Episode 18

That night at the apartment, Kelsey, Caitlin, and Aislinn sat plotting the second, and hopefully final, phase of their plan to test Tom.  “Alright guys,” Kelsey said, determined.  “We just need to call in an anonymous tip to the local news station spreading a rumour about me and Tom and then get his publicist to get him to do an interview on the show to see how he reacts.  Easy, right?”  Aislinn and Caitlin looked very intimidated.

A couple days later, all the preparations were in place. They had called the news station and dropped their tip, and although the person they talked to was skeptical at first, they had finally convinced her that their tip bears looking into.  Then they talked Luke into helping get Tom on the show – no easy task.  They are convinced that he hates them.  The poor guy, however.  He has the unenviable job of forcing Tom to cooperate, shave, and be nice on the show.  Speaking of Tom, he and Kelsey had not seen each other since their disastrous talk the last week.

The show was broadcasted live a couple days later.  Kelsey, Aislinn, and Caitlin sat anxiously in front of their puny television tuned to the celebrity news channel.  As the show started, all three girls were holding their breath.  This was the moment of truth.  Was Tom going to pass the final test to win Kelsey back?

Episode 17

That night at the apartment, Kelsey, Caitlin, and Aislinn sat plotting the second, and hopefully final, phase of their plan to test Tom.  “Alright guys,” Kelsey said, determined.  “We just need to call in an anonymous tip to the local news station spreading a rumour about me and Tom and then get his publicist to get him to do an interview on the show to see how he reacts.  Easy, right?”  Aislinn and Caitlin looked very intimidated.

A couple days later, all the preparations were in place. They had called the news station and dropped their tip, and although the person they talked to was skeptical at first, they had finally convinced her that their tip bears looking into.  Then they talked Luke into helping get Tom on the show – no easy task.  They are convinced that he hates them.  The poor guy, however.  He has the unenviable job of forcing Tom to cooperate, shave, and be nice on the show.  Speaking of Tom, he and Kelsey had not seen each other since their disastrous talk the last week.

The show was broadcasted live a couple days later.  Kelsey, Aislinn, and Caitlin sat anxiously in front of their puny television tuned to the celebrity news channel.  As the show started, all three girls were holding their breath.  This was the moment of truth.  Was Tom going to pass the final test to win Kelsey back?

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 16

Later that afternoon, Aislinn and Caitlin were hiding in Luke’s closet.  Part of their arrangement required that they get to supervise the operations and watch the conversation between Tom and his publicist.  Luke had just shaken his head at their apparent craziness, but had agreed to lend them the use of the closet.  Through the crack in the bi-fold door, they watched as Tom entered the room.  He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days – dark circles shadowed his eyes and his face was unshaven. “Hello Tom,” Luke said, smiling only slightly nervously. Tom acknowledged the greeting with a brief nod of his head and then sprawled lazily in the nearest chair.

“What do you want?” he asked, obviously not really caring.  Luke walked around his mahogany desk to stand in front of Tom.

“Tom,” he said, “I want you to get over the image-ruining Kelsey and start dating someone who will promote your image.” Tom snorted in derision and said,

“Good luck with that.”

“I’m serious, Tom.  Stephanie Bloom is a rising star in the music industry and dating her would send her straight to the top while also publicizing you.”  He passed Tom a photo of a pretty young girl which he took without even glancing at.

“No.” he said in a curt voice.

“Be reasonable!” Luke argued. “She is exactly what you need right now.  This is the perfect opportunity.”

“Look, Luke,” Tom leaned forward, his scruffy chin resting in his hands, “I listened to your advice on my image once before and it cost me a girl that I really cared about.  I’m not making that same mistake while I’m trying to regain her trust.”  With that, he stood and exited the office.

 Aislinn and Caitlin burst from the closet excitedly. “He passed!!” Aislinn’s voice was pleased. Caitlin started dialing Kelsey’s phone number to tell her the good news.  She answered, anxious to hear the results of their plan.

“He passed!” The rest of Caitlin’s words were drowned out by the excited screams from the other end of the line.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 7.5

The next couple days involved a lot of texting back and forth between Kelsey and Tom.  He had some free time on his hands now that Thor 2 had finished filming and was ready for release in a couple of weeks.  Kelsey, a huge fan of the character of Loki (quite surprisingly as he is creepy and the bad guy), was super excited to see the movie. She secretly hoped that Tom would ask her out to the movie premiere in Hollywood, but she was not too hopeful as she lives in Utah and he would only be here until the end of next week, as the movie he is currently filming will be wrapping up.  He will be returning to his summer home in California well before the premiere.  She dreaded that horrible day with all her heart.  Once he returns to the fame of Hollywood, she was scared that he would no longer keep a place for her in his heart and would move on to a superficial Hollywood beauty.  The chirp of her phone interrupted her depressing thoughts.  She grabbed her phone and delightedly saw that it was a text from Tom. She read eagerly. “Hey, are you free this Friday night? I have a surprise for you.”  Of course, Kelsey was thrilled (and a little nervous).  She sent back her response a couple minutes later after careful thought – “I am free, and I would love to go out with you.  A couple rules, however.  No physical exertion can be required, no blindfolds, and it can’t be a terrifying surprise.”  She figured that these requirements would likely prevent the worst possible surprises.  Tom’s reply came back only a couple seconds later, saying that he would pick her up at 7.

The week drags on slowly, until at last Friday arrives.  Kelsey was a bundle of nerves and apprehension.  “What type of surprise could he possibly have for me?” she asked Aislinn for the tenth time that hour.  Patient as ever, Aislinn replied,

“You like him. Does it matter what it is?”  Kelsey shot her a half-angry glare.

“You don’t understand.  While I like surprises, this makes me nervous!”  Aislinn just laughed as a knock sounded at the door and Kelsey jumped up to answer it.  She could never get over how attractive he looked with his hair combed and just wearing jeans and a casual fitted T-shirt.  A smile spread across his face at the sight of her, his boyish enthusiasm for his surprise plastered across his perfectly chiseled features.

“Let’s go, sweetcheeks!”

