more than i know | tom holland

Chapter One

When Tom got a call from his publicist early on a Sunday morning, he knew something was up. His first thought was that he had accidentally spoiled something from a movie again. But that was not what this was about.

"Tom. We talked about this. If you're going to date someone you need to tell me about it." She sounded like she had told Tom this about a hundred times. But he'd heard about this only once. He was confused because he didn't have a clue what she was talking about. Until he remembered the afternoon he had spent with you and that you had hugged him basically in the middle of the street for everyone to see.

"Someone saw that? It was absolutely not what it looks like. It wasn't really a date." He had no idea how he would explain what it actually was, but he didn't have to.

"That doesn't matter now. The pictures are all over the internet. And I've got a plan."

***

It had been a couple hours since you found out that the guy you spend your whole Saturday afternoon with was an international movie star. We're talking Hollywood. And you were fuming. He could've said something! But he didn't and now your pictures were popping up on more and more websites by the minute. No one had found your Instagram yet but it was only a matter of time until the follow requests would flood in. You wanted to call Tom and tell him off but you couldn't. You didn't have his number. You had to wait until he would call you. And you weren't sure if he would. You had done a little digging and found out that he hadn't really been spotted with someone in the last few years, besides his co-star Zendaya but they were apparently just friends. Your theory was that his agents, or whoever is responsible for his public image, wanted him to stay single, at least in public, so all his fans wouldn't be disappointed that he was taken. But that was just a theory. And it might have been one of 28 theories you had come up with this morning.

You were in Tesco stocking up on some comfort food when your phone finally rang. It was an unknown number. You accepted the call and before you could say anything Tom's voice reached your ear.

"I am so sorry Y/N." He sounded genuinely sorry, which made your anger dissipate a little bit.

"Tom?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it's me."

"You could've told me that you're an A list celebrity." You kept your voice low, not wanting anyone to hear. You were afraid that someone would recognise you from the photos, so you were wearing a baseball cap that you had pulled as far into your face as possible. It probably made you look suspicious.

"And how would that have worked out? 'Hi, I'm Tom. I shoot movies and walk red carpets for a living.'?"

"For example." You were standing in front of the freezers deciding which ice cream you should get when Tom called, but now you were just standing in the middle of the aisle, the ice cream was long forgotten.

"You would've thought I was a downright asshole."

"Aren't you?" The line was quiet. "Tom, I'm joking." You heard him let out a breath.

"I was scared for a second." He chuckled. "Look, it was refreshing to have a conversation with someone who didn't know I'm an actor. Who only saw me as a normal guy in a coffee shop. And I'm sorry that someone saw us and you got dragged into this whole thing."

"It's okay Tom, it's not your fault. I was just caught off guard... What happens now?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about that. But I think it'd be better to do in person. Can we meet up?"

"Uh, yeah sure. I'm out anyway. Where do you want to meet? The coffee shop?"

"If you're okay with that. I don't know if there's gonna be someone taking pictures again." Which wouldn't be a problem if you agree to Tom's – or rather Tom's publicist's– plan. But he couldn't say that.

"Oh, that's alright. I'm wearing a disguise." You glanced at your reflection in the glass panel of the freezer.

"A disguise? Like what? Those glasses with the moustache?" He laughed at the image and you joined in.

"No! Just something to hide my face, ya know? Anyway, I'll see you there in about 20 minutes?"

"Sounds good to me. See you there."

You looked at the contents of your basket after you ended the phone call and contemplated whether you should still get three bags of crisps and carry them to the coffee shop or if you should just come back later. You're sure this talk wouldn't take long so Tesco would still be open then. You put the bags back to where you got them from and left the store, walking the short distance to the coffee shop. You glanced around you, afraid that someone would snap a picture of you. But you were sure that as long as Tom wasn't next to you, you wouldn't really stand out.

The table in the back where you had sat with Tom the day before was unoccupied so you sat down waiting for him. Not long after Tom appeared in front of you, in a similar get-up to yours, black jeans, black jumper, black baseball cap. He orders his coffee at the counter and joins you a couple minutes later, a steaming mug in his hand.

"We probably look like we're about to rob a bank." You say as Tom takes a seat across from you.

Tom made a surprised face. "And here I thought I was going to surprise you with that plan." You just rolled your eyes but couldn't help but let a small smile slip on your face.

"And what is the real plan?"

"I'm not sure if you'll find this funny because let's be honest the irony." He let out a chuckle. "Or if you'll be mad." He looks at you for a moment and you signal him to go on. You were intrigued. "My publicist thinks it'd be a good idea to be seen a bit more together. Because I don't have a movie coming out in the next couple of months and I'm not doing any press either, it'd be something to keep my name in peoples minds or something like that." He rolls his eyes. "So she actually proposed the idea that we go on some more dates. Or fake dates, whatever you wanna call them."

"I'm not sure if you're being serious or if you're making fun of me." You look at him sceptically.

"I'm serious! That also means I can accompany you to your sister's wedding." He raised his brows a bit, a smirk on his face. He knew how badly you wanted to take someone to your sister's wedding. You asked a freaking stranger to join you!

"Except that instead of just lying to my family, we're lying to the whole world."

"Pretty much yeah."

You were conflicted. On the one hand, you really liked Tom and he would make a great impression on your family and you wouldn't have to deal with all the comments you would usually receive. On the other hand, this would make things so much more complicated, if the whole world knew that you were seeing Tom Holland... What were your friends going to say? You had obviously never mentioned Tom. You met him literally yesterday!

"Do I have a choice?" You didn't really. Everyone you knew had probably already seen the pictures and you didn't want to tell anyone that you didn't know him. Maybe you wanted everyone to think that someone like Tom would be interested in you. Movie star or not, Tom was a catch.

"Of course you do! I don't wanna force you to do anything that you're not comfortable with. But you wouldn't have to do anything ridiculous. You'd only have to hang out with me every once in a while." He laughed lightly shrugging his shoulders a bit before taking a sip from his mug.

"I think I can handle that."

Tom almost choked on his coffee. "You'll do it?" His eyes were wide and hopeful.

"Yeah, I mean, what've I got to lose? I can't really tell my sister that the reason I was with you was to lie to her and I really don't want to go to that wedding alone. And I like hanging out with you. Who cares who sees, right?" You shrug your shoulders and send him a small smile.