The Elephant and The Boat-A Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction

Jenni and Tom have been friends since childhood. They spent every waking moment together from the ages of seven to thirteen. When Tom moves to Oxford to attend Eton College everything changes. Ten years later they meet again, will they remain friends or will their relationship turn into something more?

* * * * *

A/N: The idea for this Fanfiction developed from a Twitter conversation I had with my `stalker` Jenni Otto from a dream she had involving Tom, a boat and an elephant. I decided to create a Fanfiction on it for her. Hope I do this justice, Jen. Lots of love dear <3

The Elephant and The Boat:

Chapter 1:

“There will always be that one person you’ll never get over no matter how long it’s been”

Tom had never forgotten Jenni, just like he promised her he wouldn’t ten years ago. They had grown up together from the age of seven to thirteen.

Tom could still remember rescuing her from the school bullies who tugged at her pigtails, pushed her to the floor and called her names, when she was just seven years old. He was a few years older than her with baby blue eyes and curly blonde hair all over the place.

He didn’t understand why people bullied other people for no apparent reason. He promised himself that he would be kind to everyone he met no matter how they treated him.

He held his hand out to her. She took it and he helped her up, brushing down her clothes and stroking her long brunette hair. It was so soft.

“Thankyou” she told him shyly.

“You’re welcome” he replied.

“What’s your name?” he asked her

“Jennifer Otto. Jenni. Jenni Otto. Jen. And yours?”

“Tom. Thomas William Hiddleston. Tom Hiddleston.”

“Tom” she experimented saying his name. “Thomas” “Tommy”.

“Do you mind if I call you Thomas?” she asked. He laughed at her asking permission. No one ever called him Thomas, only his mother when he was being naughty.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. It’s just no one ever calls me Thomas unless I’m naughty.” She giggled.

“How about I call you Tommy instead then? May I?” He thought about it for a while. No one ever called him Tommy. He liked it. He was her Tommy.

“Only if you let me call you Jen” he replied.

“Deal” she told him holding out her hand. He shook it. They stood like this for a while looking at each other. She spoke first breaking their trance.

“Tommy, do you want to play with me before we have to go back to class?  She asked. Tom showed her his pearly whites and nodded. She ran from him. “Catch me” she said to him.

He went to run after her but stopped in his tracks for a moment  saying her name. Jennifer Otto.  Jenni Otto. Jen His new friend, Jen, Jenni Otto. He loved the way her name sounded on his tongue. He knew from that moment that they were going to be great friends.

They found out a few days later that they lived on the same street, just down the road from each other. Tom and Jenni`s mums, Dianna and Helen soon became great friends going round the others houses for coffee, allowing both Jenni and Tom to spend a lot of time together. They spent every waking moment together. At school, after school and going out on weekends with the others family, swimming, to the cinema and to the park and zoo.

The picture of the two of them that had been taken at the zoo just before he left to move to Oxford to attend Eton College was stood on his bedside table. Her young, beautiful eleven year old face, framed by her long brunette locks and the most big blue eyes that could see into his soul was the last thing he saw at night and the first thing he saw in the morning.

“You’ll always be on my mind, appear in my dreams and stay in my heart”. There was never a moment he didn’t think of her. She was his best friend, just like he was hers, well atleast he hoped he still was. They hadn’t spoken in ten years. He saw her tonight but she left before he could speak to her.

He kept replaying the evening over and over in his head

Tom had recently started his acting career having graduated from The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts a few years ago. He was just starting to get his big break having just finished filming his first independent film `Unrelated` with his sister, Emma directed by Joanna Hogg, in which he played rebellious teenager Oakley.

He had always wanted to be an actor, ever since going to Eton. During his first year he was going through a tough time with his parents going through a divorce so he threw himself into acting. It was something he enjoyed, an escapism for him.

* * *

He was at the after party for the film at a posh hotel in London when he saw her. She had always wanted to be a singer, just like he had always wanted to be an actor. They always used to put on shows for both their parents growing up, her singing and him doing impressions and Shakespeare monologues.

The singer on stage looked exactly like Jenni, but older. Dressed in a leopard print dress her gorgeous brunette hair cascading down to her shoulders and her blue eyes shining against the light. It had to be her, didn’t it? Could it be her? She did always want to be a singer. The only way he was going to find out was when he heard her speak and sing.

The room went quite as the familiar cords of Andy William’s Moon River came over the speakers. Their song.

“This is one of my all time favourite songs and it means a lot to me and reminds me of a very special person who changed my life completely. You know who you are so Thankyou” Tom couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face. Jen. His Jen was stood a few inches away from him, after all these years. She looked more beautiful than she did when she was just eleven years old if that was possible, of course it was. She`d grown up, just like he had.

Jenni`s mum had grown up watching Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and both the film and song had become a favourite of Jenni`s since she was little, Tom’s too by the amount of times Jenni made him watch it with her.

Moon River, wider than a mile
I'm crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way

As soon as those familiar cords and her beautiful voice filled the room he knew it was her. No one sung it like she did. Her voice was so beautiful, so powerful. She was beautiful. In that moment he knew that he had to see her afterwards. Catch up with her on all that wasted and lost time.

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

Tears began to form in her eyes as she took her first glance at Tom in ten years. His eyes still sparked that beautiful blue that she loved, his hair, still the curly blonde locks, how she missed running her hands through them. His hair was her favourite part of him, apart from his personality, ofcourse.

She continued looking no where else but at him. All those times they had sat and watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s together. The amount of times she watched it alone once he left. It wasn’t the same. Whenever they used to watch it together she used to long for the happy ever after Holly and Paul `Fred` had and used to imagine her prince charming coming to find her once she lost her cat in New York. She didn’t watch it for years after he left. She couldn’t bring herself to. He was her Fred.

(Moon River, wider than a mile)
(I'm crossin' you in style some day)
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

One night when she first started university and needed comfort she cuddled up to Ellie, the cuddly elephant he gave her and watched it, laughing at Mr Yonoshi, smiling at the scene when Holly and Fred spent the day wondering around New York and crying at the scene where she told him she was leaving, just like she had when Tom told her he was leaving. She would never find her happy ending. There was no such thing.

She finished the song and wiped away her tears wanting to make a run for it before he saw her. She didn’t want him to see her cry over how much she had missed him. Jenni put the mic back in the stand, thanked the audience for listening to her sing before walking down the stairs and out of the building and grabbing a taxi back to her halls of residence.

He tried to see her after her performance but he was too late. She made a dash for it as soon as she could. That song meant a lot to her, as much as it did to him and she knew it. It’s funny how a song can mean so much and bring back so many memories.