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 14

Luke Windsor’s temporary Utah office was very plain and only consisted of uncomfortable wooden chairs.  Aislinn and Caitlin had been sitting there for almost three hours now, trying to implement the first phase of Kelsey’s master plan to prove Tom’s sincerity.  Tom’s publicist was being less than cooperative, however.  Finally, the secretary ushered them in to the make-shift office.  Luke, a tallish man, was used to operating out of their London offices, however he had followed Tom back to Utah in a vain attempt to talk some sense into him and get him to go to Florida to prepare for Avengers 2.  “Hello ladies,” he said, civility decorating his voice, “what can I do for you today?”  Aislinn glanced at Caitlin, reaching a mutual agreement that Caitlin should explain the issue.  Aislinn had come for moral support – business was Caitlin’s area of expertise.

“Well,” Caitlin began, “we need to talk to you about Tom Hiddleston.  And our roommate Kelsey.”  Luke, who a second ago had been distant and uninterested, was now focused completely on them.

“What do you know about Kelsey and Tom?” he asked, carefully.

“She is our roommate, and Tom recently returned to recapture her affections.  She is not sure about his sincerity, so we are asking if you would be willing to help us prove the truth of his affections.” Caitlin responded, all business.

“And why exactly would I want to help you?” he leaned back in his chair, amused, “you do realize that I acted to break them up in the first place.  She is hardly ideal for his image, you must understand.” The man’s contempt for them was irritating both girls, however Aislinn, always the voice of reason, spoke up.

“Think about it.  How happy has Tom been since he left Kelsey?”  The publicist frowned.  The girls had a point.  Tom had been a jerk and ridiculously frustrating to work with over the last couple months. Caving, Luke asked wearily,

“What exactly do you want me to do?”

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 13

That same evening, Kelsey cornered both her roommates the second they arrived at home.  “Well?” she demanded with a glare, “I think both of you have some explaining to do.”  Caitlin and Aislinn both looked guilty, but rather unrepentant.

“We’re sorry,” Aislinn apologized, “but it had to happen. You needed to talk to him.”

“Hopefully,” Caitlin added, “you talked it out and everything is good now?” The statement, phrased as a question, defused Kelsey’s anger.  She knew that they were just looking out for her in their own special way.  She sighed and replied,

“I think that it may have done more harm than good, actually.”  Both of her roommates looked concerned and more than a little confused.  Explaining the confrontation to them helped Kelsey address it, but it was still unpleasant.

“Both of you are just so stubborn!” Caitlin said in exasperation.  “Why can’t you both just communicate how you feel in a rational manner?”  Aislinn looked as if she agreed, however she was much too nice to say it to Kelsey’s face.  As annoyed as she wanted to be at their meddling, she knew that they were right.  She needed to talk to him at some point if they were to move forward.  However, that talk was going to be on her own time, and she said as much to her roommates.  Both of them agreed that she should be in control as this whole mess was his fault. Aislinn suggested,

“Why don’t you send him a text, telling him a time and place to meet you?”  Kelsey shook her head, a devilish look in her eyes.

“That’s far too easy for him.  If he wants this to work out, he needs to put in a lot of effort.  He has to win me back.”

“How do you expect him to do that?” Caitlin asked, her eyes lighting up.

“Well,” Kelsey responded, “you two have been communicating with him, correct?”  As she unfolded her plan to them, both girls began to smile.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 12

Aislinn and Caitlin hung up the phone, finished their conversation with Tom.  They were so sick of Kelsey moping in bi-polar distress – one second anger was the dominant emotion, the next second dejection.  So they were secretly helping Tom make it up to Kelsey so she could at least get closure.  However, both of them were seriously opposed to them getting together.  Tom had hurt her, and while they wanted Kelsey to forgive him, they couldn’t forgive quite as easily.  They provided Tom with information on Kelsey’s likes – he tried by himself at first with the roses, but that only made her angrier as she doesn’t care for roses really at all.  Their only goal was to get them to talk.  That’s all.  After they received Tom’s text stating that Kelsey had finally invited him in to talk, they were overjoyed.  Their meddling was done.

Kelsey sat, uncomfortable, on the couch while Tom paced nervously in front of her.  The silence was oppressive.  Finally, Kelsey spoke. “How did you get into my apartment?” she demanded.  He chuckled slightly and responded,

“I’m rich enough to afford a pick-pocket…I mean a lock-pick! Lock-pick.  I used a lock-pick.”  Tom was clearly struggling.  Kelsey wasn’t sure if that was sweet or creepy.  He resumed his ceaseless pacing.  Again Kelsey ventured to speak,

“So…what did you want to talk about?  I want this over with so you will leave me alone.”  He winced at that, and, still pacing, said

“Well, I guess I wanted to start with an apology.  Kelsey, I’m stupid and I was wrong to break things off when I still had feelings for you.” She tried to read the emotion in his eyes, but he was still determined to wear a path thorough the carpet and wouldn’t stay still long enough.  Playing it cool, Kelsey stopped him.

“Tom,” she said, no emotion in her voice, “I believe you misunderstood the situation.  I found you rude, but that is all.  After you left, I moved on with my life.  I started seeing someone else.  I appreciate the apology, and now you can leave.”  Tom stared at her in disbelief.  Rightly so, as Kelsey was a terrible liar and he could see that the whole phrase was a blatant lie.  Carefully, he asked,

“Who have you been seeing?” Kelsey, not wanting to lie much more, responded,

“Spencer.”

“And you have stronger feelings for him than you do for me?”  Kelsey blushed and answered,

“Yes?”  He heard the question in her response and saw through the lie.  They then suffered an awkward silence, the only noise that of Tom’s booted feet still attacking the poor carpet.  After a long while, Kelsey pointedly stood and opened the door for Tom.  Without a word he left.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 11

Kelsey arrived home from school.  The door was decorated from top to bottom in flowery romantic poetry.  This was the third day in a row that she had come home to Tom’s gifts plastered outside her apartment.  Just like the previous times, she ignored the peace offering and walked inside letting the door slam behind her.  It was petty, but satisfying.

The next week Tom stepped up his game.  Entering the apartment, Kelsey was met by the sight of roses.  Not just a dozen roses, but at least five dozen roses in every hue imaginable.  On the kitchen table was a box of extremely expensive chocolates with a note beside them.  Unsurprisingly, it was from Tom, evidenced by his elegant handwriting.  It read, “Dear Kelsey. I’m sorry.  Can we please talk? Yours always, Tom.”  She set the brief note down, her emotions warring within her. Should she face him?

