The New Companion

Exfoliate

Act One

Chapter One:

I walked down the main street, coffee in one hand, a muffin in the other and my bags looped over my arm. It was a lovely, though unusual sunny day in London and the streets were packed. Everyone had spring fever and was out and about for a walk. Girls in new floral dresses, guys in shorts and t-shirts. We were all soaking up the sun while we could. Worried it would run away in the blink of an eye like it had done before. I turned the corner past my favourite bookshop and was too busy staring into the window to notice the man who was walking directly towards me.

"Ahhh," I screamed as the coffee fell out of my hand and all over his white shirt. "Gosh, oh god I'm so sorry, here let me help you," I rambled attempting to wipe the stain off his shirt with a napkin but only succeeding in making it worse.

"No, it's alright. Totally my fault don't worry about it. But god my manager is going to kill me," He replied in a deep Scottish accent that almost made me trip over again. I looked up to find a tall man with sticky up brown hair looking down at me. He looked familiar but I couldn't figure out where I had seen him before.

"Look, you probably don't want anymore of my help but I live around here and you could come back to mine and change your shirt and call whoever you need to," I said picking up my cup, squashed muffin and bags.

"How close?"

"Just over there, see the flat with the red door," I replied pointing at my house that was just across the road.

"Thank you, I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Zoe Griffin and you are?"

"David Tennant," He said holding out his hand for me to shake. I suddenly realised where I recognised him from, the poster on my bedroom wall. How could I not realise that this was David Tennant?

"I'm only going to say this once and I'm so sorry, but oh my god you're David Tennant" I said shocked and in total awe before mentally telling myself to act normal.

"Yes I am," He laughed good naturedly.

"Well come on David, we don't want your manager getting angry," I said looking both ways across the road before walking over to my flat. I may have been freaking out but I wasn't going to forget road safety. I held open my bright red door for him.

"Thank you."

"Bathroom is on the top floor and the phone is in the kitchen if you need it," I informed him, pointing up the stairs. When he had left I quickly raced around the lounge and kitchen tidying up the mess. I was normally incredibly tidy but my flatmate Macy, was not. I had just finished placing all of the dirty dishes in the dishwasher when he came back down the stairs to use the phone. I got out of his way and went and sat at the dining room table even though I could still see him through the serving window. Whoever had built this house wanted a restaurant vibe due to the fact we had a very large, open dining and living room with a slightly smaller kitchen which was separated by a wall with a serving window in the centre. He had been previously wearing a white long sleeved shirt and jeans but had changed into a black jumper that he had just bought because the tags were still hanging out the back. I attempted not to actively stare at him and focus on something else. I picked up a book though the words weren't computing in my brain.

"You know that book is upside down right?" He asked me after hanging up the phone. I shook myself out of my daydream to notice I was indeed trying to read Harry Potter upside down.

"Well you see I have read it so many times so I'm just trying to get a new perspective," I explained putting the book back down on the table.

"Ahh yes, that makes sense. I will have to give it a go sometime," He replied smirking.