I want to say THANK YOU to the people who are reviewing and sending me messages. It means a lot to me. Sorry for not updating lately, but my mom has been in the hospital for the 5 days because of a heart condition. I've done nothing but worry and be upset. Even my manager at work told me to go home because I couldn't cheer up for the customers (I stayed though). Tomorrow they are giving her heart shock treatment. The doctor says it has never failed but I'm still worried for her. If all goes well she can FINALLY come home, and I'll be back to normal, so I can update again every 2-4 days. Thanks for waiting.

Chapter 20

"Sadie!" Someone decided to scream in my ear.

"Go away…" I mumbled into my pillow.

"Wake up!" Tom yelled. I shook my head, my eyes still closed.

"Fine then." All of the sudden Tom grabbed my feet from under the covers and pulled me out of bed.

"Hey!" I screamed and hit the floor with a loud thud. "You didn't have to do that."

Tom laughed. "Yes I did or else you wouldn't have gotten out of bed."

I stretched my arms and looked at the clock. 10am. "What the hell are you doing here this early?"

"I've got things to do today. It's the only time I could hang with you."

" So what, you're just going to stand in my room and watch me sit on the floor?" I stifled a yawn.

"No…" Tom grabbed my arm and pulled me up. Thank God I had chosen to wear my pants instead of sleeping in my underwear. "We are going out to breakfast right now."

"But Tom…"

Tom put a hand up. "I don't want to hear it. You've got ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?!" I shrieked and pushed him out the door.

"Hurry up. If you're not done in ten minutes, I'm coming in there." I closed the door on Tom and quickly changed into my clothes.

"No you wouldn't."

"Yes I would, and you know it Sadie."

I ran down the stairs, dressed in nine minutes and 31 seconds, to find Tom sitting at the counter with my mom.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Tom was holding a teacup in his hand and his pinkie was out.

Tom took a sip. "Drinking tea."

"Well you look like an idiot." I smirked and he stuck out his tongue.

"Mom, I thought we talked about not letting strange boys."

"Oh that's goo- Hey!" Tom realized the comment was directed towards him.

"You want to go or not, cuz I want to go back to sleep." I yawned. I choose a simple purple t-shirt, baggy black sweat pants and dark brown moccasins. My hair was partially brushed, but it still looked ok.

"Coming. Thanks for the tea Mrs. Hawkins." Tom gave the cup to my mom, who smiled at Tom.

"Come back anytime Tom."

We went to Starbucks, not surprised to see all the people inside ordering coffee. I ordered a Marble Mocha Macchiato with soymilk and Tom got a London Fog. The boy loves his tea. As we sat down at one of the little tables, people already had their cell phones out, taking pictures of the two us. We pretended not to notice, and tried to act normal.

"Oh my gosh… Carol gave me such a headache last night." I poured some Sugar in the Raw into my drink. What can I say? I like my coffee sweet.

Tom nodded. "Yea me too."

"Well you didn't have to take her home last night and listen to her lecture you about drinking, smoking, etc all the way to her house!" I stirred my Macchiato and put the lid back on tightly.

"Thank God."

"Yea." I rambled on. "So yea I had to deal with Carol, then Sean came over and-"

Tom sat his cup back on the table. "Sean came over last night?" Oops…

"Uh… yea." Guess I shouldn't have said that.

"Why?"

"To hang out." I said nonchalantly.

"So you're telling me," Tom paused. "That Sean came over to your house at 1am, just to hang out?"

"Mhmm…" I didn't make eye contact with him.

"Lets go." He said suddenly and stood up.

"What?"

"We're leaving." Tom turned and headed towards the door, not bothering to wait for me. What the heck?

I got up from my chair and followed him outside to the car.

"Get in." No emotion in Tom's voice.

I got in like he said and put my coffee in one of the cup holders. Tom pulled out of the parking lot and that's when he decided to start yelling.

"Why do you have to get involved with him Sadie?!"

"What?! Who said I was involved?!" I did not remember stating that Sean and I were together.

"What boy goes over to a girls house, a girl that he likes, late at night and does not do anything with her?" His voice was firm as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Why do you care?"

"Just tell me, you guys did no more then talk right?" I lived pretty close, so we were almost at my house again.

My voice got quiet. "I can't tell you that."

"Why Sean?" Tom looked at me hard.

"Why not?" I threw back.

"Because!"

"Because why?!"

"Because you deserve someone better then him!"

"Like who?" You?

Tom was silent at first. "I don't know… just someone better."

"Tom…"

"Look I know he means nothing to you. Why keep messing around with him? You know what he really wants, unless you…" Tom broke off.

"No we haven't' had sex Tom!" I exclaimed. "You know I'm waiting for the right guy!" We had pulled up to my house.

