Daisy chains - A Tom Hiddleston love story

A faked kiss - chapter 6

Carla's pov:

I licked my lips nervously as the most beautiful pair of blue eyes met mine in a gaze that could only be described as magical. My breathing hitched, and I blew out slowly to calm myself as I watched Tom make his way over to where I was sitting on one of the bar stools in the restaurant. This was our first meet up after mine and Jay's performance and I knew that I had to tell him how I felt about him, but even with three days to plan, I still didn't know how to do it.

"Hello champion," Tom said happily with a smile on his face, placing a hand on my shoulder quickly, before taking a seat beside me.

I tried to respond with the same tone he had but all that came out was a tiny little, "hi."

"What's wrong?" He asked, immediately picking up on my anxious expression.

"Nothing, nothing," I replied, adding a little believability into my voice, "I'm just a bit tired that's all."

Tom nodded, although I knew he could tell I wasn't telling the truth, "so, I'm so happy for you and Jay with your performance, it was legendary," he stated.

I smiled, "thanks, I'm honestly a bit shocked that we got second place out of fifteen teams."

"I wasn't," Tom answered sweetly, "you are clearly the most dedicated to your dancing."

I smiled, but it quickly dissolved as my mind was filled with thoughts of how to tell this amazing man in front of me how I felt about him without losing his friendship.

"Please excuse me, I'll be right back," Tom stated heading for the men's room.

I nodded and turned my attention to scanning the different people in the bar; there were a few couples, a few single men drinking strong alcohol probably trying to drink away their problems, and two women behind the counter fixing cocktails. One of those single men looked my way from across the bar and our eyes met for a split second, I flashed him a quick smile and averted my gaze elsewhere.

A few moments later I felt a hand on my shoulder, thinking it was Tom I sighed, "hey, I have-," I stopped talking when I saw it was the guy from across the bar.

He took his hand off my shoulder and took a seat next to me, "hello gorgeous," he drawled with a thick southern Texas accent, "your gorgeous, has anyone ever told you that?"

I tried not to blush and shrugged, for lack of a better response, looking at the mahogany coloured wooden counter.

"Are you single?" He asked.

I was about to respond when he stated, "let me get your number, please."

I shook my head, "no, I'm sorry," I answered as politely as possible.

"Come on, please, what do you have to lose?" He pressed.

"No," I stated, a little more firmly.

"Come on baby your so gorgeous, it's a waste not to be with anyone, you can be mine and I'll make you feel so special. Give your number," he urged.

"I'm really not interested," I answered.

The guy was about to respond when he looked behind my shoulder and shook his head, I turned and saw Tom, and relief flooded through me as he placed a hand on my shoulder, he would get the guy to leave.

"She won't crack dude, I don't know why," the man stated throwing his hand in the air.

Tom moved over to stand by my side, "oh, he stated, and I was certain I heard a hint of anger in his voice, which was something I'd never heard before, apart from in his movies, "this might explain a few things."

Tom then leaned down and placed a kiss on my lips. My eyes fluttered shut and immediately my stomach filled with a zillion butterflies, I couldn't belive it - I had thought he didn't feel for me! I kissed him back and it felt as though sparks were flying, all I could think about was him and me, it was if no one else existed, and I never wanted the moment to end.

Tom broke the kiss a few moments later and when I opened my eyes I saw the guy frown and leave, staggering back to his table on the other side of the bar. I turned my gaze to Tom, with a look of contentment and shock flooding my features at the same time.

Tom sat next to me and stated softly, "I'm so sorry for taking a liberty like that, he was making me angry, I figured if he saw you with someone else it would make him leave, I'm sorry."

I froze as I felt my stomach drop, knots started to form as I held back tears, he was apologising, he didn't feel for me, he only did it to get that guy away. It was if my whole world had just come crashing down around me, I couldn't tell him how I felt now, not when he had blatantly stated he didn't feel for me.

I swallowed around the lump in my throat, staring at the ground, I answered him with my voice just above a whisper, "I see."

"Carla, if I made you uncomfortable I'm so sorry, it was not my intention," Tom stated with a concerned tone.

I swallowed again, "no, no you didn't," I replied quietly, gathering up my bag and coat, "I'm sorry I have to leave."

"Please don't, I'm so sorry," Tom pleaded, grabbing my arm gently.

I shrugged him off, not meeting his eyes so he wouldn't see the tears in mine, "I have to go," I stated one last time before quickly making my way to the exit, silent tears streaming down my face as soon as I stepped out of the bar.

~~~~~

I didn't know what to do after that, I went home, and went straight to bed, and cried myself to sleep. The next day I called Jay, I didn't know who else to talk to, he was my best friend, and had always been there for me when I had had disappointing moments in my previous love life.

"Jay," I managed shakily as he answered the call.

"Carla, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Can you come over?" I squeaked, "I need to talk to you."

"Yes of course, I'll leave right now," he stated, "what happened?

I swallowed in an attempt to slow the flow of tears, "I, I love Tom, and he kissed me, but it was only to shoo away a guy who was hitting on me. And now, I don't know what to do, I was gonna tell him how I felt, and then he, I," I stopped talking as sobbing took control of my body.

"Hang on darling I'll be right there," Jay answered as the phone call ended.

I cried for a good two minutes before cleaning myself up a little, brushing my knotted hair and wiping away the mascara that had run down my face.

There was a knock on the door a few minutes later, as soon as I opened it I was wrapped in an embrace and knew it was Jay. In that moment all my defences went down and the tears I had been holding back streamed down my face as I sobbed into his shoulder. He held me for a few minutes before shutting the door and leading me to a couch.

After I had calmed down a bit, I managed to tell him how I really felt about the whole situation, "I don't know what's wrong with me," I stated softly, "Tom doesn't feel for me, yet I go weak at the knees when he says my name. I feel a million butterflies enter my stomach when our eyes meet, I feel sick yet ecstatic when I'm about to meet him. Now, I know that he doesn't feel for me, and I know Sarah is this close to taking him away from me - and I don't know what to do, Jay, I don't know what to do."

"Carla, I know it hurts," Jay said gently, "but try to remember that something good could come of moments like this. Maybe he just wasn't meant for you, maybe he is just a friend. Or maybe, this was just a test from the universe, to wait it out, that he might eventually feel for you, but you have to be prepared that he might not."

I sniffed, "I want him as a friend but I also want him to feel for me."

Jay sighed, "you might not be able to have both, but you do need to choose, if you do nothing, and leave it how you just walked out on him, and never talk about it, then you'll lose his friendship, and if you lose that, you lose any chance of ever having him feel for you the way you do for him."