Jenni didn’t realise he was going to be there when she got the job or even what the event was until she arrived. He? He wasn’t a he. He was Tommy. Her Tommy. Her best friend. Well, he was hers, whether she was still his, she didn’t know.

Once back at her halls of residence, Jenni slipped off her shoes and leopard print dress and changed into her stripy pj  bottoms and sun top before putting Breakfast at Tiffany’s in the DVD player,cuddling up to Ellie the elephant and crying herself to sleep.

                                                                                                                          

Tom left about an hour later making his excuses. He really wasn’t in the mood to spend time with his cast mates. He wanted to be back with his best friend but she didn’t know where she was or where she lived or anything about her. A lot could have changed since she was eleven. He was now twenty three which meant she had just turned twenty one. A lot can happen in ten years. He needed to get to know her again, find her.

He went back to his empty flat in London, changed into a t shirt and some sweats, put Moon River on repeat on his record player and flicked through the many photos he had taken with and of her ten years ago.

A picture of them a few days after they met in his back garden, at swimming, in the park. Their last day of school with their shirts signed by fellow class mates, a picture of her feeding an elephant a banana, a picture of him with his sunglasses on reading and lastly the last picture they took together, the picture that sat on Tom’s bedside, the last picture they took of them at the zoo, smiling to the camera, despite the consequences. He missed her and at the same time he wondered if she missed him too.

Tom retired to bed a few hours later dreaming of the little seven year old girl he rescued from the school bullies all those years ago. He would find and get to know her again. How hard could it be?

Chapter 2:

A/N: Thankyou so much for the likes and messages I received about the first chapter. Hope you all continue to enjoy it. Lots of love.

It broke Jenni`s heart when her best friend left to go to Oxford. She thought her and Tom would always be together. She loved his company and spending time with him. She used to see him everyday and then she didn’t see him at all.

She missed him so much and everytime she looked at the cuddly elephant on her bed that he had given her before he left, she realised just how much she missed him. It was her most prized possession, she slept with it every night pretending and wishing she was cuddling up to Tom like she had done so many times before.

She remembered the day he gave her the elephant like it was yesterday.

It was the summer holidays. The summer after they had just left school. Jenni would be starting secondary school come September.

Jenni was in her room when the phone rang. She ran down the stairs to see who it was just like she always did. She sat on the middle step listening to her mother talking on the phone.

“Hello. Oh Dianna how lovely to hear from you. Yes we’re all good Thankyou how are you? That’s good to hear, oh he did? Tell him congratulations from all of us. He must be so happy and you so thrilled.”

What is she talking about?

Helen quietly shut the door as for Jenni not to hear the conversation. What is it mum doesn’t want me to hear? Does it involve Tom? She said he so it must do, unless it was his dad. She had to find out.

She quietly walked down the stairs and pressed her ear to the kitchen door.

“You’ve become such a great friend to me, just as Tom has to Jenni. When do you leave? Oh, so soon? Yes, you want to be there before he starts, that I can understand. Yes, I’ll tell her. She’s become so close to him. I don’t know how she’ll take it. Ok then, yes. I’ll come round and see you before you leave. Ok then, bye”

Leave? Leave? What’s going on? Leaving? Tom? He…he can’t leave me. He wouldn’t leave me. Would he?

Jenni turned the doorknob and let herself into the kitchen. “Mum, what’s going on?” Helen sighed. She really didn’t want to tell her daughter that her best friend was leaving her.

“Honey, why don’t you sit down and I’ll explain.” Jenni sat down at the kitchen table. Helen sat next to her, her hand on her daughter’s knee.

“Tom and his family are moving away.” She told Jenni an apologetic look on her face. “I’m so sorry, darling”

“Moving…moving where?” Jenni`s eyes watered with tears.

“Oxford”

“Where’s that?”

“It’s a place a few hours away from London.”

“But…but why, mummy?”

“Tom has been accepted into a top boarding school called Eton and the family are moving there so he can attend.”

Tommy…Tommy, her Tommy who she had grown up with and had seen every waking minute of the day since she was seven, she was now eleven, she had spent three years with him and he was suddenly leaving. The tears flowed down her face like a river. Her best friend.

“Tommy” she whispered.

“Darling, come here, I know this is hard to understand now but you can make new friends.”

“I don’t want new friends, I just want Tom. I love him. He’s my best friend”

She didn’t want to hear anymore. She ran out of the kitchen, out of the house and down the road to Tom’s house. She banged on the door so loud she was afraid she was going to break it, she didn’t care. She needed to see Tom.

Dianna opened the door.

“Hello Jenni, darling”

“Where…Where’s Tom” she sniffed. “I need to see Tom”

“He’s upstairs, why don’t you go on up.”

Jenni climbed the stairs two at a time and knocked on Tom’s door.

Tom was inside working on some maths homework. “Come in” he told the person at the door thinking it was his mother. The door opened and Jenni walked in, tears running down her cheeks.

“Jen, what’s the matter” he asked concern etched on his face coming over to embrace her. She hugged him back for dear life. She didn’t want to let go. She didn’t want him to leave. She wanted to say she’d go with him, she’d go anywhere with him, he couldn’t leave her. She couldn’t loose her best friend.

“Why... didn’t…you…tell… me… Tommy?” she asked between sobs.

Tell her what? As though she read his mind she continued. “That you were moving what feels like half way across the world to school. If you didn’t want to be my friend anymore you could have just said.”

How did she find out? It suddenly clicked that his mum had told her mum and she must have overheard the conversation. Sometimes his mother really annoyed him, especially when she told his business to someone else, especially Jenni. He wanted to tell her himself.

“Jen, I’m so sorry” Jenni clutched to him tighter letting her tears fall freely, wetting his t shirt. They stood like this for what felt like ages, him hugging her and letting her cry on his shoulder whispering comforting words and stroking her hair. Only Tom could soothe her by stroking her hair. He was the only one to calm her down.

He had seen her cry so many times, over silly little things, which usually involved her older brother, Ben teasing her and taking and flushing one of her Barbies down the toilet. But this time, it was different. Her crying was different; it was like a wolf howl. He hated to know he caused her to cry like this.

Once her crying had subsided he led her over to his bed letting her cuddle up to his side, continuing to stroke her hair and brush away her tears with his thumb whilst he explained.

“Jen, do you remember how we always used to put on shows for our parents each weekend? You singing with your beautiful voice and me doing impressions?” she nodded. That made her weekend, getting to spend them with Tom and do one of the things she enjoyed most, sing. She loved to sing. Tom always told her what a beautiful voice she had.

