My best friend and I were walking down the street. I was going on and on about how absolutely the new Maze Runner movie was. "It wasn't as amazing as the book, obviously, but hey! They can't be like the books..." I continued, oblivious to the fact that she was on her phone, ignoring me. This was a constant thing. See, since I was young, I'd been dying to be an actress. When I'd watched Nanny McFee, I'd fallen in love with the movie. Later, a lot of other movies came up and I became obsessed with Thomas Sangster instead. He was my hero. He was a really good actor and I looked up to him completely.
I took a breath and stopped, realizing that she wasn't listening. I joked that I wished I had a friend who cared about Thomas as much as I did, but I wouldn't change it for the world. She was obsessed with Dylan O'Brian and didn't have much liking for Thomas at all.
Oh well. Her loss.
We were headed out to lunch and were walking there. We knew the way by heart as we went there every other day with each other without fail. So I day dreamed and she texted and we chilled in pleasant silence as only best friends could. Suddenly she stopped. I turned around and realized she's run into someone. "I'm sorry," the person said. I saw the back of him but he seemed familiar.
"Nah, it's my fault. No harm no-" She froze, her eyes having risen to the boy's face. Her eyes went wide and her mouth snapped shut.
I cocked an eyebrow and called her name. "What's the matter with you?" I asked, smacking her arm. She pointed.I looked over and it clicked together.
It was Dylan O'Brien.
"Um," he said. He'd been soft before but looked irritated now. He probably got this all the time. I could just imagine how irritating it must be.
"Sorry, excuse my friend," I apologized. "She's a big fan of yours," I smiled sheepishly.
He looked at me with surprise. "No problem," he said robotically. Someone walked up to us but I turned to my best friend, trying to get her to stop gawking.
"Have a nice day!" I called. Then my eyes locked on to the new person's. Holy. Fucking. Shit.
"Is everything okay, Dylan?" None other than Thomas Brodie-Sangster asked.
Don't fan girl. Chill out. Chill out. Lock it up. Chill the fuck out.
I took a deep breath and lowered my eyes to Dylan. "Nothing's wrong," he said, smirking, having noticed my second of panic when I saw Thomas. He was waiting for me to fan girl. So what? I can't be a fan without losing my head? Boys...
"We'll be going," I said, nodding to Dylan and then to Thomas. "Sorry she bumped into you. Again."
"What's your name?" Dylan asked. Thomas saw my friends face and noticed her eyes locked on Dylan and the situation clicked on his head. He looked at me with the same surprise Dylan had earlier. THEY BOTH ARE SURPRISED IM NOT FREAKING OUT?!
Either they're cocky or just so used to girls fawning this is weird. Well, time to bring them down a notch and prove that girls are strong too. "That's for me to know, and you to not," I said sassily. I gave up trying to push her and snagged her arm, pulling her away. I put her in her car and snapped my fingers in front of her face until she was out of it. "Go home. We can do dinner tonight," I told her. She nodded silently and drove off, embarrassed by her break down. I leaned against my car next to hers and took a deep breath. I covered my mouth and squealed into my sleeve. Then I stopped. "Okay. I'm good now," I told myself. I shook myself off and decided that I was okay.
"Are you?"
I spun around. I closed my eyes in resignation once I saw who was there. "You saw- and I-" I sighed.
Thomas chuckled. "That's admirable. To act so calm when you were exploding inside," he teased.
I cocked an eyebrow. "Well, I'm trying to learn how to act," I said simply.
"You are, are you?" The way he said it was almost flirty and I looked away a second to try and stabilize my emotions so I wouldn't blush or start being ridiculous now.
I shrugged. "It's eh. I'm actually heading back to my job though so... Nice to meet you, Thomas," I ended pleasantly.
"What's your job?" He asked.
Losing my grip, I blushed. Telling someone famous my job... "It's- uh- nothing. Really..." I bit my lip. "But I have to go."