"Then why kiss him? Make out, take your shirt off… Tell me Sadie, what's the point?" Tom looked me straight in the eye and I stared back.

"How do you know about that?" I never told him that.

"The first time I came to apologize I saw you and Sean…" He looked uncomfortable.

"Oh…"

"Yea, I just left. I didn't want to interrupt anything." He sounded mad now.

"Nothing happened." I grabbed my coffee. "My mom walked in."

"Good." Good?

"I don't get you Tom. You can have all the fun you want with different girls, but I can't have mine with one guy."

"It's diff-"

"And don't' say its different Tom, ok? It's not and you know it." I spoke quietly and fumbled with the sleeve on my coffee. I was still looking at Tom when I saw his eyes drop to my lips, but then up at my eyes again.

"Fine. Do what you want. If you want to go and have sex with some guy you don't even like, then go ahead."

"Your one to talk!" I exclaimed.

"Believe me, if I go could have sex with the one girl I really liked, I would."

"Then do it!"

Tom hung his head. "She'd probably say no."

"Whose the girl?" Now I was curious.

"It doesn't matter."

"Tom-

"It doesn't matter ok Sadie?" Tom sighed. "Me and the girl will never be anything"

"What are you guys now?"

Tom shrugged. "Friends I guess." I couldn't help but think he was talking about me, but then again, Tom had friends that were girls everywhere. There was no point for me to stay in the car with Tom if all we were going to do was argue.

"I'd better go." I whispered and got out of the car. "Bye."

***

I had a photo shoot later on that afternoon, and had just arrived at the studio. The rest of the morning all I could think about was the conversation I had with Tom. I really wanted to know who the girl was. I didn't' even know Tom actually liked girls. I thought he saw them as objects instead of lovers.

My photo shoot was for a cover of a teen magazine, and the article was about my life in school when I was younger. I never really had a problem in school, so basically I would be telling them about how easy it was for me. So inspirational huh?

The photographer had given me a 5-minute break so I could talk to Dawn. She had called to tell me that I was wanted for an audition. The audition was for a movie that I tried out for about 6 months ago. I almost had the part, but in the end it was given to somebody else. Things had changed now. The girl who got the part had backed out. Something about botox gone wrong… I don't know.

Anyway, I re-auditioned and guess what? I got the part. The movie, Hearts on Fire, was set in the renaissance era, and was going to be filmed in New Zealand. So not only in my show did I get to wear old clothes, but I get to in my new movie too. I was actually pretty cool with that because it was my favorite style of clothing.

I hadn't actually said yes to the part yet. They were giving me a day to think about it. I was psyched that people were finally recognizing me as an actress, but I hated the part where I had to be gone for seven months to film it. Yes, seven months. Seven long months away from my family and friends. No mom, Bill, Carol, Georg, Gustav, the list could go on, but most importantly, no Tom.

After filming was done, I would have 4 months to go back and do what I normally do. It was going to be a worldwide release, so after those 4 months I would be traveling everywhere promoting the movie. So for another month I would be gone, away from family, friends, and Tom.

***

I thought about it all night and decided to take the part, not consulting my decision with anyone. This may be the first and last time that I would ever get to do such a big film. There was no way I could say no.

The good news was I called the casting director and he was thrilled to hear my answer. The bad news was I had to leave in a week. This was all happening too fast.

Nobody knew I had accepted the part and I was going to be pretty busy getting ready to leave. The weather was changing all the time so I would have to shop for a new wardrobe. Also I would have to get my hair extensions taken out. There was no point in having them, when for the first 3 months I would be training for the stunt and fighting scenes. No public eye there. Those things were easy to get ready for, but how do you get ready to tell someone you're leaving for seven months? That you won't see them during that time at all…

I hadn't really talked to Tom since the argument in the car, but I wanted him to be the first to know.

"Hey Tom." I felt a little nervous. I was standing outside his hotel door, my hands fiddled with each other.

Tom nodded. "Sadie."

"I'm leaving for seven months!" I blurted out and waited to see how he would take it. All Tom could do was stare at me blankly, so I answered the questions that were probably running through his mind.

"I accepted a part for a movie that is going to be filmed in New Zealand for the next seven months."

Tom furrowed his eyebrows. "You didn't talk to me about it first?" Its not like Tom was saying I had to get his permission, but I almost always came to him about this kind of stuff.

"No… I didn't think you would want me to go."

"That would be incredibly selfish of me because this is a great opportunity for you, but you're right."

"I thought so…"

Tom's eyes locked on my lips and he leaned forward. This was it. Tom was going to kiss me. Maybe this time I would actually kiss back.

Just when I thought I couldn't wait any longer, Tom snapped out of his trance and pulled me into a hug instead. I lightly hugged him back, disappointment growing within me.