The day after the roses brought nutella and specialty hot chocolate mixes, along with a similar note.  Then the next day was a vase of sunflowers, again with the note begging for a meeting.  The following day resulted in a box jewelry set – matching pearl earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet.  And a note.  Finally Kelsey couldn’t take it any longer.  She stalked out of the apartment, the collection of notes written by Tom held in one tight fist.  She was sure he was around somewhere (or he had people keeping an eye on the apartment, anyway).  Standing there with one hand on her hip, she held the notes up and beckoned slightly, then returned to the apartment, a tall figure following behind her.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 10

Another month passed, and Kelsey finally began to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.  She was beginning to smile more and even ventured to go to a couple social functions with her roommates.  Life was improving.  The thought of Tom was still painful, but the pain retreated slightly every day.  On this particular day, Kelsey was preparing to go to a dance.  Spencer had been asking her out every week or two since their first date, and she had finally agreed to give him another chance tonight.  She brushed the last touches of blush on her cheeks and then regarded her image in the mirror.  For the first time since Tom, she was able to feel excited about the upcoming social interaction.  A loud knock sounded at the door and Kelsey, surprised, checked her phone for the time.  It was pretty early still – Spencer shouldn’t have arrived for another half an hour at least.  Grabbing her purse, she ran to the door and pulled it open quickly.  Her welcoming smile died at the sight of the tall, dynamic man standing on the doorstep.  “Tom??” she gasped, startled and a little angry.  He started to say something, but she cut him off as she slammed the door in his surprised face.  Kelsey pressed herself against the door and sank down to the floor, blinking rapidly to try to halt the flow of hot, angry tears.  “How dare he?” she thought to herself.  “How dare he come back here after everything that happened, and after not hearing from him for over three months?”  A tentative tap on the door broke Kelsey’s reverie.  She had no clue what to do.  Both Aislinn and Caitlin were out with their dates already; she was forced to face this calamity all alone.  Taking a deep breath, she rose and opened the door again, reluctantly.  The sight of him brought back all the hurt she had worked so hard to bury.  Before she had a chance to speak, Tom stepped forward and wedged his foot in the door.

“Kelsey.” He stated quietly, leaning uncomfortably against the door.

“What are you doing here? How could you…” Kelsey forced herself to stop before she accused him of something she would later regret.

“Let me explain,” he sighed.  “Please give me a chance.”  His eyes, locked on hers, showed the pleading behind the simple phrase.  Kelsey shook her head.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do this.  Not now.” She stared up at him, defying the connection he was trying to renew.  “You are a buttpoop.  Please leave.”  Kelsey dropped her gaze so that he wouldn’t see the tears building up in her eyes.  His voice soft, he said,

“I can’t possibly understand what I put you through, but I’m sorry.  And I’m going to fight for you, Kelsey.  I made a mistake, and I’m going to try my best to fix it.”  With that, he released the door and walked away.  Kelsey stared after him, confused and torn.  He had barely been gone for a minute before Spencer arrived to pick her up for the dance.  She tried her best to put the feelings Tom had evoked aside and be a good date for the poor guy.  As she climbed into Spencer’s car, she was very aware of Tom’s penetrating gaze on her back and knew that the next little while was going to be difficult.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 9

The next couple months were very hard for Kelsey.  Everywhere she went, everyone was talking about the premiere of Thor 2 and the upcoming Avengers 2.  Every mention was like twisting the knife in Kelsey’s already maimed heart.  School was endless drudgery, but at least it occupied a part of her tortured mind.  Her roommates had been nothing but supportive, but her I hate life philosophy was beginning to wear even on their patience. 

This weekend her roommates had a surprise for her – a blind date.  Needless to say, she was not the least bit excited.  In fact, she would rather dwell in her personal pit of misery that consisted of chocolate, nutella, pajamas, no showers, and Jane Austen.  The dreaded day finally approached.  Caitlin made her shower and apply make-up before her date arrived.  She was meeting him at an Italian restaurant at 6:30.  Finally, half an hour before the date started, Kelsey put the finishing touches on her façade, hiding her true unhappiness under a light layer of foundation.  Arriving at the restaurant on time, her date met her at the door.  Introducing himself as Spencer, he brought her to their table.  While he did hold her chair for her, she couldn’t help but compare it to the times that Tom had done the very same thing but so much more smoothly.  The date was pleasant enough by normal reckoning, however after the splendor of Tom everything seemed so frustratingly dull and drawn out.  With Tom, she felt tingles every time their eyes met, and sparks when he touched her.  Spencer excited none of those feelings.  Kelsey didn’t even think that she would notice if he faded into the wall – her attention was so rarely on him.  He was so average.  Brown hair, brown eyes, about her height, nothing extremely important to say.  The date ended after what seemed to Kelsey an eternity, and he finally took her home.  Then there was the awkward doorstep moment.  A dreaded moment.  She felt as if she had been very clear that she was not interested, but apparently added to his other faults he didn’t catch little clues like that.  He grabbed her hand and looked earnestly into her eyes. “Kelsey,” he said, “I had a great time.  I think you are really nice and sorta pretty.” Kelsey couldn’t help but compare his choppy compliments to the elegance of Tom’s speech.  She tuned back in when she realized that Spencer was still talking. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I want to see you again.”  Kelsey pulled her hand out of his.  She had forgotten that he was holding it.

“I’m sorry Spencer,” she finally replied in a distant tone of voice, “I don’t think that it would be a good idea.” With that, she escaped quickly into the comfort of her apartment where her roommates were waiting impatiently for details of the night.

“Well?” Caitlin asked eagerly, however her optimism died at the look on Kelsey’s face.

“It sucked,” Kelsey whined.

“I’m really sorry, Kelsey,” Aislinn interjected, “we thought that since he was smart, sweet, and very attractive he would at least get your mind off him.”

