The Love Abroad

Chapter Six

I slept like a baby.

Once I hit that bed and closed my eyes, any hopes of dreaming totally crept out the window.

After my wake-up routine I head to the kitchen to find something to eat. As I get closer I hear two voices coming from there and I pause by step.

Kris is talking to someone. There's someone here! I can't make out the other voice because whoever it is, they're talking softly.

I take a deep breath and walk in to find Kris talking to a well-dressed Tom.

Tom is in my kitchen. At 10 o’clock in the morning. Looking like he just stepped off the red carpet.

And here I am, wearing spandex running shorts & an oversized t-shirt with some insane bed hair.

This is seduction at its best, people.

"Good morning!" They both say in unison with Kris breaking into laughter. "Here, have some breakfast. I was in the neighborhood & thought I'd stop by. Hope that's okay?" Tom hands me a breakfast sandwich from the street vendor by our flat.

"Okay. Thanks. Ummm.... Kris, can I speak with you for a moment?" She shuffles in the common room. "I'm sorry, sorry, sorry! I had no idea he was coming over until he knocked on the door!" 

I just look at her. "Talk to me! You were going to see him today anyway, right? So why not see him all day, what was I suppose to do? Tell him to leave when he had a bag of food in his hand?"

She had a point but I didn't want to agree with it. 

"So, when are you going to get dressed? I figured we could make this date an all day affair?" Tom eavesdropped on our conversation. I turn to him forcing a smile. "Give me 20 minutes."

I sound brash, maybe even a little bitchy but I just woke up. Give a girl a break. I slip on the blue dress and grab the leather jacket and finish my outfit with some old black converse high-tops. "Okay, let's go."

Tom looks at me, head to toe, smiling. I wrap my arm into his and we head outside. "You don't mind walking do you? It's a beautiful day out." I look up to him, gazing into his eyes that seem to have changed to a blue-green color. 

"I love walking," I profess. "I have a question for you Tom." 

"Okay. Ask away." 

I look down at my feet. I can feel my face turn red and my forehead getting warm. "What is this? This situation. You come over to my flat early in the morning after spending a hefty amount of time with me last night. What's your motive?"

I was expecting him to say that he just wanted to get laid or something so I wasn't entirely prepared for what he was about to say.

"Because I fancy you." I can feel him looking down at me, his arm tightening around mine. "There's something about you that I want to discover. You interest me, your intelligence, passion, your dreams."

Tom Hiddleston fancies me. This is good, right? I mean, because I totally fancy him.

"So, you want to discover me? I'm sorry but that sounds a little bit creepy." I laugh a little at how ridiculous I'm sounding. 

"Ehehe, sorry. I meant to say that I want to know more. That did come off a bit creepy, yeah? Now I feel like a tit." I look at him puzzled.

"A tit? Stop looking at my tits!" I scream sarcastically making Tom's face turn 50 shades of red. "Stop it you." He nudges me making me lose my balance a bit. "Okay, we're here. The first part of our date."

I look up to see the London Eye above me as my knees begin shaking. "We're going...on that? Uhh.... seriously?"

Though I've said I've wanted to se London from the top of the Eye, I never thought I'd actually have to. I have a fear of heights. Tom senses my nervousness, "Something wrong? Are you.... afraid?" The tone of his voice makes me think he's mocking me a bit.

"No....yes. I sort of have a fear...of heights." He removes his arm from mine and grabs my hand instead. 

"I won't let anything happen to you. I promise with everything I have."

His voice and words flow through my ears, comforting me. "If you do, you'll never get your chance to play detective." We get in line and wait for the next empty chair on the giant wheel. My heart is pounding and my breathing is getting heavy.

Finally a chair becomes available and Tom guides me to the far right of the chair. We buckle ourselves in, my hand still tangled in Tom's. 

Once we reach the highest point of the ride, my anxiety disappears. It's not to bad, really. It's actually kind of beautiful. All of London is beneath us. The river Thames looking dark and muddy like the rivers back home. For once, the sun is shining with no clouds in sight.

"Marie?" I feel Tom's whisper cross my left cheek. "Yeah?" I was distracted by my view that I wasn't 100% coherent. "I really like you, I think." 

You think? How can one think they like someone? You either do or don't. It's as simple as that.

"Tom, I'm not ready for this. You're a fantastic guy, I love being around you and actually having a conversation with you. I think for now, we'd be best as friends." 

I felt like I just punched myself in the face. Did I really just say that, out loud? 

           Dear Mr. Hiddleston, you are being denied the chance to be in a relationship with someone you actually might like because they're ignorant and stupid. 

             Sincerely, Life. 

"I understand. Whew! Well, at least now this whole awkwardness can vanish. Friends are good; I'd love to be your friend. To be quite honest, it's rather refreshing. I don't think I have the stamina to be a proper boyfriend."

So we're friends. We. Are. Friends.

This is okay, really, it is. To develop a solid friendship means that eventually, possibly, something more powerful could happen. I'm not saying that I'll be in a relationship with Tom or that I'm going to fall madly in love with him but we will be friends.

Like Shakespeare once said in Henry VI, "Thy friendship makes us fresh." 

Here's to hoping our friendship keeps us 'fresh' and sane. 

Or so to speak.