Teardrops of Roses [Completed]

Chapter 21: Lea, she's here!

"Hold on a minute," The director interrupts suddenly as he reached down into his pocket, pulling his buzzing phone out. He squinted at the screen, unaware that his glasses were sitting unhelpfully at the top of his greying hair. "She's here but apparently she doesn't know where to park and needs someone to go fetch her..."

"Cassie, Jane." Mrs. Collins nodded quickly at them seeing as they were the closest to the door.

"On it, Mrs Collins." Cassie replied chirpily with such great conviction that you would think she was a honour student, and not the one always who always got detention. Jane who was standing with Annie shifted slightly and looked a little complacent.

"I'll take Annie and meet up with you guys, don't worry." I smiled at her. Jane gave a quick thumbs up to the both of I before going off to chase Cassie who had already long disappeared down the corridor. 

"You lot may go too." Mrs. Collins said to guys. They each got up and headed out the door with the filming guys taking their big camera and equipment with them. Max flashed me a warm smile and whispered a small "hey" on his way out. I gave him a small wave before turning my attention towards Annie.

I walking over her a little nervously. "Hi, how are ya today? I suppose we'd better go and find the them."

"Hey Rose I'm great. And yeah we'd better or else Cassie would've showed Lea everything by now" she laughed heartily. "So it seems that everyone's been chatting non-stop about all of this, even I'm excited to see her. I bet she's a stunner in person."

"Oh she's absolutely gorgeous," I replied thinking of the few star-struck times I'd seen her as I pushed Annie out before we hit the corner of the door. It took a little while to get used to the weight of the wheelchair, but I managed to get the hang of maneuvering it around the corners. She wasn't heavy at all so it wasn't too hard to get the momentum going, but I was feeling a little bit nervous now that I was alone with Annie. I wasn't the best at being the first to approach someone or to make new friends, I just really wanted her to like me.

"She looks even better in person, like an actual Barbie." I chatted enthusiastically to get past my worries. "And she's so tall in real life! When she wears her heels it's like all you can see is her. And her hair... Oh my gosh her hair is so lush, and long and blonde–" I stopped myself in absolute horror, turning sheet white as I noticed Annie's bald scalp in front of my face.

STUPID! 

I'd been too caught up in babbling about my idol to realise my mistake. I wanted to kick myself. 

Annie, hearing my sudden pause reached up and rubbed the pale skin on the back of her head with her hands. "Rose," She said, turning around and meeting my eyes.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, I didn't mean to at all. I wasn't thinking..." I muttered ashamed.

"Aww you didn't offend me. Don't worry, it's not a big deal. Having no hair and talking about other people's hair really doesn't bother me at all." She smiled brightly and patted my hands which were on the handle.

"Still, I'm so sorry Annie." I felt my lip quiver slightly. "It was insensitive."

"No, no no..." Annie hushed, giving my hands a squeeze. "Don't be silly. I'm perfectly fine with it, I miraculously still have my eyebrows and eyelashes, though they are quite patchy, so it's not like I feel totally naked. In fact it's been quite nice not worrying about how my hair looks everyday. I quite like it."

I straightened myself up and began forward to move once more. How could I let her be the one to comfort me when I had been the careless one, she was already going through so much.
We made our way slowly towards the staff carpark. It was the same one next to the English department where Mr. Green and I had been that day when it was storming.