“Attractive? Smart?” Kelsey asked disbelievingly, “did I go out with the right guy?”  With that comment she went to sulk in her room.  Caitlin shook her head and said quietly to Aislinn,

“She’s in a worse place than we thought.  Her leftover feelings for Tom blinded her to everything good about Spencer.”  Aislinn agreed with her diagnosis, adding,

“Maybe we pushed her too fast…I know it’s been a couple of months but obviously it’s still fresh for her.”  They both sighed and then headed off to bed.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 8

Tom made Kelsey close her eyes as they approached their final destination.  He opened the car door for her and guided her out of the car and into some sort of a building.  “Can I open my eyes yet?” Kelsey asked impatiently.

“Not quite yet, darling.  Almost there.”  He led her through another set of doors, and then guided her through a narrow aisle - it felt like there were rows of seats. It smelled like popcorn, so she guessed that they were at a movie theatre.  However, she had never heard a theatre that was this quiet, so she was not quite positive. They sat down at what Kelsey guessed must be about the middle of the row (it made sense to her, anyway that they would stop in the middle).  “Alright,” Tom said, “since you have been so good at not peeking, you can now open your eyes.”  Kelsey immediately started looking around.  They were the sole occupants of a darkened movie theatre – she was right after all.

“We are the only ones here?” Kelsey asked. Tom replied,

“Well, what we are about to watch is not actually available to the general public, but I wanted to watch it for the first time with you – your opinion means a lot to me.  So I rented the theatre for the night.”  He watched as Kelsey’s hazel eyes sparkled with understanding and excitement.

“I can’t believe that I will be the first to see Thor 2!!!” Suddenly, Kelsey halted the flow of thrilled words.  “But the Hollywood premiere…are you sure we can watch it?”  Tom smiled.

“It took a lot of convincing for the producers to allow me to take the advance copy, but I talked them into it.” Tom reassured her, “I know that it would be hard for you to come with me to the premiere in California, so I brought it to you.” The resulting smile Kelsey gave him made up for every hour spent talking to the stubborn producers to make this event happen.  “Excuse me for a second,” Tom requested, “I’ll go grab us a couple bags of popcorn.”  Kelsey nodded and, after he left, hugged herself. 

“This is insane!” she spoke out loud to herself, “but so wonderful.”  The movie was everything she thought it would be and more. Tom would lean over and tell her little behind-the-scene insights every so often throughout the showing.  She was very aware of his proximity in those moments and really wished that he would put his arm around her.  It was a slight disappointment that he never did, but she had already noticed that he rarely touched her aside from a good night hug or an impersonal hand on her back.  She figured it was probably a personal space thing – she resented it slightly all the same.  After the movie he took her home.  The falling snow gave the scene a peaceful serenity.  She trusted him so completely.

“Tonight was wonderful.  You are wonderful, Kelsey…”  Tom tenderly spoke her name, but almost with a bit of regret.

“It was perfect,” Kelsey agreed quickly, before he could continue.  She could hear the ‘but’ hanging on the end of his sentence and was scared of what it would bring.  He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Those eyes were darker than usual, darkened with sorrow, perhaps?  Kelsey wasn’t sure.  She could never read his emotions.

“Kelsey,” he began stiffly, but she stopped him.

“I understand,” she said coolly, holding back tears. “You no longer want to see me.”  She reached for the door handle, but his hand grabbed her arm and swiveled her towards him.

“Kelsey, it is nothing to do with you.  Nothing. Let me explain.” He sighed, and, releasing her arm, hung his head slightly.  “It’s my fault. I have to go back to California for the premiere, and then I am staying there for publicity reasons through the rest of winter.  Then, at the end of April, I am going to Florida to film Avengers 2. I can’t be seeing you anymore.” He started to apologize again, but Kelsey cut him off, angry tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

“You mean that you led me on for the last couple months, when, all this time, you planned to leave?  Can’t we at least try to work something out?”  He refused to look at her.  He started speaking again,

“That is…impossible, I’m afraid.  My managers don’t think that you will be good for my image.  That, coupled with the difficulty of a long-distance relationship…” he trailed off.  He knew she was crying and had no clue how to make this easier.  After a long silence, he finally offered one last phrase in a broken voice.  “Goodbye Kelsey.”  She watched him walk away through her tears, a dark figure against the white of the snow, and then just held herself and sobbed.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 7

The rest of the date was magical.  Breathtaking. After they returned the helicopter, Tom took her to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.  They decided to share a plate of nachos as an appetizer before their main course.  As the waiter stood, poised with his pen to take their order, Tom began to speak in fluent Spanish.  Kelsey was captivated.  She knew that the technical language of love was supposed to be French, however this attractive man speaking with perfect Spanish was so much more romantic than any other language could possibly ever be.  As the waiter brought them their nachos, Kelsey and Tom chatted and laughed and really got to know each other.  “You look so beautiful when you laugh – it lights up your whole face.”  Always caught off guard by his compliments, Kelsey replied,

“Ummm, thanks?” She decided that it would not be creepy then to compliment him back. “I love the beautiful way you speak Spanish.  Where did you learn?” He leaned back in his chair, his shirt defining his muscular chest.

“I spent some time in Spain – I contribute to a local charity for sick children and visit to oversee operations.” Kelsey was sure that no man could be more kind and attractive.

“Wow, that is amazing!” Tom shrugged and ginned at her.

“It makes me feel good about my contributions to society.” Changing the subject, he glanced at his watch and commented, “well, it’s getting late.  I had better take you home before your roommates start to worry.” The rational part of Kelsey completed agreed with his analysis of the late hour and the consequences of coming home well after the expected time, however, her heart protested the ending phase of such a wonderful date.  He drove her back to the apartment, and, of course, walked her right up to the door.  She slowly took our her keys from her purse (though she was positive that both Aislinn and Caitlin were waiting right inside ready to hear every second of the day).  Tom pulled her close into a gentle hug.  “I love being around you,” he remarked into the fruity perfume of her fiery hair as he held her close. Kelsey felt so safe, protected, and adored in his embrace.  She relaxed into it and laid her head on his shoulder.

“I had an amazing day with you today,” Kelsey agreed. “Amazing doesn’t ever begin to cover it,” she thought to herself as he stepped back, releasing her and allowing her to return to her apartment.  His eyes followed her until the door shut and he could no more catch a glimpse of her.  Inside, Kelsey could not stop smiling as she gave every last detail of her magical night to Aislinn and Caitlin. Caitlin aksed,

“So, does this mean that you are actually into this guy?  I mean, aside from your celebrity crush thing?”  She looked pointedly at Kelsey, waiting for her response.  Kelsey thought for a second, examining her emotions. Finally, she answered.

