Tom Holland/ Peter Parker Imagines

Exquisite// Tom

I stared at the closed doors for only a moment before two workers dressed in matching suits opened them for me. My chest tightened as I took in a deep breath. With the one step I took the click of my heels was the only thing I was able to hear. The heat that erupted over my cheeks was so hot my make-up should have been starting to run already. My gown flowed around my legs and across the floor gracefully as I started to walk into the ballroom.

Make it to the staircase. First step: Make it to the staircase.

There was a constant battle in my head; do I show my fear and look down at the ground or swallow it and keep my head high? Everyone was staring at me, their eyes and minds judging my looks and appearance. I don't belong, and they know it.

My left hand that was holding up some of my gown tightened as I stood for a moment at the top of the stairs. There wasn't a railing to hold onto, I was going to trip and tumble down these stairs and make more of a fool of myself then I already am. I don't belong.

Next step: Walk down the stairs.

I held my breath as I placed my foot on the first step. Don't think, just walk down. Don't rush, it's okay to take your time. I'm overthinking. Am I going too slow? Am I not taking my time? With each step, I could feel the mask on my face move in a random direction. With each step, I could see the reactions of the people more and more closely.

Some were whispering to the person next to them. Some looked like they were in a trace. Some just rolled their eyes, crossed their arms, and turned away. Some of the men slowly blinked and would wet their lips with each step I took. Some women would look around and try and piece together who was here and who wasn't. Some children would tug on their mother's gowns or father's blazers and point up at me.

I tried to keep a cool and collected expression on my face, but on the inside, in my mind; I was ready to just light in fire with the anxiety that was aflame in my stomach. I wanted to go home and just be my normal self in cheap pajamas with my old movies, not be someone who wasn't me at an incredibly fancy gala that had the most important people in the world all in one room.

Once my heels touched the marble flooring of the ballroom, it was like Moses had appeared to cut a line in the sea of guests. All the people who were wearing beautiful and expensive masks had all stepped to either side of room to make way for me.

Walk to the dancefloor, the empty space in the middle of the room.

The world around me was still humming besides the rhythmic clicks of my heels as I walked deeper into the room. Around me was nothing but black and white as that was the theme of this event: Black and White Masquerade.

I tried to keep my head held high, but I broke for a moment when I saw my best friends in the crowd. They had their arms interlocked and were giving me tiny waves and thumbs ups to help me with my confidence. Harrison's dirty blond hair was slicked back and he had a proud smile on his face while Annie's arm was wrapped around his, her tan skin shining against her snow-white dress that was almost as bright as her smile. I gave them a small side smile before turning my head back ahead.

Keep walking, just keep walking. I was almost there. Harrison said that he would hint at him to meet me there, but there still was that horrible feeling in my stomach that he wouldn't show or that he didn't understand what Harrison was implying. There was like a 0.01% chance that would happen, but that's still a possibility.

Annie told me to be a little bit late as she left me alone in the hotel room, mostly because I told Tom I wasn't going to make the gala.

"The whole room will be watching you. Not because you're late, but because you're going to shock the hell out of them," Annie smiled as she pinned the last bit of my hair up. "Tom's going to be going crazy. He's going to be asking about you, of course because he's mad for you, so when you walk through those doors he'll be speechless."