Masquerade, A Tom Hiddleston Story

Part 8 "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

London

T: You've seen it?
K: yes... I look fat.
T: hahaha and?
K: diet starts today apparently
T: no I meant do you mind? It's kind of an invasion of a private moment.
K: in a very public place... It's a club Tom. We kissed in a bloody club.
T: so you don't mind?
K: no.
T: for real?
K: I think I should be blaming you though. You did drag me down there.
T: against your will?
K: against my will.
T: I have witnesses.
K: apparently I have a large head.
T: I never pegged you as vain.
T: they don't know who you are. That's good.
K: nobody knows who I am Tom. And I don't think they care. But they know you. And if they do find out who I am, we kissed in a public club. I think I'm manly enough to take half the blame. But are you okay with it?
T: Lucas and my agents are out of their wits. They dont want me to be tabloid's darling. That's not what I'm all about.
K: Well then you should stop kissing girls in clubs. Shit gotta go. Meeting's about to start.
T: good luck.
K: 😗

I closed the WhatsApp application and went back to the sleazy tabloid website on explorer.

'Tom Hiddleston Kissed Local Girl in a Club"

A blurry picture of me and the back of Kate's head accompanied the article. Stupid paps can't even get their fact straight.

I stashed my phone in the zipped compartment of my jacket and start jogging. Its 6.30 Am and the streets have just started to come alive. With my hat and sunnies hardly anyone take notice of me. Just another jogger.

Benedict once told me that fame creep in on you. One day you think you are different from other celebrities who are hounded by the paps and the next day you are snapped taking the trash out.

With more work you get, the more you cease to be just another person on the street. I tried holding off that moment for as long as possible. But every dog has his day.

And the funny thing is, when you think you are being photographed, actually they are not even there. But when you feel like everything's nice and dandy, a picture of you wearing holey tracksuit bottoms grace, what seemed like, the whole world wide web.

This morning there are four of them. Waiting in front of the apartment. It's amazing that four people actually showed up to take pics of me jogging. And it's mind blowing that there are the demand for these kind of pictures.

"Tom who's that you were kissing?"

"Did you bring her back?"

"Are you engaged?"

They howled and howled.

Sam, made sure that they didn't cross the line as we entered the apartment. Pablo the doorman gave them a polite smile but shooed them away.

"Thank you Pablo my man"

"No worries Tom... Have a good day" his cheerful voice is always uplifting.

Lucas and Andy my publicist however was in a foul foul mood. They waited anxiously for my return in my apartment. At least they brought coffee.

"Tom you need to be more careful... It starts with this kinda thing and usually escalates to full blown speculations and outright lies" Andy remarked. His long fingers expertly navigating the iPad. Opening headline after headline.

"We've been building your serious actor image for a long time now. No parties, no babes... And this kinda thing doesn't go away. Now they wanna know who she is and any woman you are photographed next will be her replacement" Lucas said whilst nervously playing with the cover of the take away coffee cup.

"I thought I am a serious actor? Didn't know it was an 'image'" I joked to deaf ears.

"You are good lad Tom. Easiest client ever. You don't bed hop, you don't party... And it's not an act. But they don't know that. And a picture like this tease the idea that you might just be lucky all this time and not get caught doing the naughty" Lukas continued.