“Well, I need to go to a new school so I can maybe make a career out of doing those impressions, as an actor. But I need to go to Eton first to get somewhere with it. Those times we spent putting on those shows, they made me realise that I want to become an actor and do something with that and that’s all down to you. So, really I have you to thank. You shouldn’t be upset, Jen, I’ll still see you and I’ll call you and I can maybe come back and see you and you can come and visit me when I’m back at home. I’m not leaving you on purpose, I’d never do that. It’s just something I have to do. Do you understand?”

Jenni nodded. She did understand, a little. Although that wouldn’t replace the whole in her heart that she knew would form when he left. “When do you leave” she asked tears forming at the back of eyes that she wouldn’t let fall.

“Monday.” He told her sadly. “I start school next Monday but mum wants us there in plenty of time so we can settle into the new house” Monday? That was too soon. Monday. Today was Saturday. Two days? In two days her best friend would be leaving her to move what felt like the other side of the world, but what was really only a few hours up the road. When you’re eleven however, you don’t quite grasp that concept and two hours feels like other side of the world.

She cuddled up to him more wanting to savour this moment, not the moment where he told her he was leaving, just this. Him holding her like he always did, in his room with posters of dinosaurs and superman on the walls. The amount of time she’d been in his room. This felt different. Weird. Weird to think that in a few days time someone else would have moved in to this room, Tom’s room and this house down the road from her. the house that had pretty much become her second home of the past five years. She spent more time here than she did at her own home.  

To lighten the mood Tom suggested they go to the zoo just like they always did on the weekends and always had done. This time it was different. This time would be the last time, the last time she could go with Tom, her best friend since she was seven. Her Tommy, Her Tommy who let her spend hours by the elephant cage, just watching, staring at how beautiful they were.

 Jenni loved elephants, she always had, she didn’t know why.

Tom was the only one that would let her just stand and admire. He enjoyed watching her, the way her eyes shined, the way she smiled. Just Jenni. His Jen. His best friend.

Tom ran down the stairs and asked his mum to take them to the local zoo just like they did every weekend. She agreed and dropped them off outside the entrance and told Tom to text her when they were ready to be picked up.

They wondered round the zoo hand in hand like they had many times before. Taking in the surroundings of all the beautiful animals. Jenni never understood why they were in cages. She remembered she asked Tom why on one of there first visits. His reply: “So they don’t get out and eat you alive, like this”. He then done an impression of a tiger and chased her around the zoo until they arrived at the elephants. She immediately stopped running and just stared in awe. Tom ran into her pulling her back with his hands so she didn’t fall, placing his hands on her waist and resting his head on her shoulder, just taking in the view of both his best friend and the creatures in the cage just a few meters away from him. “Tommy, look” she whispered. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

“Yes” he whispered back. Wondering if he was really thinking about how beautiful the elephants were or how beautiful his eleven year old best friend was.

* * *

As they arrived at the elephants section Jenni`s eyes automatically lit up and a smile formed on her face.

“That’s better, there’s the smile I love.” Tom told her coming up behind her and hugging her from behind, placing his head on her shoulder. She smiled a weak smile back but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“To think this is the last time I’m going to see you and be able to come to the zoo” she sighed.

“Jen, don’t think like that. This isn’t the last time were going to see each other and why would this be the last time you come to the zoo? You can come without me you know?”

She pulled away from his embrace walking closer to the elephant cage placing her hand on the cage. An elephant got up from where it was laying and came over to where she was standing.

“Don’t even say that, Tom” she told him her voice slightly raised. “You know I won’t come here or go anywhere that reminds me of you without you. Nothing will be the same after you’ve left. You’re my life, Tom. I don’t know what I did before you came into my life and saved me. You made my life better, Tommy and to think about my life without you hurts so much” the tears threatened to fall out of Jenni`s eyes again. Tom sensed this and walked up to her hugging her from behind, placing a kiss on her cheek and stroking her hair.

Jenni turned into his embrace so her face was resting on his blue t shirt right next to his heart. She closed her eyes and breathed listening to his heartbeat to calm her down. She didn’t want to cry. She wanted to make the most of her last few days with him, enjoy the time with him before she couldn’t anymore.

They stayed like this in each others embrace just watching the elephants. The one elephant that was stood by the cage was soon joined by another big elephant and few small elephants.

Words didn’t need to be spoken anymore. Enough words had been spoken for both to understand. Enough that Jenni understood that Tom would be leaving but wasn’t doing it on purpose and enough that Tom knew that he had saved Jenni`s life.

The only words spoken between the two were the words of how much they loved one another and how much it hurt for both Tom to leave Jenni and Jenni to be left by Tom. When Tom told her he loved her he used to say it in a friendly way, just like he kissed on the cheek in a friendly way, but that last visit to the zoo, he felt like he loved her more than just a friend, especially as it hurt him so much to leave her. He wondered if she felt the same but he wouldn’t bring it up, especially not now. Things were already so complicated; he wasn’t going to make them worse.

Instead, both relished in the touch of the other and the scene that played out infront of them of the family of elephants playing in the mud.

Before they left the elephants, they took photos some photos of them aswell as a couple of each other and some together, smiling at the camera despite that everything had changed within the last few hours. Looking back at the photos they could tell that the other wasn’t happy, that it was hard for both of them to smile knowing their friendship would change, no matter how much they tried to convince themselves and the other that it wouldn’t change a thing. Their friendship had changed within the space of just a few hours. Tom’s smile didn’t reach his eyes and they didn’t shine as much as they used to the many other times they had come to the zoo. Jenni`s eyes were red and puffy from where she had cried into his chest a few hours prior. This was going to be hard on both of them, yet both covered it up so they could enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

They went to the local café and enjoyed a nice lunch of coca cola and plates of chips before going to see the lions, tigers and bears, singing the Wizard of Oz in the process, before retiring the gift shop and exit. 

A few years ago they would have spent hours in the gift shop, Jenni trying to choose out of the many elephant ornaments and Tom looking at the dinosaur toys, but now, the more times they came and as they got older they looked at different things. Jenni at the stationary and postcards and Tom at the key rings and animal bones.

Jenni bought a few postcards and an elephant keyring whilst Tom bought a lion ornament, and when Jenni wasn’t looking a cuddly elephant to give to her as a going away present.

Tom text his mum saying they we ready to be picked up whilst Jenni paid for her gifts.

It had started to rain by the time they came out of the zoo. They stood huddled in Tom’s jacket as they waited for his mum, Jenni`s arms snug around his waist and Tom’s head resting on Jenni`s forehead, each breathing in the others scent and the smell of the rain.

