Edge of Our Dreams

Lilly checked her phone twice hoping that the time hand suddenly gone backwards and she was in fact early.

No chance. Late again.

She sent off a quick text before darting through the park entrance and speeding her steps up.
Mentally she prepared herself for the abuse she was about to get.

“LATE!”

“Ah god I know,” Lilly laughed raising her hands up in defeat. Her smile growing as she saw her two
best friends crashed out on the grass. “Can I sit down first, I feel like I ran the last mile!” Both nodded, not as if they really had a choice.

“So why are you so late?” Sarah questioned as Lilly pushed her sunglasses up her face and rubbed the back of her hands over her eyes. “You alright?”

“Exhausted, these students are working my ass off! We had a three hour rehearsal, they stayed for an extra hour,” Taylor just smiled back she had her own rehearsal later that afternoon and Lilly knew she’d been there for just as long.

Lilly plopped herself down onto the grass and dropped her bag next to her. She was so glad she’d put the effort in to turn up for the afternoon sunning session. They’d been lucky to have yet another day of blazing sunshine in London and everyone was trying to make the most of it.

May was turning out to be a beautiful month and it just got Lilly more excited for summer. She loved the warmth of summer, enjoying the chance to bin the dark tights and stay out in pub gardens until the late evening. However, when it got to hot and sticky, when the grey clouds came in yet the temperature stayed up Lilly suddenly longed for dark stormy winter nights.

“So did you guess my message about film night?” Taylor questioned, she’d gone back to lying out on the grass, sunglasses over her eyes but still holding a conversation.

“Eh depends what are we watching?” Lilly questioned.

“Well War Horse is out on DVD sooo,”

“No,”

“Oh for fuck sake, I didn’t get to see it in the cinema come on!”

“No, I will cry,”

“But it’s a classic!” Sarah interjected earning an eye roll from Lilly, though no one could see behind the sunglasses. “Another garlic bread and sangria night?”

“Defiantly, Lilly can go out with her mystery man instead!”

“Oh shh you,” Taylor just laughed in reply.

“Yeah how is mystery guy?” Lilly shrugged in response noticing the smiles on both her friends faces. It was a very long time since she had really taken interest in a guy, hell none of the girls had focused on anything but careers and friends. “You haven’t seen him?”

“Not after he stayed over,” She already explained the whole night to the girls over lunch a week ago, but hadn’t heard anything from Tom since then. She tried to play it cool but her insides did little flips every time she thought about him and she wanted more than anything to search for him on facebook! She’d only managed to restrain herself due to the work load of the week. Having this hour free to catch the girls was a lucky break!

“I’m sure he’ll appear somewhere again,”

“When you least expect him?”

“He usually does,”

“Do you want to see him again?” Sarah asked earning a groan from Lilly. “Oh come on,”

“Yeah I guess so, now if we are going to discuss men can I least grab some ice cream to discuss it
over?”

“Yes!” Both replied, Sarah even clapping her hands excitedly as they discussed what flavours Lilly was being sent to get.

“Alright I’m going so that is one mint choc chip, one strawberry and one chocolate,” Lilly listed them again. “How am I going to carry three ice creams over here with two hands?”

“Ah alright I’m coming,” Taylor muttered. “Hang on let me just grab my phone,” Lilly just nodded finishing the last of her water and spotting a bin by the fence to chuck the empty bottle in. She stepped into the pathway dodging a group of women with prams.

“LIL CAN-“ The shouting paused as she turned round and was hit full force by something! More likely someone, she had attempted to walk across the pathway in Hyde Park where runners came by the thousand to run around. Whoever it was grabbed her quickly to stop her falling flat on her arse.

“Oh shit, oh god I’m so sorry-“

“Lilly?” She gasped again hearing that voice, the voice that made her melt. The man had stumbled back slightly, letting go of her and fixing his stare on her. He took a few deep breaths before pulling his headphones out and smiling at woman in front of him.

“Tom?” She pushed her sunglasses up her face and starred at him. Never had running looked so hot.

