LOVE, LEIA (letters to tom) • Tom Holland au •

ELEVEN

Tom enveloped Leia in a tight hug as soon as he had walked up to her sitting at an empty booth in the diner. He hugged her tightly as he rubbed her back soothingly. Her eyes were red and puffy and Tom felt like if he let her go, she'd collapse.

"Thanks for coming, Tom. It was selfish of me to call you at this time of the night" Leia apologized, rubbing her palms together in hopes of heating them up. It was past midnight and it was absolutely freezing.

"Don't apologize, love. You can call me anytime of the day and I'll be there. Okay?" He assured her, holding her hand in his as he sat next to her.

"What happened?" He finally asked, curiosity eating him up

"I.. I honestly don't even know. It's just.. I feel like if I told you what happened I'd be the terrible person, you know? I don't want you to see Bryan or Carmen differently just because of whatever happened between us." She explained timidly. Ashamed of making Tom come to meet her and not even enlighten him of why he's there.

"You're too kind, Leia. For you to have been crying that much, I think they've done you really badly. I think it's about time to put yourself first" Leia wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed as if Tom knew exactly what to say. She found everything about him so comforting.

"Whatever it was that happened, or whoever it was about, you don't deserve to be treated like this" Leia's eyes began to water once again because of Tom's sweet words. He brushed her hair behind her ear and wiped her tears away.

Tom knew it was wrong to feel that way, but the butterflies in his stomach were undeniably wild. Leia's eyes drew him closer. It was as if he was falling.

"She doesn't deserve you, Tom." Leia smiled weakly and Tom gave her a confused look. "I know I'm going to regret saying all of this but she treats you so badly and I can't stand to see you loving someone so much even though that person doesn't love you as much as you do. It hurts me." Leia sniffled as she poured her heart out to the person she'd been so in love with.

"Leia.. I-"

"I know this sounds selfish, but I see myself with you, Tom. I hate you because I love you and you're too blind to see it." She didn't even care anymore how awful she was for admitting her love to a person who was in a relationship. Tom said it was time she put herself first. And she truly believed that.

"It hurts because I love you so much. I love how you're so selfless and you wear your heart out on your sleeve. You always see the good in people and you never judge. It hurts to love you Tom"

The waiters around the diner were probably so dumbfounded as they watched the event unfold before them, two teenagers admitting their true feelings, both an emotional wreck.

"I'm so confused, Tom. Tell me, should I smile because I'm your friend or should I cry because that's all I'll ever be?" Leia's voice had become so hoarse that only Tom was able to hear her.

Tom didn't know what to say. He was flabbergasted. He was overwhelmed. No one had ever said anything like that to him. Not even close. He'd never seen a person's love so sincere. Not even from his own girlfriend, and he knew how wrong it was to think that.

When no words seem to make it out of Tom's mouth, he finally let his heart speak.

Which is why Leia was beyond surprised when Tom leaned in and connected his lips with her own. No one ever saw this coming, not even Tom's self.

Fireworks exploded in both of their stomachs. In fact, if Tom were to be honest, even kissing his own girlfriend never felt like this.

The kiss was beyond anything Leia had ever imagined. It was sweet and full of sincerity. It wasn't rushed or forced. It was perfectly perfect.

Leia had never been kissed before, the thought of having your first kiss with the person you love and not just some funny dare made Leia's heart churn.

She knew it was wrong. All of it. But for once, she just wanted to live in the moment. She wanted to be loved.