Dianna arrived a few minutes later picking them up and taking them back to Tom’s house. Jenni stayed for dinner with Tom’s family, his mum and dad, James and two sisters, Emma and Sarah before her mum came and knocked on the door to collect her at around eight in the evening.

She didn’t want to leave, just like he didn’t want her to leave. Neither wanted to let go. They wanted to stay like this; in their own little world, in their own bubble and relive the last five years, all those times swimming, in the park and at the zoo and the many times she forced him to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s with her. The amount of times she made him sit through it, the amount of times he moaned about it, he wouldn’t take it back. He wouldn’t take any of the time back that he spent with her. He wanted to be Peter Pan and her Wendy and fly away to Neverland and never have to grow up, but they both knew that that couldn’t happen.

They embraced in the doorway for ages until finally Helen said she had to leave. He kissed her forehead as she kissed his cheek.

“I love you, Jen”

“I love you too, Tommy”

“I’ll come and see you before I leave” she nodded giving him one last embrace breathing in his Tom scent before pulling away, giving him a small smile and walking out the door back to her house.

She went to sleep that night thinking how her life would be so different without her Tommy.

She was awoken at two am by a knock at her window. No one knocked at her window so she was reluctant to open it. She pulled her blind up all the same and was met with the face she knew so well. The face of her best friend, the boy with blonde curly hair and baby blue eyes. Her Tommy. She smiled lifting up her window.

“Tommy…what are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I need my best friend near me before everything changes, Jen.” He looked sad, like he was about to cry. Her poor Tommy. She rarely saw him cry, only once when his nan died. She knew then how much she meant to him. She nodded and he climbed in through the window pulling her into his embrace, holding onto her for dear life, as if he let go she would be gone in a poof of smoke.

“Jenni. Jen I cant do this. I can’t go. I can’t not have you in my life anymore. I made out I was fine with it because I didn’t want you to see me upset, because I knew that that would get you more upset.”

“Oh Tom. It’s okay.” In that moment he broke down, tears streaming down his face soaking the shoulder of her nightgown. Her hands automatically went to his hair running her hands through it, stroking the curly locks upon his head. She let him cry in his arms, just like he had let her do early that day. One of the hands that was stroking his hair went to his back rubbing it up and down to soothe him.

“We’ll work this out, Tommy, we will.  It won’t change anything, I promise you. You’ll always be my best friend but you need to go and see if you can fulfil your dream, you said so yourself you’re not doing this on purpose and I know your not. Please Tom, no matter how much I want you to stay and how much you want to stay you need to go and atleast give it ago. You’ll make lots of new friends who you’ll have more in common with than you do me, friends who you can play football with, who will love Superman and films like you do. We both know that you’re sick of Breakfast at Tiffany’s” She laughed trying to lighten the mood. He laughed a little too, his breathing returning to normal as he began to calm down.

He looked into her eyes trying to read what she was thinking. He knew that she was trying to reassure him as much as herself but he hoped she was right. He wanted to give it a go, he needed to see what it was like without her, but when you’ve spent every waking moment with someone for the past five years, it’s hard to let go. This was going to be hard for both of them.

She let go of him and walked over to her DVD player and pressed play. The familiar instrumental track of Moon River quietly filled the room as the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s played out on screen. The camera panned onto a quiet Fifth Avenue street, a view of a taxi and jewellery store Tiffany’s coming into view. A young women in a black dress and pearls gets out of a taxi and peers into the shop window of Tiffany’s, sipping a cup of coffee, a Danish in her hand. Audrey Hepburn.

Both Jenni and Tom’s eyes were glued to the screen. She walked over to him taking his hand walking him over to the bed.  “Watch it with me one last time?” she asked as she sat on the bed. He nodded joining her getting comfy against the cushions and headboard. She joined him cuddling into his side as the film they had grown up with and watched so many times played out on screen.

* * *

Jenni woke to a knock on her door. “Jenni, are you up darling?” her mothers voice called. “We need to go food shopping” she looked over at the TV, the film menu quietly playing Moon River and then at the body next to her. Her best friend in his blue striped pajamers snoring quietly next to her, both hands around her waist. He looked so peaceful. She really didn’t want to wake him but she knew she had too. If her mum found him in her she wouldn’t be happy and then she’d tell his mum and he’d get into trouble too. The last thing she wanted was to be grounded and not be able to see Tom before he left.

“Tommy” she whispered. “Tom. Tommy.”

“Hmm” he slowly opened his eyes getting his barings. He looked at the screen and then at Jenni and smiled.

“Morning, Jen” she smiled.

“Jenni” came her mother’s voice.

“Yeah, morning mum, I`m up, i`ll be down soon.”

“There’s a cup of tea and toast here when you want it.” “

I’ll have it in a minute I’m just getting dressed” she lied.

“Ok then, well hurry up I need to go to Morrison’s”

“Yes mum” and with that her mum was back down the stairs. Tom just looked at her trying to stifle his laughter. Jenni playful hit his shoulder.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“Because we could have got caught.  I didn’t want you getting into trouble and I didn’t particularly want to get grounded so I couldn’t see you before you left.” The mood automatically changed after that.

“We will get through this, nothing will change.” He told her. She smiled a small smile before giving him a hug. He hugged her back, kissing her forehead before getting out of bed.

“I best get going before mum wonders where I was half the night.”

“I better get ready before mum comes back up these stairs and drags me to Morrison’s” they both laughed.

“I’d rather go to Morrison’s than pack all day”

“Believe me, I’d rather you come with me than you be packing, you saying that just makes it more real.” She sighed.

“Me too, Jen, me too. I’ll come and see you tomorrow morning before I leave though okay?” she nodded hugging him once more. He hugged her back climbing out the window back to his house.

* * * * *

Once Tom had left Jenni turned off the DVD player, had a quick shower before getting ready and meeting her mum downstairs to go food shopping.

Tom spent the rest of the day helping his mum, dad and sisters pack  up the house. He also packed up his room, looking back through old things from the past few years, old school work, toys and photographs, choosing what he needed and what he didn’t need to take with him. He took down his Jurassic Park posters to find the drawings him and Jenni had drawn on the walls. The one that made him smile the most was the love heart with the initials X TH & JO FOREVER. X. He snapped a picture with his phone and sent in to her with the message:

No matter what happens you’ll always be my best friend. I love you, Jen. Your Tommy xxx

He continued to work through the rest of his stuff before going to have some lunch.

Jenni was doing some homework when she received the picture message from Tom. It made her want to smile and cry at the same time.