"Can I get your number at least?" He asked innocently. My insides exploded and I swallowed. "Or your name?" He offered.
Forcing myself steady, I shook it off though I was literally dying inside. If you want to be an actress, you need to be used to acting. I smiled. "Y/n. My name's Y/n," I said.
He nodded. "Nice name. And... Your number?"
"How cheeky." I rolled my eyes and snagged a sticky note out of my bag. I scribbled my number and name on it and handed it to him. "Now, I really have to go..." I said. He smiled, taking the sticky note, and and nodded, stepping back. I got in my car and drove away. Woah. So that happened.
I pulled into the busy street and parked in a run down restaurant. It was a run down part of town but popular as street performers where found on every street cover for miles in all directions. I found my usual spot and set down a plastic box and my jacket. People paused as I stepped forward.
So, it wasn't a real job. I was a street performer. Sue me. But I did have to work certain hours because that's when the most people were around.
I began with Shakespeare stuff first but then followed onto poems I just knew. A lot of Edgar Allen Poe, as those were mostly monologues. I ended with my usual "O Captain My Captain" before I did my finale. Everyone was watching with intensity and staring at me. Quite the crowd had gathered and now I stood on the crate to see out above all of them. "And now, I will share a story, of a love sick man and the love of his life." I smiled to each of them.
I started with a casual voice as the story began. Casual, but reminiscent and happy.
"It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea.
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
But the name of Annabelle Lee."
I paused, letting my voice lift in a pondering way.
"This maiden she lived
With no other thought
Than to love and be loved
By me."
This was pleasant and I smiled sweetly at my crowd.
"She was a child
And I was a child
In this kingdom by the sea
But we loved with a love
That was more than love
I and my Annabelle Lee."
Here I put in hand waved and movements, getting intense and letting them really feel the love he felt for her.
"With a love that the
Wingéd serifs of heaven
Coveted her and me!"
This part was grand and I basically shouted it. But then I paused for a few seconds, allowing my hands to fall and my voice to drop. Sadness came over every face and I knew I was triumphant.
"This is why, long ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud by night
Chilling my Annabelle Lee."
My voice broke at the end, my head hanging.
"So her highborn kinsmen came
And bore her away from me."
I let the pain and sorrow turn to anger steadily and my eyes actually teared up. My fists clenched and so did my jaw.
"And they SHUT her in a sepulcher
In this kingdoms by the sea."
I sighed, as if I was used to this anger and pain and knew I had to calm down. I let my shoulders fall and I looked up, making my smile faker.
"The Angels,
Not half as happy in Heaven,
Went to envying her and me.
This is why-
As all men know in the kingdom by the sea-
A wind let out of a cloud by night chilling
And killing
My Annabelle Lee"
I paused a millisecond to let myself get a little happier.
"But our love was stronger
By far then the love
Of those older than we.
Of many far wider than we."
I let my voice become pleasant and I let my smile become more relaxed and natural. My happiness grew a little as I played the part of remembering the good times.
"And neither the Angels in Heaven,
Not the demons down below the sea,
Could ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful
Annabelle Lee."
I was smiling a small, shy smile now, looking into no where at a spot in the ground, as if seeing her.
"For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabelle Lee
And the stars never shine,
But I see the bright eyes
Of the beautiful
Annabelle Lee.
And through all the nigh tide
I lay down by the side
Of my darling, my darling
My wife, my bride.
In her sepulcher by the sea.
In her tomb by the side of the sea..."
My voice dropped quietly and everyone leaned in to hear. I looked up as I finished, indicating I was done. Applause erupted and I smiled, nodding slightly. People left money in my jacket and I collected it all, shoving the bag I put them in in my pocket and picking up my crate.
"That was amazing," someone said behind me.
"Thank you," I said back distractedly. "I'm here every day. Every other day I sing and you CAN request," I rattled off. I hefted my stuff as I turned around. "Th-Thomas?" I blurted, shocked.
