Mentality

Chapter Eighty Five: Maia

I stepped into the convention hall. Day two of Vidcon was underway, and the entire place was filled with people. There were endless conversations, and several people were screaming. I pushed through the crowds surrounding many different booths. I saw people such as Joey Graceffa, Smosh Games, Hannah Hart, Tyler Oakley, etc. They were all smiling at their fans.

Dan was at a panel with Phil and Eloise. A few other YouTubers were there, but I didn't know them. Howl and Amelie were going for lunch, and we were going to meet up later. I told them I couldn't eat, not now anyways.

So, my only choice was to wander around the hall. I saw several teens flipping through our comic book. That made me smile. It was my first ever comic book, and knowing that people enjoyed it made me feel happy inside.

Eventually, I found my way to a back wall. Slowly, I sat down. It's true that I wasn't as big as I was going to be, especially with twins. I could still fit into my shirts, but they were just a bit tighter than usual. Even if I wasn't terribly big, my feet and back still hurt more than they used to.

I sighed, watching the crowd go by. Everybody was wearing cards on a lanyard around their necks. I had one too, but it was different than most people's. Mine got me everywhere, Dan made sure of it. He wanted to make sure I could get to him if I needed him, and vice versa. Howl and Amelie also had the same thing.

I was peacefully watching the crowd before a girl sat next to me. She had frizzy red hair cut into a bob. Her shirt was two sizes to big. Her jean shorts fell to her mid-thighs. Her eyes, hidden behind pink cat eye glasses, were the most interesting thing about her. One was light green while the only was black.

"Are you Maia Grussler?" she asked, her eyes wide with eagerness.

I nodded, "Yes, may I help you?"

Her face brightened, "Oh my God, Miss Grussler! I can't believe I'm finally meeting you! My name's Claire, I'm your biggest fan!"

I lifted an eyebrow. Considering this was Vidcon, I figured she was a fan of Dan, and just saw me on his Twitter, or Instagram.

"Really?"

She nodded so hard her curls bounced everywhere, "Yes! Your book is my favorite series ever created ever. When I saw you made the comic book with Eloise Lester, I flipped out."

My jaw almost dropped. Nobody had ever connected me to the comic book. I didn't think they'd recognize me for the book either. I didn't have a picture there, and my last name wasn't on Dan's social networks.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked.

Claire's smile brightened, showing her slightly crooked teeth, "I've been a fan of your book series since I was little. It got me through my Mother's depression. I didn't know what you looked like, but I was determined to find you. When I saw your picture on Dan's instagram, I guessed you knew Phil and Eloise. Then, the comic book said you wrote the story while she painted the pictures. I recognized your name, and made the connection."

Her face was brighter than a lightbulb. I was shocked she hadn't peed herself. Her skin had turned red like a tomato, and her eyes were bulging. I smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet you Claire," I extended my hand.

She almost fainted right then. It made my heart happy, knowing I had made someone else happy. She shook my hand with her trembling one.

"Will you sign my books?" she held out the first book I wrote and the comic book.

"Of course, do you have a pen?"

She nodded, handing me a cat pen. I signed both covers with 'To Claire, thanks for reading my stories! I'm so happy to meet you!' When I signed the comic book, I saw that she had already gotten Eloise to sign it.

"When I asked Miss Lester about you, she said you were an amazing writer," Claire smiled, "But she said you were a better friend."

My smile brightened, "She's a pretty great one herself."

When I handed back the books and the pen, Claire was crying. Small tears were leaking down her cheeks. My smile fell, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she wiped her cheeks, "It just, it means so much to me to meet you."

I smiled, "It means alot to meet you too. I'm glad you found me."

Claire laughed. I stood up, opening my arms for a hug. She instantly took it. When we pulled apart, she wiped her eyes again, "Thank you for talking to me."

"Anytime, Claire," I smiled.

She smiled back. We told each other goodbye just before she walked away. I watched her go. Maybe I should meet with my fans more often. I mean, if I meant as much as Claire said, maybe others wanted to meet me. I didn't think they'd care about who wrote the book, only who was in it.

"Maia!" a familiar voice shouted.

I spun around to see Howl and Amelie pushing through the crowd. I waved at them. When they arrived, Howl pushed her hair out of her face, "Dude, we've been looking everywhere for you!"

"I've been here for the last twenty minutes."

"I told you we should've looked beyond the panel," Amelie rolled her eyes, "She sees Dan, Phil, and Eloise everyday. Why would she go to the panel?"

"Very true."

I grinned at the both of them. Howl glanced around the convention hall before smiling, "Let's go socialize."