"Nice fall, Mia."
I turn my head as I rush down the hallway, barely making eye contact with some stranger ten feet away. He's smirking obnoxiously.
"Thanks," I force, ready to throw up for the umpteenth time this day, and keep walking. This has been my whole day, random people around the convention commenting on my fall. The first time it was actually pretty funny. The second time I laughed again, maybe a little less, and the third I just gave up. Now at half past five in the afternoon, I'm ready to strangle someone with my shoelace.
Honestly, my leg doesn't even hurt anymore unless I mess with it or hit it against something. I practically forget it's scraped until random people come and remind me. SitC is usually tiring, but with all this added craziness I'm just about to run to my hotel room and eat an entire jar of Nutella in bed while watching Netflix, but then PJ reminds me of my "previous engagement."
"Mia, didn't you say you'd come to dinner with me?" he asks, after calling me from his room just as I open up the jar filled with delicious hazelnut cream. As we talk, the smell of sweet chocolate butter fills the room, only making me want the Nutella more.
Deadpanning, I set the jar back down on the counter. There goes my free time. "Oh shit, totally forgot about that. I'll be down in just a minute, bye!" I hang up and give one last longing look at the Nutella before turning to my suitcase, debating what to wear. After a long day, I really don't want to stay in a dress and tights. Casona isn't fancy at all, and since as far as I know it's just going to be PJ and I, I put on a pair of grey men's sweatpants and a black t shirt, not even bothering with makeup.
I'm giving myself one last glance in the mirror when there's a loud knocking from the front of the room, presumably PJ. I glare through the wood of the door, imagining him there, obsessively checking his phone for texts from me.
"Coming!" I yell, tying my hair up and opening the door with one hand. As expected, PJ stands there on his phone, jumping a little when I barge out.
"Oh, good, you're coming," he says, "Dan and Phil are going with us, if that's okay. They're waiting in the lobby."
I force a smile, suddenly wishing I'd put on some makeup, "Yeah, that sounds good, fine." To anyone but PJ and myself I look perfectly chill, but we both know I'm dying on the inside. No, that's not okay.
"Don't worry, they're really cool. I'm pretty sure Dan owns those sweatpants."
I widen my eyes in a look of panic, "He probably does! They're men's pants! I'm pretty sure I bought them just because they looked like his!"
PJ just laughs at me, the supportive friend he is. "Honestly though, Dan and Phil will not judge. As long as you don't act like too much of a freak, which I know you won't, you'll be fine." He wraps me up and a hug and I let his curls touch my face.
"Thanks Peej," I mumble, happy for the support. We break apart and start the walk towards the elevators.
I look at him, "Oh, and PJ?" I ask. He looks back at me.
"Yeah?" he asks.
"Don't count on me not being a freak."
We laugh, even though me being socially awkward is a very possible threat, and press the button on the elevator to go down.
The lift comes up to our floor and we step in. The inside walls are filled with mirrors, except for the ceiling and floor. PJ whips out his camera, of course.
You can't have PJ without his little digital vlogging camera, especially not in a cool setting like a mirror-filled elevator. I snap a picture too, but that's just for myself. I have a feeling this is going in an actual video for PJtheKick.
"Well, after a long day of hosting and entertaining and most definitely falling, we are heading to dinner! Are you ready Mia?" asks PJ. I smile.
"Fuck yeah," I say, baring my teeth to look as threatening as possible and probably still ending up looking adorable.
"Anyways, we're going to meet Dan and Phil in the lobby and take the Tube!" The lift doors open right on cue and PJ turns off the camera, placing it in his blue and white sweatshirt pocket.
There are Dan and Phil, sitting on stools around a short coffee table in the lobby. I don't know how they've managed to sit out here without getting mobbed, I know how the Phandom can get. I was in it once, and as soon as one person sees Dan and Phil in the lobby it's all over Twitter. We stroll over, subconsciously watching for anyone who might see us and cause a riot or something.
We get all the way across the lobby to them and say hello, not bothering to sit down with them. We're leaving in just a second anyways. "Hey Dan!" says PJ, "I feel like we haven't seen each other at all!" He's not being sarcastic. During the commotion of today's hosting, we haven't been able to see anyone but the people backstage and each other.
"Hi, I'm Mia," I say, directing my attention to Phil. He smiles.
"Phil. You hosted today, right?" I smile. Finally, someone hasn't mentioned the stupid fall. I think I'm going to like Phil.
PJ turns towards me, smiling. I hope he hasn't been telling Dan all about how much I love Dan and Phil, and how I was a massive fangirl until just a few years ago. I mean, I still watch their videos and all, but it's not like I write fanfic anymore. I just casually watch them, like a mature adult.
"By the way," begins PJ, realizing that he hasn't done any sort of introduction between Dan and I, "This is Mia, she'll be joining us tonight. She's the one who fell." I blush a little and roll my eyes, trying to brush it off. Good job Peej, go on and remind me once more of how I tripped onstage. Because I've obviously forgotten already.
