✔ | CHASING CARS | T. HIDDLESTON

Chasing Cars (10)

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chapter ten

birthday present

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" I was awakened by this noise in the middle of the night, I screamed at the top of my lungs, of course I wasn't expecting that.

"MY GOD! WHAT THE..." I covered myself with the sheets, Tom was there, in my flat and with a video camera in his hand, "What are you doing at these hours? How did you get in here?" I growled and felt when he sat beside me.

"Answer to question number one: I am wishing you a happy birthday, darling."

"But, Tom!" I sat up and grabbed my alarm clock, "It's two in the morning!" He smiled, still recording everything.

"Yes, two in the morning, twenty seven years ago, a brunette with green eyes was born." He got it right, my eyes are green, not blue like Miles told me when we met, I've got two theories, or he was colour blind or just a jerk, probably the second one, "Look what you did to your mother! You kept her awake until two in the bloody morning!"

"How do you know that?"

"You told me. Now, the answer to question number two: You still have the bad, bad habit of leaving the spare key on top of the door frame."

"Oh." I was half asleep, "It's good to see you." I said, cuddling the pillow and then realising that he was really there, "Oh my God, you said you'd be here until New Year's Eve!" I hugged him, "You're back!"

"I lied, actually, I was packing my stuff when I called you. I wanted to surprise you, and I did." He hugged me tighter, "Happy birthday Oaks, and I hope you get older." I chuckled, "Thanks for being my friend, all these years."

"Aww, you don't have to thank me for that." He broke the hug and grabbed my hand, the hand with the bracelet on it.

"You have had this thing for almost a century-"

"Don't call it thing." He took my bracelet in his hands.

"Okay, you have had this bracelet, for almost a century and I thought it was time for a change." Tom pulled out a small box, he opened it and pulled out a new bracelet, "This is for you, happy birthday. And, were gonna take this little guy over here and were gonna put it in the new bracelet." He grabbed the charm from the old bracelet and put it in the new one, "As this is not a cereal box bracelet, this is gonna last for ages."

"Oh gosh, Tom. This is so nice of you!" I touched the bracelet with my fingertips.

"It's a silver bracelet." He said smiling.

"Aw, Tom, this is too much-"

"No, it's all fine."

"But you should've spent a lot of-" I hated when he interrupted me, but it always made me smile anyway.

"That's why I've got a job. To earn money and spend it as I want. I wanted to give you a nice birthday present Oaks, you deserve even more. You're a great person." I opened my mouth to say something, but he covered it with his hand, "Now, go back to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow." I smiled.

"Oh, really?"

"Oh, yeah." He kissed me on the cheek, "Bye Oaks, see you tomorrow." He stood up and walked out of my bedroom, I heard the main door closing. I smiled to myself and caressed the bracelet with my thumb.

"Nicole, he's only your friend. You can't fall in love with him." I rolled on my side and closed my eyes. I had to stop myself. Suddenly, I couldn't remember when was the last time I saw him only as a friend, probably, I had always felt something else for him. The next day we went to the park and chatted while sitting under a three. I loved to spend the time with him. He was the only one I had left. My dad left my mum when I was in college and I never forgave him, then mum was diagnosed, she barely remembers who I am. I never had siblings. But Tom was always there, he was the only person who was always there, no matter what.

"Why do people kiss in public? That's gross." I said looking at the couple sitting in the distance.

"Yes, that's gross. Don't do it with Miles." Tom said. I had to tell him.

"We're not together anymore." He stared at me frowning.

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yep, pretty serious." I smiled.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I'm so sorry-" I interrupted him. Actually, I didn't cry like a lot for Miles, and the very few tears I shed for him, were mostly for all the time I wasted on him.

"Nah, it's okay. I'm happy now that I'm single, well, with Miles was always like being single. He wasn't the romantic kind of guy, he almost never invited me for dinner, neither for a freaking coffee." And Tom was right, he had no right to yell at me.

"Oh, if you're happy, that's okay." He smiled.

"Hey, you've got leaves in your hair, a lot of leaves, told you not to lay down on the grass." I said, ruffling his curls to get rid of the leaves "Done."

"Thanks. What time is it?" He asked rhetorically and looked at his watch, "It's twenty past three. Do you think we could visit your mum now?" I gave him a small smile.

"Sure, why not?"

"Alright, let's go to my flat and get in the car." And we did, we headed to my old house. I called Jennie, the caregiver, and told her that we were in our way.

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Hi, thank you so much for reading! Leave your comments, it's always nice to read them :) thanks again!

Love, Liz.