Ephemeral (somethingelseyt x OC)

12

     Not to mention, James had been dating Tara for nearly half a year, and they still chose to remain quiet about their relationship; they were strict about keeping their private life to themselves. It was just something that people with a fandom did, some untaught rule that they all stuck to in order to preserve some of their privacy. Bashing out a secret like that was a huge step for both Adam and Laurie, and James saw it as a potential danger.

     Or, at least, that's what Adam believed. But it seemed that he was mistaken since James didn't peep a word.

     He found Franco managing his booth, though it looked deserted. From where Adam was standing, it seemed as if fans had fully ravaged every piece of merchandise he had to offer. He was glad, though, since that meant he could afford to order more for his online store.

     "Hey, how'd the meet-and-greet go?" Franco asked enthusiastically, pleased to finally have someone else to talk to other than himself.

     "It went well," Adam nodded, stepping behind the counter. "Better than expected."

     At that, Franco tilted his head, and a newfound smirk tugged at his lips. Adam knew all too well what was coming next. "Kelsey's told me a bit of what went on in there. You and that girl are official then, huh?"

     "She's a wild one, but... I think we are." Adam grinned and, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, thought about their night. For a virgin, Laurie was quite eager to open the doors for him in all her glory. It just confirmed how avid and liberated she actually was at her core.

     "She's not from here, though, right?" Franco questioned.

     "Well," Adam scratched his beard awkwardly, "she's James' sister, so she's from the States originally, if that's what you're asking. But she dreams of Europe. She studied there, as well."

     "Can I ask you something?"

     Adam's ears peaked in interest. "Sure, shoot."

     "What would you do if she went there to stay?"

     Adam hummed. He'd barely given any thought to Laurie going away, and he wanted to avoid the thought completely. No doubt Laurie already had plans sorted in her mind, but was he a part of them? Did she even take what they had together into consideration?

     In the past, he thought he could settle for a long-distance relationship. He appreciated his alone time, and he respected the girl for wanting the same. Although now, after experiencing what the presence of another could do to him, he wasn't so sure anymore. Besides, even on his adventures on Tinder, he never put a distance ratio of more than three hundred miles. Six thousand miles was a whole different story with an entirely new finance problem to worry about.

     "I don't know," he eventually shrugged. "We haven't talked much since..."

     He caught himself before saying too much. He itched to share the details of last night with someone; keeping it all to himself felt suffocating, but it was still too early and risky to spread the word, even among the animator squad. Perhaps, once he was back home, he'd share it with his buds, Zack and Christian. They weren't directly connected to Laurie in the same way as James and other animators present at Vidcon.

     "We just didn't have time to properly discuss it, yet," he said, finally settling on a neutral answer. "I can only hope she's not intending on dumping me in a ditch."

     "A guy like you? Never," Franco joked before handing him the money he gathered from the cash registry. "Here are today's profits. What do you want me to do with the rest of the merch?"