"Hello Dan," I say, smiling and trying to pretend PJ hasn't pissed me off even more. Of all people, PJ brings this up. He knows I just want it all to be over with. I'm sure in a few years this is going to make a great story, even in a few months, but right now I just want to go to bed and wake up like it never happened. Of course, I know that's impossible, but a girl can dream.
"Hi Mia," he says. PJ and Phil start to head to the front of the lobby, as PJ has apparently already ordered an Uber. We follow, walking side by side. PJ and Phil are having their own little conversation, and I feel like neither of us are really the type to butt in.
Dan looks at me, "Have we met before?" he asks, squinting a little. I shrug.
"Well I mean, as PJ said, I'm suddenly pretty famous after my little fall onstage. But I do have a channel. WatchMiaRun? And I've been in a few of Peej's films."
He nods, as if in deep thought. "Maybe we've met on set. And of course I've seen you falling, although I'm sure you want to forget that ever happened."
"Definitely. Suddenly I really empathize with Jennifer Lawrence."
Dan laughs and smiles that stupid little smirk, the one I used to cry over. Funny how I believed we would never meet; that he would never know I existed. Oh, look how the tables have turned. His hair is even a little curly, maybe from stress or the long day. Fifteen year old me would be having a nervous breakdown right now.
I realize now that I've been staring at Dan's face for a little too long now, so I look back at my feet. Hopefully Dan didn't notice.
"I like your sweatpants," says Dan, smiling a little more.
My face is probably blushing bright red at this point. "Yeah, I know, they're men's sweatpants. I thought it was just going to be PJ and I, not you and Phil too."
He pouts, "Aw, sorry. I think you look fine."
I smile a little, trying to wish the red out of my face, "Thanks," I say, "You look nice too." Dan's as casual looking as I am, in just a jumper and some worn skinny jeans. I'm surprised he's not in something more fashionable or whatever, being Dan Howell and all.
"So you used to be a fangirl?" he asks. I guess he's watched one of my old videos, which pretty much consisted of me raving about Dan and Phil while occasionally adding in Pokemon.
"Yeah," I say, playing with the hem of my shirt and trying to appear as small as possible, "I was. I'm more a casual viewer now, though. That was back when I was a teenager. I'm twenty now." Dan smiles and looks over at Phil, almost lovingly.
"I guess you know that I used to be a massive fan of Phil. Back when people didn't have millions of subscribers and Twitter followers." I smile.
"I've heard that," I say, "I really regret ever being like that, though... Ugh. When I was sixteen I realized how silly it was and how you all were really just people. I deleted my old Tumblr and everything... Sometimes I wish I hadn't done that, though. I don't know."
Dan laughs. "Doesn't everyone have that awful time in their lives they wish they could just erase from all memory? I mean, just look at my first video. And my website, and my Tumblr theme." He trails off and just frowns to himself.
We get to the cab and stop with PJ and Phil, getting into the backseat together. The others are talking about their days or something like that, I wouldn't know.
"So how long have you and PJ been friends?" asks Dan, "I hear him talk about you a bit, but there's never been a face to the name."
I shrug, trying to count out the years. "God, I don't know. Three, four? He asked me to be in a film with him forever ago and we've been close ever since."
We join the conversation with Phil and PJ after that, talking all the way to the restaurant. Nothing really important comes up, just that everyone is tired as fuck and we need something to eat now.
The waiter sits us in a booth in a corner, Dan across from me and PJ across from Phil. PJ and I are next to each other, a little squished in the seat. It isn't uncomfortable, but all our legs are so long we're all sort of touching knees under the table. That, and I keep making spontaneous eye contact with Dan.
Our drinks come and we take sips of coffee while talking about the day to PJ's camera.
"Some girl licked my hand!" says Phil, "She just grabbed it and licked it!" I smile.
Dan nods vigorously, "Yeah, it was pretty weird. But also a successful meetup, if I do say so myself." I nod.
"Yeah, and PJ and I are having meetups tomorrow, so we'll have out own share of stories," I say. Once the food arrives the banter slows down a little, since our mouths are stuffed with food.
I rarely talk while eating, mostly because I'm scared of having food in my mouth. I don't, usually, but when I was younger food stuck to my braces like magnets and I couldn't afford to have braces and braces with food stuck in them. So even though I had the braces taken out around five years ago, I keep my mouth closed as much as possible while eating, or at least behind a hand.
"Would you guys want to come back to my room to play some Wii after this?" asks PJ. By this time we've finished our food and are waiting for the bill, staying quiet as we enjoy the last tastes of our food.
"Of course," I say, standing up from my chair. PJ snorts, laughing at my eagerness.
"I knew you would come, I'm asking Dan and Phil!" He knows getting to bed late is no problem for me, and that even if it was I would never turn down Mario Kart. Phil shrugs and Dan beams, white teeth showing.
"Of course!" says Dan, "I didn't know you did video games too, Mia."
I smile, "Well, I'd say I'm just as good as PJ when it comes to Mario Kart."
Dan raises an eyebrow, "Really. Well, we'll have to see if you can beat me. I'm known as the Mario Kart expert in our house, you know.
I beam at him, a competitive feeling in the air. I have a feeling tonight is going to be rather interesting.