I smile back and I feel my cheeks flushing; I can't help it. "Did I wake you up?"
"Nah, been awake for ages. Stupid messed up sleep schedule," he says, rolling his eyes. I knew. "I heard the lift... hoped it was you."
I smile again, I can't stop, I probably look like a massive idiot. "I came to give this back... thanks again, by the way."
"Not a problem."
We look at each other for a long moment, him taking the tshirt from my hands. His fingers brush mine and the feeling comes back: the weird tension at our contact.
"Don't move, I'm going to show you something."
He disappears into his room just long enough for me to regain the necessary control over my mind to not have a massive meltdown. I suddenly wish I'd made a bit more of an effort to make myself look presentable, because how many chances do you get to be shown 'something' by Tom Abisgold? Again, how is this happening?
After a minute, he returns with slightly more tamed hair and the famous flipflops on his feet. He grabs my hand and I'm suddenly deeply aware of how hot my hands are. "Where are we going then?"
"You'll see." Gently, he pulls me along the corridor to the top of the stairs. "Race ya," he shouts then claps a hand to his mouth. "I mean, race ya," he corrects himself in a whisper.
I'm about to burst out laughing but he grabs my arm again and pulls me down the stairs two at a time. Our footsteps echo along the stone and mingle with his muffled laugh. "Tooommmm," I whisper-shout, barely able to restrain my famous explosive giggle.
We reach the bottom with a clatter. "Shhhh!" he reminds me, putting a finger to my lips. My laughter immediately subsides and my eyes widen.
His lips are slightly parted in a gentle smile and his hair is half covering one eye. Breathing heavily, I wonder for one stupid moment if he's going to kiss me but his finger moves away from my mouth and he turns again. "Come on."
I stand still, stunned. Energy crackles between us. Shaking myself, I catch up with him. He's smiling as much as I want to. "Ok, what I am about to show you cannot leave this circle," Tom is saying. "It is secret and sacred."
"Ok," I giggle, enjoying the mystery.
"I went for a walk after tea yesterday and I found some hedge things, and I discovered... well, you'll see."
The shape of his broad shoulders are visible through his thin tshirt which is rippling gently in the morning breeze. Closing his eyes, he tilts his head up to the sky and breathes deeply. Calm happiness is written all over his (perfect) face. He opens his eyes again and we walk for a couple of minutes in silence. "Okay," he tells me, twisting round and walking backwards so he can see me. "We're here. Go through the hedge."
I blink. "Through the hedge."
"Yes, Charlotte, through the hedge," he chuckles.
Beyond the first few layers of branches there is a gap, big enough for me to fit through. I look at Tom questioningly. "Go on," he assures me.
Hesitantly I push my way through, the green leaves cool on my bare shoulders as they brush against them. I straighten up when I reach the other side, exhilarated and still disbelieving that Tom Abisgold is right behind me and showing me something sacred.
But when I look at what is in front of me, my breath is taken away.