“Yes.  I think I have real feelings for him.”

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 6

Aislinn and Caitlin sat calmly on the couch drinking hot chocolate.  However, there was absolutely nothing calm about Kelsey at this moment.  She had been running around like crazy for a couple hours now, changing outfits, hair-styles, earrings, and just all-around going insane.  Finally she decided to dress a casual-formal.  She wore a nice blue blouse to match his eyes and paired it with a flowy casual black skirt.  For the millionth time, Aislinn assured Kelsey that she looked ravishing with her curly hair down and that she really should just relax and be ready to go when Tom arrived.  Finally agreeing, she just barely took a seat on the couch when a confident knock sounded on the door.  Kelsey leapt to her feet and smoothed her skirt.  She then forced herself to pause (as she really couldn’t seem too eager to answer the door) and then smoothly opened the door.  She had practiced this moment with her roommates and was prepared.  He stood there, all 6 foot 2 of him groomed handsomely and dressed in a casual, classy style. In one well-muscled hand he held a bouquet of bright, cheery flowers which he immediately proffered as Kelsey greeted him gracefully.  “Hello, Tom.” She said, carefully masking her nerves.

“Kelsey.  Wow.  You look…wow.  Amazing, I mean.”  He stammered slightly as he tried to correct his compliment.  Around the corner, hiding in the hallway, Aislinn and Caitlin smothered their laughter.  Kelsey accepted the flower bouquet and put it carefully on the chair and gave her roommates a meaningful look that, being interpreted, meant “please take care of these flowers as they are currently the most precious possession that I own and I will absolutely die if they wilt before I get back!”

“Thank you for the flowers – they are truly lovely.” Regaining composure, Tom replied,

“Not nearly as beautiful as you are.  Shall we be off?”  Nodding, Kelsey accepted his arm and he led her to his glossy crimson mustang.  He pulled the door open and helped her in, then smoothly settled into his seat and took off.  The conversation was pleasant for the short ride to their destination, which, apparently, was the airport. 

“What are we doing at the airport?”  Kelsey asked, confusion clouding her beautiful hazel eyes.

“It’s a surprise,” he replied, shooting her a mischievous grin.  Keeping her in suspense, he walked her into the airport and led her over to the helicopter area.  Kelsey’s eyes widened in excitement.

“No way! Are we actually…?”

“Oh course, my dear!  I actually have my pilot’s license – shall we take it for a spin?”  At Kelsey’s nod of agreement, he helped her to her seat and then checked all the safety regulations, and then they were off.  The ground rushed away at an alarming rate – Kelsey had to close her eyes briefly to prevent dizziness.  Through the headset, she heard Tom comment something, but it was lost in the roar of the engines.  Then they were at a stable altitude (at least Tom said it was stable – she believed him).  The view was breathtaking.  There were no other words to describe it.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 5

The phone sat there, not ringing.  Kelsey had been staring at it for the past two hours.  “Kelsey, you need to shower.  He said he would call, he will call,” Aislinn remarked, trying futilely to distract Kelsey.

“Fine” Kelsey growled and reluctantly walked into the bathroom and started running the water.  She had just stepped in when her phone rang.  Shrieking, Kelsey screamed “answer it and stall!!!! Answer it!!!”  Caitlin answered the phone.

“Hello?” she asked.  A masculine voice on the other end asked,

“Hi, is this Kelsey?”

“Nope.” Caitlin replied unhelpfully, trying to create time.

“Sorry, I must have the wrong number.”  Disappointment coloured his voice.

“NO!! You don’t!!  I’m her roommate, Caitlin.”  Aislinn motioned to her urgently to keep stalling.

“Alright,” he replied, “is Kelsey home then?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Can I speak to her?”

“I’m not sure, what are your intentions towards…” Caitlin’s question trailed off as the hastily-dressed and half-wet Kelsey grabbed the phone from her hands.

“Hello????” She basically yelled into the phone.  Aislinn motioned at her to take a deep breath and calm down.  “Sorry, I mean hello.  This is Kelsey.”  She listened to Tom for a bit, then agreed as both Aislinn and Caitlin watched eagerly.  Finally she hung up the phone and turned to them with a huge grin. “I’m going on a date with Tom Hiddleston!!!!!!!!”

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 4

Kelsey was at a rock-climbing place.  She HATED rock-climbing. With a passion. And she was terrible at it.  There was this one date…but that is inconsequential (and so is he).  Anyway, her sister was there and really wanted a ride home and Kelsey is a sucker for tears.  She was also having one of those days – sweatpants, a baggy shirt, and her hair in a messy bun.  She was in a foul mood and picking her sister up was not ideal.  When she finds Becca, however, the birthday party that she was attending was not yet done.  Resigned to waiting, Kelsey walked over to the corner and sat on a bench next to the climbing wall.  A man approached, his walk as graceful as a panther’s – manly and smooth.  Kelsey groaned.  No freaking way.  He of all people, could not be here.  Not now, not when she is looking like this.  She didn’t think that he had seen her yet, so she quietly slipped around to the shadows of the corner and sunk down, attempting invisibility.  “Please don’t see me, please don’t see…” Her thoughts were cut off by a confused voice asking,

“Kelsey? Is that you?”  Many thoughts rushed through her head, most of which concerned melting into a puddle of embarrassment and shame and horror and every other negative emotion she could think of.  She raised her head slowly and looked into his perplexed eyes – the exact colour of the sea after a storm.  His perfectly shaped eyebrows were raised, the confusion written plainly on his face.  “Is there a reason you are huddled into the corner?”

“Not particularly…”  All reasonable answers left Kelsey’s mind right away.  “I just lost an earring...” She wasn’t wearing earrings. “I mean my phone.” He gave her another strange look.

“So are you into rock climbing then?”  Kelsey wanted to shrink into the depths of the earth and burn in the molten core.

“No.  I sort of hate it.”

