The Taming of the Shrew

You Again.

Elizabeth's POV

I rip my phone out of my suitcase and dial uncle Rob's number as soon as i get up to my room in the hotel. I cannot fucking believe this. I wipe my wet cheeks and take a deep breath. The phone rings once then his voice comes from the other line.

"Okay, so you said you would call when you land...and you didnt. So i just assumed your plane crashed." He says with a laugh into the phone. I exhale sharply.

"Im Tom's PA. Tom as in Tom Hiddleston. Do you want to fucking explain this to me or not?" I snap into the phone. Uncle Rob goes silent.

"I had no idea--"

"Cut the bullshit, Robert."

Okay, fine. I knew." He says with a sigh of defeat. I scoff in disbelief.

"Why. The fuck. Would you do this to me?" I say slowly. He lets out a nervous laugh into the phone. This is not funny. Ive spent a year trying to convince myself that i dont need Tom and that it was just a little crush and now i see him and it has fucked up all of the time i spent convincing myself. Im still in love with him and yet, i cant have him. Its been too long. Everything has changed.

"Okay. Listen, Ellie. There's this thing called shipping and all of these people pair someone with someone else and whatnot...anyway...the point is, i ship you and Tom. Hard. I've called it...Telizabom." He rambles. I pinch the bridge of my nose in annoyance.

"All of this because you ship me with Tom? Since when do you know about shipping, anyway?" I ask flatly. He lets out another nervous laugh into the phone. I dont have the patience for this.

"I've known about shipping since forever. And you should be thanking me, Ellie. You never got over Tom and now i've given you two another chance at what you had." He says confidently. I let out a sigh. His heart was in the right place but what we had is dead. And it's not coming back.

"I wont thank you because we dont need a second chance at what we had. Its long dead. I know your heart was in the right place but this is a dead end, uncle Rob. Im so sorry but 'Telizabom' is never going to be alive again. You'll just have to ship something else." I explain gently to uncle Rob. He sighs into the phone.

"You can have your belief and i'll have mine. So, do you still want the job?" He asks me. I half smile. Oh fuck, my clothes are dripping onto the floor.

"Uh...yeah. Yeah, i'll still do the job." I say, attempting to stop my clothes dripping. He chuckles into the phone.

"Good. Because the director is dying to have you on set. I gotta go, kid. Good luck." I say my goodbyes and hang up the phone. I dont know what i want. I want...i want...i want some fucking coffee. I get up and leave my hotel room, determined to find a cafe somewhere and think everything over. Im halfway down the stairs when i run back up to my room and quickly grab my old, tattered copy of Romeo and Juliet. Now, i can leave.

Tom's POV

I've been sitting on the floor for an hour before i finally decide to go out for a walk or something. I get up and grab my coat, walking out into the rain that has been reduced to a drizzling haze upon the landscape. I pop my collar and put my hands in my pockets in an attempt to get warm. There's only one place i can really think things over and luckily, its close by.

Riley's Coffeehouse.

I trudge through the rain until i get to the cafe on main street. John, the cashier, sees me and his face lights up automatically. Im kind of a regular here. I open the door, the bell tinkling as i enter into the semi-busy cafe.