And you’ll always be mine. I love you, Tommy. Jen xxx

The rest of the day continued as any Sunday would. Jenni doing her homework and having dinner before watching Sunday night telly with her mum. She then went up to bed placing a DVD in the player. Not that she watched it however, he mind was preoccupied. Come tomorrow she’d be all alone again. She fell in to a restless sleep wishing she was seven years old again, wishing she could relive the past five years.

Tom’s evening was much the same than the afternoon. More packing, dinner and the cleaning of the house before watching a bit of TV and retiring to bed. Tomorrow everything would change, he was leaving the town and the street he had lived on for the past six years, leaving his best friend to move to a new town, a new city, a new school where he would have to make new friends when he had only know one life and one friend for the past five. Jenni would always be his best friend.

Monday morning came too quickly.

Today was the day everything changed for the both of them.

Tom got up and got dressed as normal. It was weird going downstairs to an empty kitchen. He thought his room was bare, it didn’t feel like his room any more, the only thing that remained was his bed and the picture of him and Jenni on his bedside, but going down to the room that used to be his kitchen it felt odd. Weird. Like he was a stranger in the house he used to call home.

His family were scattered throughout the house. All helping pack the removal van in someway or another. All accept his mother who was in the kitchen sipping on a cup of coffee.

“Morning Mum” he greeted her.

“Morning darling. How are you?” Tom thought about this for a moment. How was he? How was he? How was he really? Did his mother want the real answer of “how do you think I’m feeling, you’re taking me out of the place I grew up, away from my best friend, to a new town, to a new school. How do you think im feeling?” or did she want the false answer of “Fine. It just seems odd. I feel like I’m a stanger in my own home” answer. He settled for the latter. He didn’t want to start an argument with her especially with how stressed she was already.

“I know, Tom but Oxford will be better. You’ll go and make new friends and you’ll fulfil your dream. He didn’t want to hear this. Instead, he went back to his room, or rather his old room and pulled the cuddly elephant out of the zoo bag placing it on his bed. He went back downstairs and found a blank piece of paper and pen on the work surface.

On it he wrote the following:

This is Ellie. She loves you as much as I do. When you’re feeling lonely or missing me, then cuddle up to Ellie and it will be as though you’re hugging me.

I know how much you love elephants but this wasn’t the reason I bought her. The reason I bought her was because elephants mean Never Forget.

I’ll never forget you Jennifer Otto, Jenni Otto, Jenni. Jen. My Jen.

I love you with my whole heart, always.

Your Tom. Tom Hiddleston. Thomas William Hiddleston. Thomas. Tommy.  Your Tommy.

Xxx

He placed her back in the bag before running down the stairs and walking out the door. His mum stopped him before he got out the door.

“Tom, we leave in fifteen minutes. We’ll come and get you from Jenni`s. Don’t go inside as I know you wont come out and I don’t want trouble today, okay Thomas?”

Tom sighed. “Yes, mother”

He then continued out the door and down the road to Jenni`s house.

Helen answered the door when he arrived.

“Hello, Tom, dear”

“Hello Helen, lovely to see you again. Is Jenni in?”

“She is. She’s upstairs; would you like to come in?”

“I’d love to but mum says I can’t as she knows that if I come in I won’t come back out. He laughed a nervous laugh.

“I’ll just go and get her for you sweetie”

“Thankyou, Helen.

With that, Helen rushed up the stairs and knocked on Jenni`s door.

Jenni came down the stairs a few minutes later. As soon as she got near the bottom, she saw him, her best friend waiting outside her house. She smiled a small smile. She knew that within a few minutes everything would have changed. She walked down the stairs giving Tom a small smile and bracing herself for the goodbye.

Tom stood there in dark blue jeans, converse and a blue t shirt. His hair it’s usual blonde, beautiful curly state. As she got closer she saw his baby blues sparkle like they always did when he saw her.

She ran up to him embracing him. “Hi Tommy”

“Hello Jen”he whispered in her ear, letting her go from the embrace.

“Will you come in?” she asked.

“I...I can’t Jen. Mum knows me too well. If I come in, you know as well as she does that I won’t want to come out. She wants me to stay outside. Can you come out?” she nodded walking out the door and closing the door behind her.

“Hi”

“Hi”

“Listen… I can’t stay long. They’re coming to get me in fifteen minutes.”

“Fifteen minutes? Oh god.”

“Come here, Jen” she done as he asked and he pulled her to him enveloping her in his arms. She started to shake, tears threatening to fall.  “Shh shh, Jen, its ok. I’m here. Please don’t cry, don’t make this harder than it already is.” He stroked her hair, soothing her. “I love you, this changes nothing, I’m always here, I’ll always be your best friend” a choked sob fell from her lips. “Tommy” she cried. He rubbed her back. “Calm down, darling its ok”

“Its not though, is it, Tommy. You’re being taken away from me.”

“I know but its not goodbye, it’s just see you later. I may be a few hours away but im not going anyway. I’m on the other end of the phone and the memories we shared will always remain in here.” He pointed to his heart. He took one of her hands from round his neck and placed it over his where his heart was, interlacing his fingers with hers.

He kept saying soothing words to her until she calmed down. She squeezed his hand, he squeezed back. “I don’t want to let go, Tommy” He held her tighter. She ran her fingers up and down his neck playing with the curls there.

A car tooted coming along the road. This was is. This was goodbye. He reluctantly pulled away from her embrace as the car pulled up next to the house. Her tears fell without warning. He wiped them away before handing her the zoo gift bag. She opened it and even more tears fell from her eyes. A smile spread across her face.

She pulled Ellie out of the bag and read the note he put around her pulling Tom into another embrace with her and Ellie.

“Never Forget, I`ll never forget you Jen, ever. You’re my best friend Jennifer Otto. I love you.” He whispered in her ear. A tear escaped his eye. She wiped it away.

“I’ll never forget you either, Tommy. I love you so much.” in that moment she meant it.  Real love, I can’t live without you love. It felt different. Nice. Without thinking she pressed a kiss to his lips, just so she could know what it felt like to feel his lips against hers. He kissed her back, wanting so badly to deepen the kiss and make her his, but he knew better and that even kissing her had changed things, especially as he had lingered there for too long already. He pulled away placing a kiss on her forehead.

His mother tooted the car again. He pulled in for yet another embrace remembering what her body felt like against hers, what it felt like to touch her hair, what it felt like to be her best friend because they both knew, that in that moment everything had changed.

Helen had come out whilst they were saying their goodbyes in order to say goodbye to Dianna and the family. They were all now in the car waiting on Tom. “Come on, Tom, time to go.”

Tom reluctantly pulled out of Jenni`s embrace and went to turn and get in the car. She pulled his arm grabbing his hand. “Tommy” he turned towards her and placed a kiss to her knuckles. “Forever, Jen. I’m forever your Tommy and only yours.” She smiled. He smiled back. He then let go and got in the car, pulling down the window.