“Ohhhh” he replied. “If I promise to keep you safe, will you give it a try?” He flashed her that stunning grin and all rationality fled from Kelsey’s mind. She answered with a hesitant ‘yes’ and then promptly regretted her decision.  This was going to suck, she was sure.  He helped her into her harness, his hands sure and confident with the myriad of buckles.  She didn’t want to mention it, but the fear was not the main concern.  This was the man of her dreams, and she was about to miserably fail at a supposedly easy physical activity.  “Alright, let’s get you onto the wall,” Tom said.  Looking up at the wall, Kelsey bit back a groan of dismay and started grabbing the handholds.  She was only a couple feet off the ground before she slipped for the first time.  Calling encouragement as her belay, Tom guided her back to the wall with a gentle hand.  The next couple feet were not too bad, but then she reached up for a handhold and completely missed and went sailing clear off of the wall.  Tom began to laugh, a deep, throaty sound.  Looking down at him, Kelsey admired his biceps as he easily supported her weight and left her dangling in the air.  He slowly lowered her to the ground, and her shaky legs gave way.  However, Tom was there, his arms wrapped around her, giving her the support needed to keep her upright.  Their eyes met, and Kelsey caught her breath.   He whispered into her ear “can I see you again?” Breathlessly, Kelsey replied,

“I really have to go. My sister…” she tried to pull away, but he held her fast.

“Not until I get your number, Kelsey.”  He took out his phone and she gave him her number, and he reluctantly released her.  “Have a good night.  I will call you.”  She stared at his retreating figure in shock and delirious happiness.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 3

Kneader’s Café was a happy bustling little shop.  Tom, always the perfect gentleman, escorted Kelsey to her seat and held her chair for her.  To add to his perfection, he even managed to make the normally awkward social nicety smooth.  The waitress brought them their menus and they sat in comfortable silence while deciding what to order. The waitress took their order and eventually brought their food. Tom was all politeness and formality – the lunch was very unawkward despite the strange circumstances.  The only disconcerting part was everyone’s constant stares.  Understandable, she supposed.  He was, after all, gorgeous!  The conversation was light and focused mostly on stereotypical topics –the weather, the developing bump on Kelsey’s forehead, and other such inconsequential topics. After their luncheon, Tom paid for their meal and left a generous tip for their waitress.  Taking Kelsey’s arm, he again made sure of her welfare and then excused himself, their hands trailing along as they parted.  However, Tom sincerely said “hopefully we will meet again soon, Kelsey.”  The sound of her name on his lips sent shivers down her spine. Kelsey then walked to work (significantly late) alone, but hopeful.  This fantasy could possibly turn out to be a dream come true.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes - Episode 2

The rain darkened the view out of the cozy apartment window.  The tears of the heavens seemed to mirror Kelsey’s mood as she stared into the black night.  It had been almost two weeks since the most amazing day of her life.  The day when she was convinced that she had finally met the man of her dreams and their romantic story could begin at last.  Sighing dramatically, she curled up into a ball on the couch and pressed the ‘play’ button on the recording on her computer.  Tom’s soothing voice reciting “Bright Star” washed over her and she drifted slowly off to sleep, happy in her fantasy.  The sun streaming in through the window woke Kelsey early the next morning.  Putting behind her the depressing thoughts of last night, she resolved to make the most of the beautiful fall day.  The sun was shining on the trees; the orange leaves carpeted the sidewalk and made a satisfying crunch under Kelsey’s booted feet as she strode confidently to her job as a romantic columnist.  Caught up in her blatant enjoyment of the warmth, she was not paying full attention to where she was going until a wall jumped out and attacked her.  Lying on the ground, dazed and slightly in pain, she heard a voice.  An impossible voice.  She knew at this point that she must be dead – somehow sent to heaven.  She began to make out frantic words (well, as frantic as possible when uttered in a sexy English accent) over her head.  Slowly her lashes flutter open and her chocolate-brown eyes gaze into the magic of Tom Hiddleston’s blue depths.  “Slowly now” he cautioned as he raised her into a sitting position with one strong but gentle arm. 

“What happened?”  Kelsey muttered, still slightly disoriented.

“Well,” Tom laughed, “you had a little fight with this brick wall – you lost.”  Embarrassment caused Kelsey to blush a deep red.  “Allow me to help you up.” He placed his arm around her slim waist and effortlessly lifted her to her, admittedly, rather unsteady feet.  She wished she could stay in this half-embrace forever.  His scent was of pure man and its perfume intoxicated her.  “Let me take you to lunch – I want to make sure you are alright.”  Who was she to resist such an amazing offer?

“I…I would be delighted.” Kelsey managed to reply in only a slightly shaky voice.  She figured he could put it down to her recent accident.  She then took his proffered arm and they continued down the tree-lined street, red and yellow leaves swirling around their heads.

In Pursuit of Stormy Eyes- Episode 1

It all started one brisk autumn evening.  Kelsey was disconsolately sitting, alone, at the Cheesecake Factory.  Sadly, yet another weekend had come and gone without any dating prospects for the lonely and very single redhead.   She felt like it was alright to indulge herself in some sinfully delightful chocolate cheesecake after her hard week.  Finishing off the last indulgent mouthful, she stood up and left the restaurant.  Coming to the curb of the street, she hailed and jumped into the first cab passing by.  However, what Kelsey failed to notice was that, on the other side of the cab, a tall handsome stranger was also entering the same taxi.  There was the awkward moment when both realized that they were not the sole passenger of the vehicle, however, staring into his magical blue eyes Kelsey lost her ability to speak and just sat there, motionless and gaping.  He, fully in control despite her fierce beauty, graciously suggested that they share the cab and drop her off first.  Kelsey’s only coherent thought (aside for “what a gentleman!”) concerned the fact that this man was very familiar. In fact, he was the man that she had secretly been in love with since he played the part of Loki in Thor.  In the background, she was vaguely aware of what would soon become their song – the lyrics at that exact moment wailed “you probably look really good in corduroy pants.” Unsurprisingly, corduroy would soon furnish Kelsey’s wardrobe.  The taxi screeched away from the curve as Tom Hiddleston slowly smiled that killer grin directly at Kelsey and she realized that he forever would hold her melted heart.

