Taming Lies (A Tom Hiddleston Story)

fourteen: fears and phobias, forever and always

Chapter Fourteen
Fears and phobias, forever and always

"Tom?"

Tom spun around with a grin, his tongue beneath his teeth. He was doing this on purpose. He wore a baseball cap and some slight, overgrown curls managed to escape from it. I placed both hands on my hips and arched my eyebrows, glaring upon Tom, "Tom, you know perfectly well that I'm not good with canoes... or water..."

Tom winked, "And that's exactly why I've called you here." He grabbed my hand and slotted his fingers into the gaps between mine, dragging both of us down to the shoreline. A small pier stretched on top of the water and an instructor appeared our of nowhere with two lifejackets. He instructed us certain rules and regulations, as all instructors do, and then dragged a canoe further onto the sand. I slipped the lifejacket over my head and buckled up.

"After you..." Tom hushed, waving his hand in front of me. I faked a curtesy before holding my breath and stepping into the boat. It rocked to-and-fro, making me squeal. Tom told me to sit down and I did as I was told, setting myself on the small seat. Tom came bounding in and sat in front of me with a cheesy grin, "You OK there?"

"Aye, aye... captain!" I saluted, although I wasn't quite sure myself. I brought my hair up into a messy ponytail and gripped my hands around the paddle. Tom dipped his paddle on one side of the canoe and I did the same on the other side. We continually rowed our way out to the middle of the lake, "We're so far away from shore..." I trembled.

Tom smirked with a small chuckle, "Is Avery afraid of a little..." He purred before splashing specks of water onto my face, "Water?"

"No!" I bit back with a reassuring smile, "I'm not afraid of water."

"Then what has gotten you so... jumpy?" Tom asked, turning the boat so it rotate the tiniest.

I chewed on my bottom lip, shaking my head with a blush, "I- Uh... Well... You're going to find it a little... stupid.

"It won't be stupid," Tom reassured, his face and complexion softening. He waited for me to reply, but I seemed to be getting lost in his eyes. They were more captive then usual, and something seemed odd about his behaviour. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, "Tell me."

"I don't like canoes..." I murmured, laughing at my own little dislike, "I watched a movie when I was younger and it was a horror. These children went camping and they went for a canoe ride and the boat flipped over. One of them drowned and it scared me for life. I had nightmares for a week straight and I couldn't shake it out of my head."

Tom grinned, "I guess everyone has little mishaps like that. Is it a fear? Because we can stop if you like-"

"No, no," I responded, smiling, "It's all good. Honestly." No way was I going to do that. Tom payed for this experience and I didn't want to act selfish. The canoe came to a rest under the shade of the maple tree, the branches and leaves tickling our skin. It was almost like the scene out of The Little Mermaid, where Sebastian the crab sings 'Kiss The Girl'.

"Do you have any phobias that I should know about before I go planning our next date?" Tom asked as a tease, shooting a toothless smile my way.

I sighed, "Well, like all girls, I despise spiders. Whatever the kind, big or small... every single one of them freak me out. Lightning and thunder is quite scary. But I have a large fear of others dying," A shaky sigh lingered from my lips as I scratched the back of my head, "I have anxiety attacks and I feel cautious. I can't even watch murder shows and all. I don't even have to know them and I just start to shake and have vivid thoughts of death. It's hard to explain."

Tom shook his head, "Do you know why the phobia came upon you? Was there any trauma in your childhood?"

"My best friend was apart of a massacre when she was fourteen," I responded.

Tom tried not to react as largely as I cam straight out to tell him the reason. He gaped for a millisecond but closed his mouth just as quick. His hand reaches over and grabbed mine, look back at me with sad eyes, "I'm so sorry. You didn't have to tell me, Avery."

"No, it's fine. I had to get it off my chest. It was hard to speak of it during my childhood and I never told anybody about it," I reassured, my lips trying their best smile, "It's sort of a feeling of relief, almost."

"Just know that you only have to tell me something if you feel comfortable with it," Tom told me, stroking his finger in circles on my hand.

"I know that, Tom," I chuckled, "It's a little thing called 'common sense'!" We shared a small laugh and I decided to move on the conversation. I didn't want to talk about such things anymore, "I need to ask you for a favour."

Tom nodded, "I'm listening, darling."

I tried not to blush as he flirted tirelessly with me. Although he said one simple word, it sent me over the moon, "William has parent teacher interviews this Friday for his last day of term, then it's school holidays," I explained, "I was wondering if you would care to come and listen and show up this teacher of his, Mrs Charles."

"That's no favour! Of course I would, I'd love to go!" Tom cried, agreeing quickly.

"Great!" I declared, "Righteo, that's sorted."

Tom removed his baseball cap and placed it on the base of the canoe inside of him, "Actually, I have a little favour for you too. I was going to ask you later on but now that we're asking..." Tom smiled, "I have a film festival I have to attend next week in London for a short film I was apart of. Did you want to spend the night in London with me?"

"A film festival?" I asked, thinking it over, "How many people can say they've been to a film festival? I'm in!" Tom shook hands with me and we decided to paddle out to the centre of the lake.

"Wait a second..." Tom hushed, peering around to see if anybody was watching us in the shade. He leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek, pressing something into my hand. I glanced down and marvelled at the necklace he had left me. It was small silver plated circle, with three words: forever & always, "It's for you."

"And it's beautiful, thank-you..." I whispered with an infinite smile on my face. My eyes met with his and I handed it back to him, "Would you do the honours?" Tom nodded without hesitation, unclasping the clips and reaching his arms around to the back of my neck. His face was centimetres from mine as he struggled with the clasp. When he was done, and before he pulled away, he kissed me. Passionately, lovely... and then I realised. It wasn't me this time.

It was the first time he has kissed me after six years of pain.

{A/N}

AHH! CLIFFHANGER!! IT CAME UP ON ME IM SORRY I HAD TO WRITE IT!

*brushws jeans and calms down* Anywhoozies, here is the fourteenth chapter. I would have uploaded it yesterday but my dad took my iPad away from me :'( *tear*

But, what did you think? I hope it wasn't too short because it feels like it was. I can't wait to write the parent teacher interviews, you're in for a funny little treat!

Comment, vote, follow! Thanks a lot! Without you guys, the idea for Taming Lies would have been scraped!