He smiled. "Hi."
I blushed super hard. "You- you saw me? And-" I paused. "And you liked it?"
He chuckled. "You're good. I didn't mean to see you, actually. I'd heard about this street and saw you performing. I came over just in time to see the last two poems."
I sighed. "Man. You missed it then."
"Missed what?"
"I-" I stopped. "Never mind."
"What?" He rose an eyebrow and I raised a hand to run the back of my neck.
"I... Did a poem from a movie I watched. It was a segment mentioned and performed in this said movie and... Yeah." I cleared my throat. "It's one of my favorites."
"What movie?" Thomas asked knowingly.
"A-a good movie," I stuttered, blushing.
"What is the title of the movie?" He asked. "The title one would refer to this movie as?" He added, being meticulous and purposeful so i couldn't dodge his question.
Caught, I bit my lip. I sighed, letting my shoulders sag. "My Left Hand Man," I admitted, defeated.
"I knew it!" He exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes. "Know what?"
"I KNEW you were a fan! I doubted it for a second because you were so calm but when you did the scene from my movie with so much emotion and excitement and a lot like how I did it, I knew immediately that you knew!"
I threw my hands up in 4the air. "I'm a fan! Okay? You win!" I roled my eyes, almost laughing.
He paused. "How much do you know about me? I should get to know this before I admit I have a crush on you," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Embarrassed, I laughed. "Geez, what is it? Tease The Secret Fan Girl Day?" I asked sarcastically.
"No. I actually think you're really cool," he said plainly.
Surprised, I looked at him. "What?"
He looked back evenly. "I kinda have a crush on you?" He offered sheepishly. "I'm not ashamed to crush on a beautiful woman."
I opened my mouth then closed it, swallowing. After a pause I shoved him lightly. He took a step back, laughing. "Slim it," I grumbled.
"And a Maze Runner fan too!" He pointed out, highly amused. It was vert easy to talk to him and after the shock faded, I actually managed to level with him. It became natural and teasing. I rolled my eyes and started walking away. "Wait wait! Y/n, come on!" He said, following easily.
"I'm not going to talk to you," I called over my shoulder.
"Why not?" He asked.
Now that he couldn't see my face, I let a little more emotion into it. "Because," was all I gave back.
Thomas kept close behind me, giving me space without losing me in the crowd. "Because?" He pushed.
Trying to keep it together, I slammed my crate in the car then closed my door. "Because," I repeated, turning to face him sharply. I felt angry and embarrassed and awkward but I didn't want to leave this attractive man that was so infuriatingly easy to talk to.
He rose an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because what?"
"BECAUSE... Because the guy that I've looked up to since I was like ten and have been obsessed with the past year, and idolized my entire life- The guy who I've talked nonstop about ever since the Maze Runner came out because he played my favorite character just told me I'm beautiful and is teasing me about having the biggest celebrity crush I think there ever was, there is, or there ever will be, and I'm trying my hardest not to fan girl because I don't want to be jut another fan because your opinion matters to me and I like you a lot! Ugh." I leaned against my car and let my face fall in my hands. "And I just admitted all that to you."
I felt a finger on my chin and I looked up to see his face really close to mine. "I admire you for that. For putting my comfort over your own. Thank you. And I'm flattered beyond belief and ridiculously glad that I inspired you so in your acting because you're amazing. I find myself extremely drawn to you and it's very strange."
"Do you fancy me, Mr. Sangster?" I asked, smiling a little despite my heart exploding and turning to goo in my chest.
His expression turned soft. "I believe I do," he confirmed softly.
My eyes widened a little. "You don't fancy people often," I said as if he didn't know.
"I don't," he agreed. "You're just that special." I blushed even more. "Will you still talk to me?" He whispered. I nodded stiffly. He leaned back. "Good! See you soon, Y/n." And then he walked away.
"What just happened?" I whispered, absolutely breathless.