Happiness

I feel like this scripture which we discussed in Book of Mormon really sums up this semester for me.  It is the first part of Alma 50:23 which reads: “but behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni…”  This scripture seems to speak to me at this point because I feel like I am the happiest I have been since my childhood.  I love most of my classes and my workload, while still significant, is manageable and allows me to have time for other activities as well. I also have wonderful friends.  I think that while these factors do affect my overall happiness, in class we discussed how happiness was a choice and not just a response to circumstances.  This, obviously, has been a challenge at times for me to understand how I can be happy when the whole world was against me.  The people of Nephi were in the middle of this hugely destructive war at the time, yet they were still happy because they had the gospel and they chose not to groan and complain.  This example helps me to put my problems into the eternal perspective and see how truly insignificant they are to my celestial goals.   I am so grateful that I came here to BYU and had the opportunity to grow my testimony of my Heavenly Father’s love for me.

Bio Credit

This semester I decided to get rid of my biology credit by taking “Living With Plants.”  As this is a Plant and Wildlife 100 class, I assumed that it would be the easiest of all the biology options.  I dislike biology as sort of a general rule.  Getting my textbook was exciting, as the book boasted that the readers required no prior knowledge at all to understand the concepts.  Everything for an easy class seemed to fall into place perfectly. Then reality hit.  Apparently the textbook expects us to either learn an average of three new and complicated vocabulary terms per sentence or just have had a biology background.  That was depressing, to say the least. Added to that, the class progresses so quickly that there is no chance to write down the information the professor presents (which is not represented on the PowerPoint slides, of course). We ‘learned’ every part of the plant cell in one class!  Way too fast for those without any sort of background in the subject.  One redeemable part of the class is that the professor is a wonderful person.  Sadly, that is not enough to appease my frustration.  In short, I at least have ruled out any major involving taking more than this single biology class.

Cleaning Checks

Cleaning checks.  Those very words strike fear into the hearts of all BYU students.  The horror, however, does not truly dawn on the average student until the moment when the duties must begin.  All afflicted with this terrible task feel like curling up into a despondent little ball of misery.  What did we do to deserve this punishment?  We do our homework (in between social activities, that is) and even study (if the timing is convenient).  We do absolutely nothing to merit a day full of endless drudgery so that everything is perfect for the moment the cleaning check commences.  Imagine your attitude after and during the countless hours spent meticulously scrubbing every last inch of the apartment.  Will this surly and contentious attitude invite the Spirit into your apartment?  I say not!  Even more importantly, what if you meet your eternal companion pre-destined to be your spouse on a cleaning check day? Talk about ruining your relationship before it starts!  The option we will not even dare to discuss is if you just were so angry at life that you just chose not to go to that all-important social function and you never met that special someone…tragic.  Thus we see that cleaning checks have a high possibility of ruining your eventual celestial exaltation. (If you haven't figured it out by now, I do in fact have a cleaning check tonight.)

Small and Simple Things

This week in my Book of Mormon class we discussed the scripture stated in Alma 37:6 that reads: “Now you may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.”  This scripture is a scripture mastery that I memorized in Seminary and always liked, however after we talked about it in class it gained a lot more meaning for me.  This whole chapter in Alma is all about the great works wrought by small and simple things.  For example, Alma passes down the plates of Nephi, the brass plates, the Jaredite plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the Liahona to his son Helaman.  All of these small or simple items have wrought many great works.  The plates now make up our latter-day scriptures which are one of the foundations of our faith and have converted countless numbers of people to the gospel.  The Urim and Thummim was used as a translation tool to bring these scriptures forth to the modern world.  The Liahona directed Lehi and his family in their wilderness travels, working according to their faith.  That teaches us that God will direct us if we are tune with His will.  In our own lives, we can employ small and simple means to accomplish great things.  I know that I desire to return to my Father in Heaven and that I can do that through the simple, everyday actions like prayer and reading my scriptures.  While these basics things may seem like “foolishness in me” as Alma remarked, they put me on the path to eternal life.  I have a testimony in this principle as I have seen my simple actions bless my life on a daily basis.

Dear Future Husband

Dear future husband,

Kelsey said that I really should start writing letters to you so that once we meet and get married you will have some helpful hints on how to deal with me.  First of all, you really should know that I am expecting you to be extremely handsome, tall, and a talented ballroom dancer.  If it helps, beauty is in the eye of the beholder so I’m sure you will be fine on the first count.  The third we can (and will) work on. A lot.  However, height is an issue– you need to be taller than me in four inch heels.  That puts you at around 5 foot 9, which is certainly a reasonable requirement.

In case you can’t tell, I love to dance.  I expect that many of our dates will consist of going to dances or just putting on some music and dancing alone.  We will be taking dance lessons.  That is not up for discussion.

I love flowers and chocolate.  I know that sounds WAY too cliché, but it is true.  If you ever want to brighten my day, either of those will do.  I love nearly every type of flower they sell so you can’t really go wrong.  However, a good hug will work for comfort too.

I think that singing is a wonderful talent, unfortunately I have not been blessed overly much with that particular one.  I can carry a tune, but that’s about it.  I must say, if you have a wonderful voice that makes me melt like chocolate on a hot summer’s day, I will not complain but it also won’t be a deal-breaker if you can’t sing.

Anyway, I promise I will write to you again at some point!

Love,

Caitlin

Free-Write

This is my opinion editorial free-write.  I have left it in its original, unedited form.