Jenni`s mum come up behind her putting her hands on her shoulders. Jenni hugged Ellie the elephant close to her chest as she watched her best friend of five years drive away.

Chapter 3:

After that day everything changed, just like they both knew it would.

He called and text her everyday like he promised he would, letting her know that he missed her and that it wasn’t the same without her. Telling her that he missed going to the zoo and cuddling up to her on the sofa and watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s with her. He told her about the friends he had made including Eddie Redymane who would later become one of his closest friends and Dominic Cooper amongst others. He insisted that no one would ever replace her and that she would always be his best friend, but deep down she knew she wasn’t. They had started to grow apart and both knew it.

The everyday texts and phone calls soon turned into once a week and then once a month and then barely at all. The only exception was when he invited her up to his new home in Oxford for the summer when he was home from school, but even then she could see how different he was and how much he and everything had changed. He looked different, older and acted different too. He told her that he had appeared in a few of the school plays and he knew that acting was his calling. He then asked about her new school and if she made any new friends. She replied saying it was quite without him and that no one could replace him. He smiled a small smile before dismissing the conversation and asking about what she wanted to after school. She told him she was looking into studying music to fulfil a career as a singer. The conversation was dropped after that and the rest of the day, the summer infact was spent with Tom talking about Eton and his new friends and Jenni helping him rehearse for his next play. Nothing about their childhood was mentioned. When she tried to mention it he stopped her and changed the subject. That hurt. It was as though those memories weren’t important to him anymore, atleast not as important as they were to her.

She used to enjoy summers with Tom, but since he’d moved away and gone to Eton it seemed he was no longer her Tommy, no longer her best friend who she spent those five years of her childhood with.

It was like she wasn’t as important as his new school, friends and acting career were anymore. It saddened her to think she had lost her best friend all because he had moved away and went to a posh private school. It saddened her even more to think that no matter how he felt about her, no matter how much he didn’t seem to care or have time for her anymore, he would still be the most important person in her life, the person who saved her, her best friend, her Tommy. It broke her heart to think she would never get over that. No matter what happened she would always be there for him.

She was just starting to think he no longer needed her and wouldn’t be part of her life anymore when the phone call came, the phone call that broke Tom completely, his mum and dad getting a divorce.

* * * * *

It was early evening in November when Jenni got the call from Tom. She was in her room writing an essay on Romeo and Juliet when the familiar notes of Moon River signalling that her phone was ringing distracted her from her inspiration to write her essay. She had always liked English but Shakespeare not so much; she just didn’t understand the language. Tom tried to explain it to her once but she still didn’t understand. Speaking of the devil, or rather thinking of the devil his picture appeared on her screen signalling the incoming call from her best friend. A picture of him taken a few years ago one summer in her back garden, sunglasses on and a goofy lopsided grin on his face. She smiled thinking about it.

She thought about not answering, especially as he hadn’t called her in ages, but no matter what happened he would always be her best friend.

She picked up the phone holding it to her ear whilst she finished writing.

“Hello?”

“Hey Jenni” he tried to sound happy, like he always did when he used to speak to her, but deep down he was hurting like hell. He felt like his heart had been shattered.

“Hi Tom” she replied. She wanted to be angry with him. Angry for not speaking to him in months but as soon as she heard his voice a small smile broke out on her face. “How are you?”

“I’m...” he thought for a moment. Don’t tell her yet, ask how she is first. “I’m great, Jen, how are you?”

“Good”

“What are you up to?”

“Just doing English homework, an essay on Romeo and Juliet. I wish you were hear, I never understood Shakespeare” the words were out of her mouth before she even realised what she was saying. Tom didn’t speak for what seemed like ages.

“Tom, you there?”

“Jen...” his voice broke as if he were crying. She knew then that something must be seriously wrong.

“Tom. Tommy, what’s the matter?”

“Oh, Jen” in that moment he broke down, shaky breathing and sobs coming from the other end of the line, from her best friend. She wished in that moment that she could be there with him, calm him down. But she couldn’t. She let him cry down the phone to her comforting him, asking what was wrong.

“Tommy. Tommy, what’s the matter? What’s happened?”

“It’s…It`s..Mum...and... Dad…Jen” he replied between sobs.

“What about them, Tom? Are they ok?” the line went silent again.

“Tom”

“They’re…getting…a…divorce” he choked.

Now it was Jenni`s turn to be silent. Divorce? Dianna and James Hiddleston? Her second family. It couldn’t be. She felt the need to cry too but she wasn’t sure why, either way she stayed strong for Tom’s sake.

“But why?”

“I...I don’t know. Apparently they had been arguing ever since I left to go back to Eton after the summer. I can’t help but think it’s my fault, Jen. I feel so guilty. I wish I had never left, left the house, left school, left you, my best friend. Jen, I miss you. I’m sorry I’ve been such a tit to you since moving away. The truth is I still need you. I love you. I miss my best friend, Jenni. I miss you. I don’t want to grow up, I’m scared. He began crying again.

“Shh, Tommy, shh its okay. I’m here. I’m always here”

“But... but you’re not, Jen. You’re not here with me. I need to see you. I need you, Jen. I need my best friend. When can I see you?”

She said that she would ask her mum if he could come and stay one weekend when he was home from school and that she would let him know tomorrow. The pair continued to talk on the phone for the rest of the evening, Jenni`s homework long forgotten, her best friend needed her, he was more important to her than her English homework, even if he shouldn’t be. He was, he was her whole world.

They talked about old times and everyday they spent together until they both fell asleep listening to the others voice and breathing. Jenni hugged Ellie so close to her that night, really wishing that she was hugging Tom, they both needed to hold the other. Tom went to sleep hugging his photo of the two of them by his bedside listening to her beautiful voice lull him into a restless sleep.

* * * * *

Dianna had rung Helen as soon as she could letting her know the news and asked if Tom could come and see Jenni for the weekend next time he was home from school, a familiar friend from home whilst she sorted everything out with James. Helen agreed saying how lovely it would be for both to see each other again. They decided on the weekend coming, the sooner the better before hanging up.

Dianna dropped him off a few days later. Jenni was at the door waiting with open arms for her best friend. Her Tommy. He ran straight into her embrace not wanting to let go. He had missed her so much. Her embrace, her beautiful face, her laugh, the way his hand fit in his. Everything.

She led him into the kitchen for a drink of orange squash and homemade cookies made by Helen before deciding that they needed fresh air rather than being cooped up on a Saturday afternoon despite the cold.

