All Roses Must Wilt (a Tom Hiddleston fanfic)

Chapter 3- Kate Young

"Aw, you met up with Tom and you didn't tell me?" Kate whines lightly.

I snort lightly. "I wouldn't say we 'met up,' I just went to his house to wish him good luck in the states, but he didn't end up going," I explain.

"Yeah, that's just like meeting up. Kinda. Not really. Still."

Kate and I sat in the kitchen of her home, chatting about none other than our friend Tom. I suddenly remembered about Tom's text, and I pull out my phone, sending him a quick reply.

I'm here. I'll tell her you said hi -R

"Tom says hi."

Kate raises an eyebrow. "You're talking to him now?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am," I say.

"You don't sound too enthused about it," she observes.

"Am I supposed to be?"

"Well yeah, it's Tom!"

I frown, wondering what she's getting at. "Yeah, I know who it is." My phone buzzes again and I pull it out.

Thanks darling. You wanna tell me about Summer, now that neither of us is too busy? -T

Well if you weren't busy, why didn't you come to see Kate with me? -_- She misses you. -R

"What, you're saying you don't like him?" Kate asks.

"Of course I like him, he's been my friend for years now."

"No, I mean 'like' like, genius."

I furrow my brows, confused. Like like? Like, 'like' like? "Why would I like him like that, you weirdo?"

My phone buzzes. I hadn't even bothered to put it in my pocket. I knew he'd text me back soon.

I figured you two wanted a girls day, I'm sorry. Next time I get the chance, I'll come. -T

Yeah, you'd better. -R

"Oh, come one, Rose, don't tell me you don't think he's attractive!" Kate insists.

Tom? Attractive...? Our Tom? Attractive? Now that I think about it, he must have all of those fangirls for a reason, right? I picture him in my head, but I can't find myself truly attracted in him.

"Here, I'll show you," Kate says, pulling out her phone. She brings up a picture of her and Tom. I must not have been there with them. "Okay, for one, just look at those cheekbones. And two, look how bright his eyes are! Plus those curly locks of his, you gotta love those." Kate went on and on about things she liked about him, and it was almost as if I wasn't even looking at a picture of Tom, but of some one else. Someone I did find attractive. Toms eyes have never seemed so blue and beautiful, nor his smile so sweet.

Is this what it feels like to realize your best friend is really hot? Because I'm sort of creeped out here. I snap out of my thoughts when I get a new text.

Hey, be a bit nicer to me, Rose:) People who are generally happy and nice throughout the day are more successful and live longer.
-T

Well in that case, you'll live to be three hundred. -R

I frown when I realize how blunt, sarcastic, and harsh I am to him. And that's how I've always been. It's just how I am. Why is such a nice gentleman like him friends with me? It makes no sense.

"So... Do you like him?" I ask Kate.

She smiles, twirling a strand of her straight, blonde hair. "I think he's cute, but I totally ship him and someone else."