Social dance is an important class.  It teaches men to treat ladies with respect and to lead .  In 180, for example, the men are taught to lead the ladies onto the floor and then return them to where they started immediately following the dance.  They are also taught to ask for a dance politely. In turn, ladies are taught to politely accept dance offers and to make the man feel like a gentleman.  Another important aspect is that   all social dance classes, regardless of what genre ( for example, country, squaredance, or ballroom) teach students to communicate with each other in a face to face setting..  In a day when many youth seem unable to communicate without the use of technology this type of communication is essential.  Many experts also agree that physical education helps the brain to function better and stimulates your brain.  Dancing goes evena step abouve – it improvescoordination and balance and also provides the physical fitness.  The point of my essay is to prove that all students at Brigham Young University should be required to take one of the beginning level social dance classes offered.  These classes also teach people to read body language and to be more aware of their body.  The men are taught to lead ( which requiresgood ideas of how to move your body and to properly lead the lady).  The lady is shown how to follow the man through his body anguage.  In social settings, being aware of other’s body language is an essential, and sadly lacking, skill.  Most of what people communicate is expressed through their body, not through the spoken language.  In this atmosphere, people are constantly being built up, which will have a large positive impact of self-esteem.  Since partners are constantly changing, students can meet people from many different places and ethinic backroungs.  Byu is reknowed for its dance programs.   Young single adult dances are a frequent occurance at Brigham Young University.  How much more confident would the students feel if they all had a basic knowledge of beginning dances in their chosen genre that they could preform with a partner.  For many people, dancing is a passion – a way of life.  For others, it may just be something endured.  However, it is an experience that will enrich the lives of the students in so many aspects of their lives.  The physical benefits of dance cannot be ignored.  While the beginning levels are not strenuous ( so that anyone can be successful) the fact is that dance and a moderate level of activity a couple times a week (or more) is so much healthier thatn sitting at a desk day after day.  Furthermore, since dance is only a .5 credit class and only takes up two hours each week ( with no homework and little time spent outside of class) the time cammitmants are hardly taxing.  The couple events that are required (such as attendeance at one dance concert and also at one dance lab) are both fun a nd culturally rewarding.  Students also have the opportunity to compete, receive recognition of their level, and at higher levels , even preform.  Posture is another aspect of dance that is often overlooked in its benefits.  Godd posture, as taught in all dacne classes, is required for ergonomic health.  Many back pains and neck pains, etc can be avoided through learning good posture.  However, the reason I am so passionate about dancing is that I get to express my feelings thorugh my body in a beautiful and unigue art form.  And if, while doing that, I get to dance with a ton of bright, attractive young men, then who would complain??  It is a fantastic feeling to be able to follow and pexecute moves successfully to clean music.  The challenge and exhilaration of performances and competitions excites all those who participates.  BYU has a million other required classes for graduation, most of which have little practical use in a person’s life.  In contrast, social dance will impact many student’s lives in a way that the other irritating general education requirements honestly just will not.

Signs (Friday's Class Post)

In the reading for my BYU Book of Mormon class this week we covered Alma chapters 30-35.  Among the many scriptures that spoke to me, Alma 32:19 really stood out.  It reads: “And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?”  I have read this passage many times, but this time I actually paused and tried to really understand it.  The principle I learned was to do with God’s mercy to me and his other children.  One of the traits of humanity, especially in this modern age, is to ask for a sign that God is present in our lives. This scripture teaches that those who receive a sign and know of a surety the will of God and then do not obey are far more cursed than those who only have faith in God and succumb to temptation.  The prophets were so righteous that God likely felt confident in giving them witnesses of His existence because He knew that they were not prone to temptation and the curse that comes with their assured knowledge.  However, God’s infinite wisdom requires us to have faith so that if and when we do fall into transgression our curse will not be as bad as it could be.  This makes me so grateful that I have not received a sign every time I have asked for one. The scripture has also increased my faith in my Heavenly Father’s plan for me and His love and concern for me and my welfare.

Burton's Article

Burton’s article entitled “Dear Students: Don’t Let College Unplug Your Future” features an extremely strong bias towards technology and against the traditional organization of the university experience.  He believes that technology is becoming more important than the real world and that college succeeds solely in reducing our technological potential.  According to him, the hard-earned college degree amounts to pointless busy work in a technologically hostile environment. He states that “your work will speak for itself” and that the reality of holding a degree will become immaterial.  However, it is significant to note that the author never addresses the counter-argument regarding the fact that the learning process at college does succeed at giving the students the skills required to prove their work.  While the importance of a degree is up for debate, the value of a college education in a person’s future cannot be ignored.  The article also understates the danger of the Internet in an attempt to sway readers towards the author’s bias.  While the risks are mentioned, they are glossed over and immediately followed by paragraphs on the potential benefits of connecting with the world through technology.  This article was written a short while ago in 2009.  However, in our fast-paced, technology-driven world, this small time period is substantial.  Many of the arguments concerning the absence of progress in universities lack proof in today’s society.  This semester at BYU I already am using a blog, online software, an online textbook, and Facebook for my regular schoolwork and church attendance.  Burton’s article does not succeed in bringing me to his viewpoint mostly due to his ridiculously large bias.

About Me

My name is Caitlin Harvey.  I was born in British Columbia, Canada.  I lived there for 17.5 years.  At that point my father was offered a job as a software engineer with Amazon in Seattle, so our family moved in the middle of my senior year at high school. Since we moved countries, I would have been unable to graduate in America, so I Skyped some classes at my high school and completed others through a local online school.  My school only offered one AP course – AP Literature and Composition, on which I earned a 4. I feel prepared to write literary analyses, however I have never written research papers or papers longer than three pages.

It has always been my dream to come to BYU.  My mother completed a degree in communicative disorders at BYU and often told me about the amazing experience she had.  I am currently in my second semester here and I truly love the spiritual atmosphere and the wonderful people.  My roommates, especially, are fantastic.  We have become extremely good friends despite the short amount of time we have known each other.  

I started university thinking that I would be a chemistry major; however I quickly discovered that I disliked both physics and calculus.  As both are essential for that major, I decided to try something different.  I now am thinking of becoming a business major, maybe with an emphasis in organizational behavior or marketing.  I am currently trying some classes to see what I enjoy.

I love to play the piano.  I took lessons for almost ten years and became pretty good, however I finally quit because I prefer to play my selection of music over my instructor’s choices.  I also played the flute for about four years.  I loved playing in the school band, but I never enjoyed playing by myself so now I am very out of practice. My newly discovered passion is for ballroom dance.  I took a beginning class last semester to try it out and found that I liked it.  I am taking the next level this semester.

My family is super important to me.  I am really close to both my parents.  I have one younger brother named Curtis.  My father is one of twelve kids, so I have a large extended family.  We meet for family dinners quite often and also have family reunions every couple years.  My mother’s family is smaller.  She was born in South Africa and moved to Canada as a child.  Most of the extended family on her side still lives there so I do not know them.

I hope that this class will help me to improve my writing skills for future writing and research assignments.  Essays are not my strongest point and I look forward to learning how to enhance my knowledge. I plan on working to the best of my ability and rewriting all my papers until they reach their full potential. I’m looking forward to this class!