Sing to me

Unforgettable

      I stood in the middle of the dressing room, silently opening and closing my mouth. I felt like a fish that had been inexplicably pulled out of the aquarium. I simply stood there, silent, and stared right into the eyes of the man in the dark suit directly in front of me.       "Don't tell me you don't remember me," he said meanwhile, "or that you don't know."       I just nervously smiled. I knew who he was. It would be foolish to claim otherwise. Who in the modern world doesn't know the famous Hollywood actor Thomas William Hiddleston? I knew him. I had met him once. But I never thought fate would bring us together again; I had only thought that our first meeting would remain a sweet memory that I would cherish for the rest of my life.       "Say something, please. I've been looking for you for so long," Thomas pleaded in a hoarse voice.       "Could you repeat the question, please?" I squeaked, my heart betraying a skipped beat.       "Will you go on a date with me? After all, fate is an interesting thing—it loves surprises and very sharp turns."       A year ago, I was vacationing in Provence amid lavender fields and numerous vineyards. I was trying to regain strength, find inspiration again, and forget about my ex with whom I had just parted.       At first, I traveled around the province for a week, enjoying truly warm and sunny April days, then decided to stay for a couple of days in a small Chateau (an accepted name in France for a country house of the gentry with a park and vineyard attached) nestled right in the middle of the vineyards.       And to my surprise, I saw Thomas among the few guests of the hotel.       I probably wouldn't have dared to approach him, say hello, or maybe ask for an autograph during all those days. I would most likely have just watched him from a distance and marveled at how elegantly his aristocratic profile looked against the backdrop of the endless vineyards.       However, on the very first day, he approached me.       I was sitting on a bench in the garden, reading a book. It was already getting dark: the sunset rays caressed the earth and painted the sky orange.       "I'm sorry," Thomas called to me in a hoarse voice, making me start with surprise.       His gaze of blue eyes immediately made my head spin, and the slight smile on his lips charmed me. That's when I understood why he's considered one of the most attractive men in England, and why fans fall in love at first sight. He exuded charisma and confidence, and his voice was pleasing to the ear.       "I'm sorry," the Brit apologized again for who knows what, "but you dropped a bookmark at breakfast."       And taking a rectangular piece of cardboard with lavender flowers drawn on it from his trouser pocket, he handed it to me.       That's how we met, and the next four days and three nights were unforgettable.       We immediately found a common ground - it turned out that we loved the same music artists, preferred the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and also read the same writers. It was easy to communicate with him, Tom joked, smiled, and seemed ready to conquer the world with me. Being with him was so good, so peaceful, my heart sang, feeling Thomas beside me.       We discussed poems, rode horses along the vineyards, had picnics with wine and cheese, and at night, indulged in the ancient mystery of love. We gave each other sweet kisses, caressed each other's naked bodies, and fell asleep to the steady beat of our hearts, holding each other close.       It was the most beautiful time. I healed from sadness and sorrow, began to smile again, and decided not to hide in books from the problems that plagued me in real life. Tom became my medicine, and I hoped to become his unforgettable memory.       Quietly leaving him at night, I couldn't even dream that our paths would cross again someday. I didn't want to be abandoned, I was afraid of becoming just a distraction, so I left without saying goodbye. I intended to keep him in my heart and remember him forever, knowing that no other man in the world would make my heart tremble so strongly from just a look of his blue eyes.       But today fate decided to give me a dramatic turn. I worked at the theater as an assistant to the theater director. I helped him with the productions, prepared the repertoire, sorted through bureaucratic papers and letters. And today, my immediate boss joyfully announced that the famous actor Thomas Hiddleston would play one of the main roles in the play we were planning to stage this spring. And the next moment, he entered the hall. Amidst the enthusiastic cheers and applause of the theater group, Thomas entered, introduced himself, then courteously bowed and, all the while, kept an attentive gaze on me.       And all I could think of at that moment was just to run away, citing some urgent matters. I didn't know what to say to him, didn't know what he wanted to say to me, and how I should behave in the theater now. Pretend that nothing had happened? Or something else?       I probably would have spent the whole workday in the dressing room that harbored me as a runaway, if the door hadn't suddenly flung open, letting Tom inside. So we met again.       That's how fate brought us together again.       "I really looked for you for a long time," Tom quietly repeated, bringing me back to the present moment.       "You managed to make me fall in love with you in just a couple of minutes. Just an hour after we met, I couldn't imagine my life without your smile. I suppose that's what they call love at first sight. And then you ran away without saying a word, and all I knew about you was just a name.”       "I'm sorry," I said, looking down.       I just couldn't believe what was happening.       "Don't apologize," the man replied, taking a step towards me. "You have nothing to apologize for, I'm just asking for one chance. Please, go out with me just for one date, I'm not asking for more."       I looked up at him. Tom looked worried and hesitant, as if his life depended on my answer. "If afterwards you decide that we're not meant to be, if you don't feel anything, then I won't insist. I'll leave, I'll do whatever you ask, just give me one chance."       My small heart skipped a beat. I could only dream of such a thing.       "Well," a timid smile touched my lips, "I'll go on a date with you."       And the next moment, Tom was dangerously close and hugged me passionately.       "Thank you," his warm whisper pleasantly stung, and in his trembling voice, I heard happy notes. "Thank you, my unforgettable one."       And all I could do was hug the man in response and also happily giggle. It seemed that a wonderful twist of fate had led me into the unforgettable fairy tale I had always dreamed of.