𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐞 | t. holland

5.

Tom hung up the phone and sighed.

"What now?" Harrison asked, his voice impatient and tired.

Tom's eyebrows rose. "Oh, nothing."

Harrison snorted. "It's that girl, right?"

"I—I don't know what you're talking about," Tom said, rubbing the back of his neck.

It was Harrison's turn to raise his eyebrows. "You know, you're a terrible liar."

Tom sighed again. "Alright, alright. Yes, it's that girl."

Harrison leaned back in his chair. "Is it even worth my time to try and talk you out of this?"

"What?" Tom said incredulously. "We're just talking."

"Oh please," Harrison replied. "It's obvious you like her. Why are you lying to her?"

Tom frowned and glanced away. "I just don't want her to... I don't know."

"To what?" Harrison asked.

"To... date me just because—"

The door to the trailer slammed open and both boys jumped.

"Hey nerds," said a breathtakingly beautiful girl.

"Zendaya," Tom said, clutching his chest. "You almost gave me heart failure."

"Heart failure," Zendaya said in a mocking voice. "You are so English. It's called a heart attack."

"What ever it's called, I almost had one," said Tom.

Zendaya closed the door behind her and sat herself down on the couch beside Harrison. "What's going on? I heard Harrison groan like twice."

Tom opened his mouth to speak but Harrison beat him to it.

"Tom's lying to a girl."

Zendaya's lips turned down into a frown. "Why would he do that?"

Harrison just shrugged, pulling out his phone.

"Tom?" said Zendaya.

Tom sighed. "It's not as bad as it sounds."

"Any time anyone has to say that, it means it's bad," supplied Harrison.

"Thanks, mate," Tom said.

Harrison winked, not glancing up.

Zendaya rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright, get on with it."

Tom sighed again. Then, before Harrison could interrupt him, he said, "I met a girl while I was in the states last month and I told her my name was Peter."

Zendaya waited. When Tom did not continue, she smiled uncertainly. "And she believed you?"

"She didn't seem suspicious at all," said Harrison.

Tom frowned. "I don't think she knows who I really am. I took her on a date and we've been chatting ever since. She thinks I work as a set manager."

Zendaya gave Tom an incredulous look.

"What did I say?" Harrison said smugly.

"I shouldn't have doubted you," said Zendaya.

"Oh, shut up, the pair of you," said Tom. "I have my reasons, alright?"

"Which are?" asked Zendaya and Harrison together.

Tom rubbed the back of his neck.

"Spit it out!" cried Zendaya.

"Alright, fine," said Tom. "I just want to try dating someone who likes me for me, instead of liking me for being a movie star."

Harrison scoffed, but Zendaya looked thoughtful.

"What? Oh, don't tell me you're agreeing with him?" Harrison sputtered.

Zendaya shrugged. "I'm not sure how ethical it is to lie to someone about it, but I understand the feeling of wanting someone to like you for you. It's hard to resist an opportunity like that."

Harrison rolled his eyes.

"Come on, mate," said Tom. "Just go with it, alright?"

Harrison sighed. "Fine. Odds are, I'll never see her again."

"Good," said Tom. "Because I told her your name was Hank."

"Hank?" he cried indignantly.

Zendaya laughed. "Yeah, good luck with that."

Tom didn't reply. He was smiling down at his phone.

"She just texted, didn't she," Harrison said exasperatedly.

Zendaya chuckled. "Ah, let him have his fun, Haz. I'm sure it won't go very far."

How very wrong she was.