Are you familiar with 'The Arrow and the Song' by Longfellow?

No?

Okay, well the opening lines are:

'I shot an arrow into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where.'

The poem is about a lost friendship or the repercussions of the good & bad in a friendship.

The arrow being the bad deed while the song is the good, representing how a friend might forgive but never forget.

I am the arrow and Tom is the song. I poison and ruin everything around me while Tom uplifts and inspires.

It's been a crazy couple of months since Paris; I've barely had time to even breathe since classes are so fast-paced. Not to mention, I've joined the drama section at Cambridge so that takes up any spare minute I have.

Tom is in either England or France shooting some movie directed by Steven Spielberg. I think he told me its called 'War Horse' or something. So he's been pretty busy and we never actually get to talk with his changing shooting schedule. Most of the time I just call Luke and have him update me and visa versa.

My parents are coming in two weeks to visit me. They're so excited since the last time they were here was when I was born. My dad met my mom, who’s from Spain, in London while he was stationed at an air force base. Nine months later, I was born. The rest is history.

Sitting in my last class of the day - History of Greek Literature - I feel a vibration coming from my bag that's laying on the floor next to my feet. I secretly reach in to see that Tom is calling me.

Ignored.

He knows I have class and finally he can experience what it feels like to constantly reach voicemail.

I'm not mad at him; actually things are great between us. After our mishap in Paris that weekend, we've been better friends. It's like we trust each other on a different level.

'll just call him back later.

Somewhere between the end of my class and the train ride back to London, I lost my phone. You know, I really regret not installing that stupid 'find my iPhone' app.

"Where have you been? I've been calling you for the past hour!" Her arms were folded and face red. Kris was angry about something.

"Sorry! I seemed to have lost my phone. What's up?" The casual tone in my voice really doesn’t help much when she started yelling. "Your parents are in town! Tom picked them up from the airport!"

Wait. What? THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS!

And Tom is still supposed to be in Paris....

"Shouldn't Tom be in Paris, shooting? And how did he know my parents were in town? Let alone, how did he know they were even coming!"

I remembered that I never even mentioned to Tom that my parents were traveling to London because I thought he'd be too busy wrapping up since this movie comes out soon. But really, I just didn't want my parents to even know about him. I can just picture my mom, 'is this your boyfriend? You two are so adorable together, Ay dios mio!'

I didn't want to deal with that.

Kris runs over to the window after hearing a horn honk. "They're here! Now, you need to act like you knew they were coming!!" I stand there utterly confused, "but why must I act like I knew they were coming? I'd be lying!! I AM TOTALLY FREAKING OUT. Why are they here so early?" Kris ignores me as she rushes to straighten around.

"KRIS! Why are they here early? TELL ME!!"

She stops and looks at me. "Because. Tom wanted to meet them." My jaw drops and my eyes widen. Why on earth would he...how could he....

"So why is this a big deal, Kris? I mean, Tom didn't even know or anything. They didn't know about Tom. Or us. Or that we even knew each other.

"Tom wanted to surprise you. He wanted to.... meet them." I couldn't help but think that she was covering for Tom. He was up to something.

The bell rings signaling they're at the door. Kris presses the buzzer, allowing them to come up, as she is dusting the mirrors by our door.

I refuse to believe that this is just some normal visit. My parents surely can't afford a change in itineraries two weeks earlier, so Tom is a huge suspect.

"Welcome!" I hear Kris bellow out as I see my parents and Tom standing in the doorway from the corner of my eye. "I'm Kris, it's a pleasure to meet you two." I take a deep breath, turning around with a smile.

"Mom! Dad! You're early! Two weeks early!" I say walking to them, hugging my mom then my dad. I look to Tom whose standing tall wearing the same outfit he wore in Paris. Rolled up short with a best and slacks. Ungh.

"Did Tom have anything to do with you being here so.... early and unexpected?" I couldn't lie to my parents, they know when I'm lying and I wanted them to know that I had NO idea they were here.

"Tom switched our tickets so we could spend your birthday with you," said my mom in Tom's defense.

My birthday. Wait.... what month is it? I look at the calendar in the kitchen to see it was December. December 3rd to be exact. Four days till my 22nd birthday. Holy mother of holiness.

"My birthday...right...it's this week, no?"

Everyone just stares at me.

"You forgot it was your birthday didn't you? Jeez, you're such a loon!" Kris says laughing.

Like I said before, these past few months have been insane, it's easy for someone to lose track of time. "Looks like I did. Well, that makes more sense I suppose, but are you staying longer? I mean since you guys were going to spend Christmas with me."

My parents' faces turn red. "Afraid not Marie. We'll be leaving before the holidays." I mean it's okay. It's not like I had anything special planned. I mean, who wants to spend Christmas with their family anyway...

"You could always accompany me to my family's holiday festivities.... since Kris will be out o the country, if you'd like." Hmmm..... that sounds appealing. "Let's just get through these next two weeks first."

"So, dinner anybody?" Tom suggests after a 10-second awkward silence. He motions his eyes to my parents, myself and Kris; all of us nodding out heads so extreme one would think we haven't ate for a week!

"Well we need to get ready, perhaps we could meet you there?" says Kris. Tom looks to y parents, "I could drop/pick up your parents off at their hotel and we could meet at Essenza in 2 hours?"

"Sounds great!" We bid adieu momentarily to them as Kris & I collapse in the chairs by the table.

"I can't believe you forgot your birthday," she says shaking her head, her hair wrapping around her shoulders. "I can't believe you didn't tell me what was going on. Now what on earth are we going to wear and HOW are we going to afford to eat at Essenza?" I lean back, arms folded with my face flushed.

Good thing we happen to be friends with a famous actor.