“Falling at my feet again,” He smiled wiping his forehead, he was dripping with sweat. A white t-shirt clinging to his toned body; she had never seen him in this light before. He was gorgeous but fit as well; this was new, and very welcome. “How are you?” He was just catching his breath and smiling brightly at her.

“How am I?” She questioned as he nodded. “Umm yeah I’m fine, you run?”

“I run,” He nodded with a chuckle. “It keeps me fit,”

“I see that,” She replied as he laughed at her response. “I mean ya know you look fit and well yeah, you got the running look going on,” He continued to laugh as she waved her hands around; she talked with her hands, sometimes she looked like an idiot doing it, Tom noted how cute she looked talking with her hands.

“You’re surprised I run?”

“Pleasantly surprised, it suits you,” She added wishing she hadn’t. It sounded lame, really lame. But Tom just smiled, that gorgeous smile, it showed off creases round his eyes that Lilly found adorable.

“Well thank you, what are you doing here? Trying to sabotage peoples runs?”

“Well everyone needs a hobby,” Lilly smiled looking around the park. “Next is that old guy with the bright yellow shorts, he’s been round like 50 times,” Tom looked round for the guy.

“Ah I see I better catch up with him and warn him,”

“You should do that,” Lilly giggled as Tom’s hand went to her arm and he led her gently out of the way of runners. His touch was warm and she instantly craved more.

“Are you feeling better after that night then?” He asked moving with her so they were no longer in the middle of the path. Lilly cringed at the memory.

“Oh you remember that?” She smiled weakly at him to which Tom just laughed.

“I was always going to, I hadn’t drank as much as you,”

“No one had,” Lilly muttered. “I’m sorry,” Tom smiled softly at her and his hand reaching out to hers.
“I’m ok, I’ll be in jeans for a bit due to the knees but I can cope!”

“Good, the jeans suit you as well!” He chuckled taking a slow look down.

“Thank-“

“You don’t have to thank me, weirdly it was nice to take care of you,” Lilly couldn’t help but smile at that, it was possibly one of the most honest and sweetest things anyone had said. “Do not repeat that I have a bad boy reputation to uphold,” They both started laughing as he attempted a John Travolta cool look, like a the part in Grease where he meets Sandy in the car park and tries to act cool, that bit had always made Lilly cringe.

“You’d make an excellent bad boy, honest!”

“Yeah I know,” He smirked. “Look I’m out of town for a few days,” Lilly just nodded. “When I get back, can I call you?”

“Of course,” Too keen Lilly, too keen. “Umm yeah I mean that’s cool,” She smirked, trying to be Travolta herself. Tom couldn’t help but laugh in response.

“I don’t believe I have your number,” Lilly raised her eyebrows.

“Oh god you haven’t got his number yet,” She heard Taylor from behind her and instantly felt embarrassed. Tom looked over Lilly’s shoulder and smiled at the other woman.

“Oh don’t worry,” Tom replied. “We’re solving that problem,” Lilly looked up to catch his gaze and was rewarded by his heart warming smile. God he was gorgeous, he made her feel like a school girl with a crush every time. He moved in closer to her, his arm going around her back. Lilly felt herself freeze at his closeness.

“Phone,” He whispered in her ear fishing into her back pocket of her jeans and smiling. Taylor couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Lilly just watched as he keyed his number in and then pressed call.
“There we go, now I should get on with that run, before my muscles seize up complete, I’ll call,” He smiled.

“I look forward to it,”

“Well how about that,” He smiled before getting back to his run. Lilly watched him run off her head titled slightly, just enjoying the view.

“Hey,” Taylor punched her arm hard.

“What?” Lilly groaned tearing her gaze away from his rather delectable derriere

“Stop staring!”

“Oh hush,” She muttered back watching him turn at the end of the pathway and make his way round to water. “I’m allowed,”

“Yeah yeah,” Taylor rolled her eyes watching him as well. “I’ve seen him somewhere before,”

“Yeah RADA party,” Lilly muttered the pair turning to walk the opposite way.

“Eh,” Taylor waved her hand with a shrug. “That’s not it,”