LONDON BOY

7. Valey Girls

Listen to this song on repeat to get in this chapter's mood:
CH7: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Charlotte Lawrence

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Back home, you open your laptop and type in his name. "Thomas Tyler, 23 years old, best known for his portrayal of Spider-Man in the latest Marvel movies." you read aloud.

You remember seeing the first movie in the cinema with Bri, after she dragged your ass down there. Under false pretences – your mind reminds you. You didn't feel like seeing another Marvel movie after you broke up with Roman. You had seen all the movies together, so when you went to see Spider-Man without him, it stung.

Before now, Chris Hemsworth as Thor had always been your favourite Avenger, but you had to admit that Bri's slight obsession with Spider-Man was justifiable. I guess Spider-Man should be my new favourite if I decide to go along with this.

When you scroll down, your eyes fall on a news item from E! News. 'Tom's new mystery girl', it headlined. Your mind spikes with curiosity, so, you click the link. The sight of a picture of you kissing him in the club, almost makes you choke on a sip of water. You don't remember your bodies being that close to each other. Sure; you remember it being one of the most passionate kisses you ever had, but seeing how steamy it looked on camera made you kind of dizzy. Your arms around his neck, and his hands tightly placed on your hips, almost made it seem like one of the pictures you'd pinned on your Pinterest board.

You continue to read, 'Who is the mystery girl Tom Tyler was spotted with in Amsterdam? Spider-Man actor Thomas Tyler was seen last night entering the W Hotel with a girl we haven't yet seen on his side before. We don't know much about her, other than the fact that she was seen snogging the superstar earlier that night at Amsterdam's most esteem club Chez. The fact that Tom was spotted with her on the steps of the W, means she probably isn't just a random hook-up, as he was only ever spotted in public before with his ex-girlfriend and co-star Emma Brown. We'll keep you updated as we unravel more about #TomsMysteryGirl.'

You stop scrolling when you see the picture of Tom with a girl you recognize from the movie. Why do I feel a sting of jealousy at the sight of the picture of them holding hands in LA? Her blonde hair looks perfectly flowy in her high ponytail. A look you'd always wanted to be able to pull off, but your frizzy curls ruled it impossible. Emma makes you think of the Barbie doll you owned when you were a little girl. She is the kind of girl that looks perfect in yoga pants and drinks special order lattes – zero fat of course.

A feeling of discomfort hits your stomach. This is what I have to compete against? – you think to yourself. You scoff, saying softly, "How is a simple girl from Amsterdam supposed to compete with Hollywood's perfect Barbie doll?" The idea made you feel so small.

You've lived in Amsterdam your entire life. Just recently, you moved in with Rose and Bri in a tiny apartment in the city centre. Before that, you had always lived with your sister and mom. After your parents' divorce when you were three years old, your dad moved back to Portugal, leaving you with nothing more than a foreign last name and his Portuguese roots flowing through your veins. Since then, it has been the three of you against the world.

Your mom had always been like your personal superhero; raising two girls on her own, while working a fulltime job. She'd always been there for both you and Esra. You never felt like you couldn't bother her with the slightest discomfort, and she never failed to give the perfect advice.

Both you and Esra moved out around the same time. Esra was three years older than you, and had been your best friend since day one. Even when you were still a baby, seeing your big sister dance around the living room, was the best form of entertainment. And as soon as you were able to stand, you'd shake your booty, while watching her perform the most amazing routines.

After finishing her university degree, she went out and explored the world. It was on her travels that she'd met Jason, and they moved in together a couple of months after she came back. Soon after, you decided to move in with Bri and Rose. You loved your mom and didn't mind living with her, but she could be such a mom sometimes.

You'd met Brianna and Rose while you were all interns for the Dutch edition of Glamour Magazine. You were interning in the marketing department, whereas Rose and Bri were both working on the Fashion & Beauty department. Soon enough, you were drawn to each other. You were often sent on coffee runs together and working the late nights, while the regular staff had already left the office. The emergency meetings in the marketing stockroom were your holy sanctuary. Whenever one of you was stressed, overwhelmed, or had exciting news or gossip to share, you'd meet in the stockroom to discuss it in detail. A ritual you continued after moving in together. When you and Roman broke up, when Rose landed her first gig styling an international artist, and when Bri's dog had died, you'd huddle up together, crammed in Rose's tiny closet.

They were also the first ones you told about starting your own company. It had been in your mind for a while, but hadn't dared to take the plunge until one year ago. Your mom had always warned you about taking big risks. She'd taught you to be independent from any man, and to always be able to take care of yourself. Not having all the money in the world growing up, you were set on getting a steady job, to ensure living a comfortable life. However, your heart was set on starting your own brand. You decided to quit your fulltime job as Glamour's marketing assistant, and started Valey Girls. Starting as an online boutique for handmade hair accessories, it quickly grew, and just three months ago, you'd opened the first physical store.

And now, when the dust of opening the store was finally starting to settle, you again found yourself caught in a risky situation. Am I actually going to do this? Am I willing to throw my comfortable life away for the adventure of a lifetime? – The last bit of your thought already made the decision for you. This was the sort of proposal you'd never again encounter.

His name had been echoing in your mind since the kiss you gave him on his cheek this morning. While every rational bone in your body was screaming you shouldn't do it, you decided to pick up your phone and looked for Tom's number.