It may have been November but it didn’t stop them from going out. Both got wrapped up warm in hats, scarfs and coats, before retiring to the park along the road. It was there, on the swings, that Tom told his best friend, his Jenni, everything. She listened and nodded when appropriate and held him when he cried. He let it all out on her, all his fears, everything. He was the only one he could tell anything too without being judged.

As much as it hurt her to feel and hear the pain Tom was going through she was happy that he still trusted her enough and would still go to her if and when he needed her, atleast for now.

That night, once Helen had gone to bed, Tom snuck upstairs from his bed on the sofa into Jenni`s room. They held each other just like they used to, listening to the others heartbeat and falling asleep in each others arms.

At around 5am Tom crept out of Jenni`s room giving her a kiss on the forehead and going back downstairs to the sofa. It was nice to be back in a familiar house.

The next day was spent much as the last. The morning spent going swimming at the local pool and the afternoon spent cuddled up on the sofa watching films, Jurassic Park and Jaws and ofcourse the classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s amongst a few others.

The evening was the same as before, Tom sneaking into Jenni`s room and cuddling with her. She liked the feeling of his body against hers, she felt safe. He felt safe in her arms too. He didn’t want to be anywhere else; he wanted to stay here, in her embrace, in her bed, in her room filled with posters of her favourite films, with his best friend, his Jen.

Tom had begun to enjoy school but now he came home he didn’t want to go back. It was nice having a girl around, it was nice having Jen around. Being surrounded by boys all day soon got tiring, he longed for some normal conversation rather than the same old about which actresses were considered `fit` and all the talk of football.

Morning come too quickly. The thought of leaving her all over again, especially with everything that was happening at home. He wanted to stay here, until everything blew over, until his parents made up, he wanted to stay here, period. He didn’t want to leave her again but he knew he had to, his dad would never forgive him, especially as the main reason they had moved to Oxford in the first place was because of the new job he had been offered. Eton just seemed an appropriate school for Tom to go to with it being so near.

Jenni woke in the familiar arms of her best friend. He smiled down at her placing a strand of hair behind her air and kissing her forehead. She smiled back even though she knew today would be the same as the day he left her two months ago. She had gotten so used to being with him the past few days that the thought of him going back again not knowing when she would speak to him again broke her heart. He had only been back a few days and he was already leaving again. She wanted him to stay with her until everything got sorted, she didn’t want him going back when he didn’t feel ready.

She knew there was no point in arguing with him though, as she knew that neither his mum nor dad would be happy if he didn’t go back, especially considering how much money they were spending on his education.

“What time do you leave?”

“Mums coming to pick me up about five as I’ve got to go back to school tomorrow.” She sighed.

“I just want you to stay. Two months was enough without you.

“It doesn’t change anything, Jen”

“Don’t give me that, Tommy. You know it does, you proved that a few months ago.”

“Jen, please, lets not argue. I don’t want to spend my last few hours with you arguing.”

“Fine.”

He picked Ellie the elephant up off the floor and began tickling Jenni with her. “Tommy…Tommy stop…stop” she said between giggles.

“Why is she on the floor? I bought her for you and she ends up on the floor” he faked hurt.

“Because the real thing was here. As much as I love Ellie, I still prefer hugging you. There’s something better about hugging you than my elephant.” He smiled.

He was so close to her that he could smell her breathe on his face. If she leaned up to him their lips would be touching. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to touch his lips to hers again. He seemed to think about the kiss they shared a lot whilst he was away. Maybe it was because he missed his best friend, or maybe it was because he was starting to think of her as more than his best friend and more of a girlfriend, his wife even. He could imagine them having their own house, in the countryside where they could maybe have a little farm, with horses and pigs. Ofcourse, this was just a fantasy. They were too young to be thinking about all of that. Weren’t they?

Jenni kept her gaze on Tom. He looked lost in thought; she couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about. His lips looked so soft. She wanted to lean up and brush her lips against his. She didn’t, no matter how much she wanted to, she didn’t want to make things complicated. He needed her as a friend and nothing else. Presides they were too young to think about that sort of stuff.

He leaned in closer, just as she leant up their lips a mere few inches apart. He stroked her cheek looking into her eyes. They seemed a brighter blue than normal, just as his looked darker. They inched closer…closer…closer until there lips touched briefly in a soft kiss. A friendly kiss? Yes, a friendly kiss. Both would have gone further if they didn’t want to wreck their friendship. They were both so important to each other that they didn’t want to ruin that. I mean look at Tom’s parents. Married for thirty years and now they were suddenly getting a divorce. The friends continued to look into each others eyes.

“I love you, Jen”

“I love you too, Tommy” their lips brushed again. Firmer this time yet still soft. It felt different. New. Right. They needed to stop, they couldn’t ruin their friendship no matter how good it felt to feel the others lips on their own. They continued to kiss. Toms tongue licking along her bottom lips asking for entrance. She obliged and their tongues battled with each other. He was soon on top of her intertwining his hands with hers, kissing her with as much passion as he could muster. He needed to stop. He needed her as his friend, but he also wanted her to be his. She wasn’t stopping him either, she was enjoying the feeling of his lips on hers and her body pressed against his as much as he was, so much so that a moan escaped her lips. A quite content noise in the back of her throat. This only egged him on more and he started to grind against her.

“Tommy”

“Jen”

“Tommy… stop…we…need…to… stop” She told him punctuating each one with a kiss. Tom placed his forehead against Jenni`s kissing her there.

“I’m so sorry, Jen I got carried away.” She giggled looking down to see that he was a bit excited to say the least. He looked down at what she was laughing at and blushed bright red.

“Oh god, Jen, erm... I don’t know what to say I’m so sorry.”

Jenni couldn’t stop laughing. “Jen, it’s…it’s not funny. I’m so embarrassed” a knock on the door bought her laughing to a standstill. “Jen, are you up? Is Tom in there with you, it’s just he’s not on the sofa. He didn’t sleep in there with you, did he Jen? Because I mean it if I find out he did you’ll be in serious trouble.”

Tom looked at Jenni just as she looked at him.

“Morning mum. Yes we’re both up and yes he’s in here with me. No, he didn’t sleep in here with me last night, he came in earlier this morning and we’ve been sat talking.” He raised his eyebrow at her. She tried not to giggle. 

“There’s breakfast downstairs when you want it. Also, Dianna rang and she’s coming to pick Tom up at twelve due to James wanting the car.”

“Ok, mum” with that she was gone. They both sighed knowing that there time together was ending for a while. It was now eleven; the hour would soon role round.

