Twelve Red Roses (a Tom Hiddleston fanfic)

Chapter 28- Forgiveness

Tom paces the room impatiently, holding the phone up to his ear.

"I just... I don't understand why she isn't back by now. It's almost midnight, shouldn't she be back?" He asks, after having just vented to his best friend, Chris Hemsworth. He felt as though he could get an honest opinion from him.

"Maybe she just needs space, mate," Chris tells him. Hearing his voice made Tom miss the days he and Chris were on set together. "You did move sort of quickly with her. It can be overwhelming."

Tom nods, running a hand over his face. He was starting to accept the fact that most of this was his fault. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just worried."

"I know you are, Tom. But maybe you should just give her up."

"I don't know... We're doing fairly good so far."

"I'm your friend, and I don't wish to be rude," Chris starts, "but you two weren't even a thing for twenty-four hours before she left you to be alone."

Tom shakes his head. "I'm sorry. I'm just not ready to accept that. I like Cass. I like her a lot."

"What do you like about her then?"

"I like her attitude," he answers without hesitation. "She can be the sweetest girl ever, but still has the ability to throw a sassy comment."

"And that's a good thing?" Chris jokes.

"It is," Tom confirms, suddenly growing a little defensive. He didn't even know why he was defending her. She just exploded, as if she were a grenade, and he was just an innocent citizen. Yet he would still defend her with his life. "And she really is beautiful. She just doesn't know it. She's one of those girls you do give more than one glance on the streets."

"Well if I didn't know any better, mate, I'd say you were really in love with this girl."

A smile grows on Tom's face. This isn't the first time he's called Chris to discuss woman problems. It's not the first time he's said that, either, that Tom was in love with someone. He didn't care, though. Cass was different. He had yet to figure out whether it was a good different. He just really liked this change.

But Cass, apparently, didn't. Tom didn't get much privacy in his life, though she didn't experience it fully until tonight. He knows he could have prepared her better if he knew photographers would have been there.

Tom changes the subject, asking Chris how his wife and kids are doing. He was still thinking about Cass, though. He wondered if she planned to stay out all night, and if she found a good hotel. He wondered if she'd ever return to him.

They talk for a bit before Chris says he has to go, hearing that his newest child has just woken up. Tom sends them all his blessings, and hangs up.

He keeps his phone near him all of the time, always within reach of his hands.

But Cass doesn't call. He doesn't try to call her, either, knowing she needs time to think. The worst thing he could do at this point is try to contact her. He decides to try in the morning. Heck, for all he knows, she could be fast asleep by now, whether she's in this hotel, or some other one. He knows he would hear some sort of noise within the walls, though, if she were in the room next to him.

He laid down in his bed then, thinking more about her. If she did return to him, how would things be? Would they be able to forget, and embrace, or would there be coldness towards each other? He knew he would be able to forgive her immediately. It was one of his faults, really. Forgiving far too easily. He was happy for it, in this case. He hated the thought of being angry at her. He had a soft, loving, passionate heart. And he knew she did, too.