God, I am so fucking old." 

Lily Everhart said with a heavy sigh, as she stared at the sleek envelope on her kitchen counter. 

The invitation, or the little envelope of doom as Lily liked to call it, had arrived earlier that morning, making space for itself on her counter among countless takeout menus and legal briefs. 

Her finger hovered over the embossed letters on the envelope, eerily spelling out the dreaded "St. Anne's Ten Year High School Reunion." 

She had known this invitation would come eventually, but holding it in her hands, staring down at it now, was a reminder of a milestone she was not ready to face. 

The reality was, once Lily had finished high school, she never looked back. After graduation, she attended Brown for undergrad then UC Berkeley for law school. She graduated at the top of her class at both of the prestigious universities, earning her high paying offers from almost every major law firm in California. By the time she was 26, Lily had been able to become one of the most successful lawyers at her firm, pay off all of her debts, and purchase her own home all by herself.

To some, it seemed like she had everything. 

For Lily, she did have everything. Except for love.

She had been so focused on her studies that she never allowed herself to put any of her attention on things that weren't important, a boyfriend being at the top of that list. 

Lily spent so long working hard and grinding to get to the top that when she could finally slow down and enjoy the view, she realized the top was pretty lonely all by herself. 

Of course, finding love was only a minor fragment of her worries now that her main concern was figuring out how the hell she was going to make it out of this reunion alive.

For a second, she contemplated not going. Skipping the reunion entirely then laughing at the pictures posted on Facebook with a box of Chinese later in the night knowing all the smiling faces hate each other. 

But Lily knew she had to go. It was just one of those things you had to do. She had to suck it up, see her old classmates, and "oooh" and "awww" at the third persons second baby. 

Lily was still holding the envelope, when all of a sudden her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of keys being thrown onto the counter in front of her. 

"So are you going to open that thing or just stare at it all night?" 

The sudden interruption didn't startle Lily, as she knew exactly who it was.  

Tom, her roommate and perpetual bachelor, was the polar opposite of Lily in many ways—carefree, spontaneous, and always ready with a sarcastic remark.

Before Lily moved to California the summer before freshman year, she was born and raised in London. There, Tom had been her best friend all throughout primary and secondary school, and was crushed when her fathers job had torn them apart and dragged her to the golden state. 

But, they proved that not even an ocean could separate the two of them, and the two stayed in touch all throughout high school and were finally able to reunite during a Christmas break their sophomore year of college. 

Now, Lily was back to living in California and lucky for her, Tom was filming a movie in Los Angeles at the same time. 

When Tom had first told Lily he would be working in California for two years, he had originally suggested they get together as often as possible, he would drive to her house after work then crash at his hotel afterwards. Lily refused and insisted that Tom simply move in with her instead, saving both of them a lot of time, stress, and money. 

Plus, Lily longed for some company from time to time, because honestly, her pet fish was not cutting it for her anymore. 

Ever since then, the two have been living as roommates and loving every second of it. Their relationship works in the way that they understand each other. Lily understands the demands of Toms job, as does Tom with Lily's job. Whenever one would come home from work irritated or in a bad mood, the other wouldn't even have to ask what the matter was and they would find a way to make it better. 

That was their simple life, and they loved it. 

Lily sighed, sliding her finger under the envelope flap and pulling out the invitation with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. "It's my high school reunion," she said, as if explaining the weight of the situation to Tom.

Those five words were enough for Tom to understand how serious it was, despite how ridiculous he may have found it.

Tom leaned over her shoulder to read the invitation. "Ah, the dreaded reunion," he remarked with mock sympathy. "And let me guess, you're dreading it because you're going alone?"

Lily bit her lip, avoiding his playful gaze. "Maybe," she admitted reluctantly. "I just... I always thought I'd have someone by now, you know? A partner to show off, to prove that I've got my life together."

Lily hated herself for feeling that way, but it was true. Even though her career has been incredibly fulfilling for her, she couldn't help but feel a longing for someone to love. And of course, scrolling through her high school friends instagrams to see one of them has given birth for the fifth time with her high school sweetheart did not help the pounding in her head. 

Tom chuckled, reaching for a beer from the fridge. "Darling, what's wrong with going alone? You're a successful lawyer, Lily. You don't need a date to prove anything."

"It's not just about proving anything," Lily countered, feeling defensive. "It's about... I don't know. Facing all those people from my past, knowing they'll judge me for being alone."

Tom took a swig of his beer, contemplating her words. "So, what are you gonna do about it?"

Lily glanced back at the invitation, her mind racing with possibilities. Then, an idea sparked. "What if... what if you came with me?" she suggested tentatively, not entirely sure where the idea came from.

Tom raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "You want me to be your fake boyfriend?"

The words hung in the air, both of them processing the idea. It sounded absurd, but strangely appealing. Lily and Tom had been friends since childhood, navigating the ups and downs of life together. They understood each other in ways that no one else did, and Tom's easy charm could certainly make him pass as her boyfriend for one night.

Oddly enough, it could be perfect. 

"I know it sounds crazy," Lily admitted, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. "But imagine it. We could have fun with it, right? And maybe... just maybe, it'll take the pressure off."

Tom grinned mischievously, setting his beer down. "Alright, lawyer lady. You've got yourself a deal. I'll be your fake boyfriend for the reunion."

Lily couldn't help but smile back at him, relieved that he was willing to play along. "Thank you, Tom. You have no idea how much this means to me."

Tom smiled warmly at her, offering a playful wink. "Just promise me one thing, Lily. No falling in love with me, alright?"

Lily laughed, shaking her head. "Trust me, that won't be a problem."