PJ
I had been down in Brighton filming and my train had been delayed by an hour and a half so I decided to walk along the boardwalk vlogging. I saw a seagull gunning for a woman's ice cream and I knew I had to capture it on film, I would add my own unique voice over later.
That's when I saw this girl standing a few meters in front of me holding a camera; she too was capturing the seagull. I could only see the back of her head but I could make out all the different shades of blue in her dark chocolate coloured hair, and how when the last of the sun hit them the lighter shades almost shimmered. I wanted to see what she looked like from the front so I walked up alongside her as she finished taking some photos.
'Why do we always smile at other people's misery?'
I only said that because she had smiled when the seagull had taken the ice cream. I wasn't expecting her to turn around to face me with her camera still up blocking her face, but when she pulled it down my breath was taken away.
She was beautiful, a red beanie rested on her head so that her fringe stuck out underneath it, she wore no makeup which I liked in a girl. The weather was still warm and she was wearing shorts which showed off her legs along with a Pokémon t-shirt which I had seen online but never bought and a pair of converse which looked like they had seen better days. They were covered in dirt and paint splatters.
'I've never asked that question before. I'm Alice by the way.'
She put out her hand and I shook it.
'Call me PJ.'
I waited for some sort of reaction; in Brighton I often got recognised. I didn't think my channel was big enough for recognition on the streets but it happened on occasion and I loved my fans.
'I've seen your face somewhere PJ.'
I liked how my name sounded when she said it. She then clicked her fingers together.
'I watch your videos, I love your channel.'
I ran my hand through my hair and smiled, was she one of the more crazy fans?
'Thanks.'
'I'm not some crazy fan girl PJ; I actually found your channel when I was at university. Your videos made me want to experiment with my own filmmaking.'
ALICE
It looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, I never thought of myself as a 'crazy' fan girl, 'normal' fan girl yes but never obsessed. I had my siblings to thank for my normality around their YouTube friends, but if I ever met any other youtubers outside of Zoe and Joe's circle I knew then I would have to dial down the crazy.
PJ
Alice came across as pretty cool and laidback, I knew we couldn't just stand staring at each other in silence and a part of me wanted to know more about her.
'Would you like to get an ice cream with me?'
She chuckled, I then realised the irony after we had just witnessed someone lose an ice cream to a seagull. I mentally face palmed.
'I would love to PJ, as long as one of us is on seagull patrol.'
'Agreed, we'll take shifts Alice.'
ALICE
We walked down the boardwalk chatting amongst ourselves, PJ asked if I minded being in his vlog, I couldn't say no outright because he would ask why. But my hair was different and no one needed to know my last name. I agreed hoping the fading light would keep my identity secret.
I ordered a chocolate ice cream while PJ went wacky and chose banana, once outside he turned on his camera.
'Lovely evening for an ice cream, my train got delayed so I was stuck wondering around Brighton that was until I bumped into someone.'
He then turned the camera on me and I waved awkwardly.
'Hello.'
PJ got us both in shot as we made our way back to the boardwalk.
'Tell the lovely people your name.'
'Well lovely people I'm Alice and I live here in jolly Brighton.'
I motioned around the surrounding area with my free arm and PJ made the camera follow me.
'I'll catch up with you guys in a bit; I really want my ice cream.'
As PJ spoke to the camera an idea popped into my head. I made sure I was in shot before I licked his ice cream, I then pulled a funny face at the camera.
'Yuck. Banana.'
PJ turned towards me before looking down at his ice cream cone, a playful smile on his lips.
'Did you lick my ice cream?'
I shook my head but I couldn't help but smirk, PJ turned back to the camera and raised a single eyebrow.
'Well I get a lick of yours then Miss Alice.'
I shook my head again and licked my ice cream savouring the yummy chocolate.
'You'll have to catch me first PJ.'
PJ took a step towards me but I dodged around him and started running down the boardwalk. Behind me I could hear PJ laughing.
PJ
I shrugged my shoulders at the camera as I watched Alice run away in front of me.
'Challenge accepted.'
I switched off the camera and began to jog after her; luckily she wasn't running that fast so I caught up quickly. However she stopped directly in front of me and before I could even prepare myself she turned around and pushed her ice cream on my nose.
'You said you wanted some.'
She shot me an innocent face but I soon began seeing through the cracks as she tried to hold back her own laughter.
'Oh my god PJ this would make a great photo moment.'
I tilted my head to the side.
'How so I'm the one with ice cream on my nose.'
She shoved her cone into my hand and pulled the camera from around her neck. She obviously saw the confusion written on my face.
'Get your revenge PJ and then we'll both have ice cream noses.'
'You're crazy.'
She smiled.
'No PJ, I'm unique.'
This girl was out of this world, we didn't really know much about each other but here we were acting like we'd known each other for ages. It was impossible to fall in love in such a short space of time wasn't it? I hoped I got to see more of her in the future.
Alice was staring up at me obviously waiting for me to get my revenge. I just decided to go with the flow and shoved the ice cream in her face. She didn't seem fazed at all.
'Smile PJ, remember we'll always have Brighton.'
I got in closer to her and we both pulled a number of faces ranging from serious to funny to semi serious and then back to funny. We took some photos on my camera as well before we both wiped the ice cream off each other's noses.
'My nose smells like chocolate PJ.'
I shook my head at her randomness before patting her on the head like a child.
'Whatever you say dear.'
'Ah you two are such a cute couple.'
Both Alice and I looked over to see an elderly couple who must have been walking down the boardwalk also. I saw a blush creep onto Alice's face before she tried to hide her face, did we look like a couple?
'Oh we're not a couple.'
The elderly couple sighed at my statement.
'Hopefully the future is bright for you two kids.'
Then they walked off hand in hand leaning against each other.
'Is it cheesy that I want that one day PJ?'
Alice was standing by my side staring at the couple as she spoke. I looked down at her and breathed in, it wasn't cheesy at all.
'Who knows Alice?'
I saw a flash go off; Alice had taken a photo of me.
'I wanted an intellectual looking photo.'
She was one of a kind. I looked down at my phone and saw that I had less than 15 minutes to get to the train station.
'Crap I've got to catch a train.'
Alice turned off her camera and placed it back around her neck before pulling out her own phone.
'Let's exchange numbers PJ. I liked tonight, I needed to forget something and you made me forget for a bit.'
We typed each other's numbers into our phones, I looked down and saw that Alice had typed 'Alice S' what was her last name?
'Don't I get a last name as well Alice?'
She shook her head and put a finger to her lips.
'If you knew right now you'd treat me differently and I don't want to be treated differently, I always am when someone finds out who I'm related to.'
I didn't want to pry any further but it did make her more of a mystery, which I'd happily solve if I got to see her again.
ALICE
I walked PJ to the train station and we hugged before he boarded his train and set off out of my life. I didn't know if we would see each other again but I prayed that we did. I liked Dan and I was crushing on Finn but they knew my true identity where as PJ didn't, he treated me like I was actually my own person.
Did we make a cute couple? That elderly couple thought so back on the boardwalk.
As I walked back to the flat I looked through the photos on my camera, PJ and I did look good together even when we were messing around. I just needed to remember that he was one of Dan's best friends and Dan would most likely see the vlog. Would Dan tell PJ who I actually was just to spite me for not contacting him? No one would stoop that low.