Once Helen was back downstairs Tom stole one last look at Jenni before excusing himself to the loo to take care of his little problem. Jenni`s face went bright red. Now what did she do? They’ve just made their friendship awkward and the annoying thing was, she enjoyed kissing him. Was that normal? Was you meant to feel that way towards your best friend? Was it even allowed? She pushed the thought to the back of her mind. This wasn’t something to think about now, she could think about it when she was alone. She only hoped he didn’t bring it up. They’d face it again when they came to it, if they came to it. Which deep down, she hoped they did.

Tom came back in a few minutes later dressed in a pair of dark jeans, converse and a white button down shirt and black blazer over the top. His hair was less curly than normal; it seemed to have begun to calm down which he was grateful for.

He walked back into the room. Jenni was now dressed in jeans and grey jumper. He smiled at her. She smiled back. Neither bought up the conversation to what happened prior Jenni`s mum knocking on the door. They didn’t want to make it awkward. Too late for that. They brushed it aside going back to thinking as the other as just their best friend. He kissed her forehead just like always. She bought him into an embrace rubbing his back.

A car horn tooted far too soon. They’re weekend was over already and it had only been two days. He left her two months ago, came to visit her for the weekend and then was leaving again. She didn’t want to think what would happen if they gave into their feelings in the future. She didn’t know how she would cope with him being away from her filming for months on end.

This was it. His weekend with Jen was over. Now it was back to reality, back to school, back to his home which didn’t even feel like his home since his best friend wasn’t with him and his parents were divorcing. This term was going to be tough for him, he just knew it. He promised himself he was going to throw himself into his plays when he got back, he needed to escape from what would be happening at home, and indeed his feelings for Jenni. He didn’t regret kissing her, far from it; he regretted that their relationship had indeed changed. He needed to push those feelings aside and not think about her atall, not in that way, atleast not till he was back in the privacy of his own dorm.

The pair embraced at the door, him kissing her forehead and he his cheek just like they had so many times before.

As the car drove away she felt more alone and confused than ever.

Chapter 4

Everything changed completely after that. They didn’t talk for months on end. She assumed it was because he was busy with school, but deep down she knew it was because of the kiss they shared the last time he came to see her, six months ago now. He sent her the odd text here and there but that was it.

She kept herself busy with school trying not to think about him, but in the evenings as soon as she got home and saw Ellie sitting on her bed he was the only person she thought about.

Tom was no different. He too was busy with school but as soon as he got back to his dorm after classes and looked at the photo of them on his bedside he thought about it. About her. About that weekend and the kiss they shared six months ago. He hadn’t spoken to her for six whole months. His best friend, his Jen. Everyday was torture but he couldn’t face talking to her because he didn’t want to bring it up. She hadn’t tried to contact him either though. He knew he shouldn’t have kissed her. The moment their lips touched he knew, they both knew that they’re friendship had changed. The only way he thought about not having to bring it up would be if he didn’t talk to her at all, just the odd text here and there. He couldn’t bare to loose her all together, even though it felt like he already had with not talking to her everyday like he used to.

More months passed with no phone calls or texts. He promised it wouldn’t happen again, but it had. He had stopped contacting her all together and she knew it was all because of that weekend. She missed him but she couldn’t contact him without wanting so badly to bring up the conversation both knew needed to be faced. Instead no contact was made at all.

She removed Ellie from her room all together, she needed to accept that he wouldn’t be part of her life anymore, all because they mucked it up and Ellie reminded her of him too much, all the memories they shared, just him, her best friend, her Tommy and she couldn’t bare the thought of cuddling up to her anymore reminding her of Tom holding her when she knew he wouldn’t do that anymore. It upset her but she couldn’t bare it anymore.

Tom went from cuddling the photo frame that held the photo of both him and Jenni, to putting it back on his bedside, then turning it round, then having it faced down before finally giving in and talking the photo out completely, tucking it in a photo album, replacing it with a family photo, a photo of himself with his mum, dad and two sisters before everything changed.

Things still hadn’t improved; his mum and dad got a divorce. Dianna moved to London whilst James stayed in Oxford for his new job.Therfore, when Tom went home on the weekends, which wasn’t very often he went to his dads. He threw himself into acting just like he promised himself he would despite his dad’s wishes.

James didn’t seem convinced. He knew his son enjoyed doing impressions when he was growing up, but as he grew older he didn’t understand why Tom wanted to fufill a career in acting, especially when he and his mother were paying a fortune for him to have a proper education. He didn’t understand why Tom wanted to waste his life, dressing up and becoming different people when he could have a proper career, become a lawyer or a banker. James didn’t see acting as a `real career` having come from a strong, Presbyterian Scottish work class stock. This annoyed Tom but he continued anyway, he wanted to be happy and acting was one of the only things that made him happy.

Years began to pass between the two friends. They still sent birthday and Christmas cards but that was it. All those birthdays and Christmases they had spent together, with each others families, all that changed in an instant. All because of a kiss.

* * * * *

Tom continued at Eton until he was eighteen acting in a production of Journey’s End, an RC Sheriff play about World War 1 at the Edinburgh Festival. His mother had always supported his passion and love of both film and acting and took him to the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford and to see art house films at the local cinema. It wasn’t until he was in Journey’s End that his family and close friends began to take him seriously and believe that he could actually do this as a career if he wanted to.

He then went on to study classics at Pembroke College at Cambridge University graduating with a double first before getting accepted into RADA, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He longed to tell Jenni that he was getting closer to becoming an actor; he longed to talk to his best friend and fill her in on what was going on in his life aswell as finding out what she was up to. Tom missed her more than ever in that moment. He wanted her to tell him how proud she was of him. How much she missed him, how much she still cared for him. How much she still loved him.

 He still loved her, he still missed her, and there wasn’t a day he didn’t think about her, about the kiss they shared, about the feel of his lips on hers, the way she always called him Tommy. She was the only one he would let call him that. She was his Tommy. He went to pick up the phone on more than one occasion when he got accepted wanting to tell her the news, but he didn’t. Instead he wrote her numerous letters, emails and texts that never got sent.

* * * * *

Jenni finished secondary school, getting excellent grades within her GCSEs and A-Levels before getting accepted into college, where she studied Musical Theatre for two years until she was eighteen.

She was now in her final year of studying a BA Honours Degree in Vocals at The Institution of Contemporary Music Performance, singing at clubs and open mic nights trying to get her big break, whilst waitressing in a restaurant and at parties in her spare time to earn her rent.

It was whilst waitressing, there on a posh cruise ship with a boat full of famous celebrities sailing round an island just outside London where she saw him. Her Tommy, her best friend who she hadn’t seen or heard from in ten years.