Beyond Fangirl

Green Flowers

After my first day of school James and his friends invited me to the cinema with them. They insisted that we see the newest Thor movie which everyone, except Mina loved.
"How did you guys even like that movie?" Mina challenged us as we left the theatre. "Too many things were happening at the same time and it was all just a bunch of dead people and screaming." Justin turned and glared at her.
"It was so intense and filled with plot twist after plot twist. I mean after Loki took over all of Earth and whatever! Holy! That was so amazing." Mina rolled her eyes as Sarge and Justin talked about the movie.
The six of us walked down the street. The sky was dark blue with a couple silver stars twinkling down on the city. Taxi's zoomed down the street and a handful of people bustled around, talking loudly or not at all.
Before arriving at home, half of the group left to hang out at the bar a block or two away from my building. Being only 20 I wasn't even allowed in if I wanted to, so Tony and James accompanied me to my flat. Tony, however left my place shortly after picking up a snack so she could get home.
After reviewing some notes from school, I slipped into bed and had the best sleep I'd had in weeks.

~~~

Dan picked me up the next day exactly when he said. We took the underground there and arrived at the cinema 45 minutes later.
"Do you wanna pick up a hotdog or something?" Dan asked.
"Sure. How much time do we have?" He took out his phone.
"Uh, an hour." Before he put his phone back into his back pocket, I noticed a message from Phil on the lockscreen. He either didn't notice it or he just ignored it. "Do you want something from Frank's or we can see if there's anything else down the street." Frank's was a little diner that mostly served hotdogs and hamburgers. Despite it's grungy appearance, I had heard it served amazing food.
"Doesn't matter." He looked at me straight on and raised his eyebrows.
"I'm good with whatever you want." Dan replied and I smirked.
"Really? Because that is what I was going to say." He followed me lead and smirked. Dan's eyes lit up and his crooked smile made my heart melt.
"I would love for you to choose. I was, after all the person to invite you here."
"Yes, which is exactly my point." I hadn't realized until now how close he was to me.
"I strongly believe that you should be the one to choose." He said more softly then before.
"Is that right?" He leaned over and kissed me. Sneaking his hand to rest on the small of my back. Before I could decide what to do with my hands we had parted. "You win. Let's walk down the street and see if we can find anywhere else to go." Dan grinned and nodded.
There wasn't much down the street. A hair solon and a grubby, old bar. We chose to head back to Frank's and get a burger each. I followed Dan to 2 empty bar stools and sat down, hamburger and cola in my hand. We chatted while eating but our conversations would hit dead points and be filled with an awkward silence. I finished my burger a minute or 2 after he finished his and when I did I took my phone out to check the time.
"Crap!" I jumped up, off the stool. Dan turned to me, clearly confused.
"What's wrong?" His eyes gleamed with worry.
"The movie's starting in 5 minutes."
"Fuck!" He leaped off his stool, grabbed my hand and dragged my out on to the street. We ran threw the doors of the cinema and arrived behind a line of people in front of the box office. I groaned. Dan led me to the back and we waited for the line to diminish. Already 10 minutes late, we sat down in the theatre. Nearly a quarter way through, Dan reached for my hand that rested on my lap. We sat like that, hand-in-hand for the remainder of the film.
When it was over, we exited, still holding hands, and walked back to the underground.
"Were you crying? When that kid died?" Dan asked after a while.
"No!...yes." He laughed and I glared at him.
"It's fine. I did too." I raised my eyebrows. "Honest." I smiled and turned to face the front of the underground train. Dan leaned over and kiss me on me cheek. I replied by pivoting on my toes and kissing him on the lips.
"Get a room!" A teenager shouted at us while walking by. I leaned away and turned back, beaming.

~~~

The next day I got a call from Green Flowers for an job interview. It was incredibly casual and the manager was the sweetest, old lady named Meredith. After a review of my resumé she pretty much asked me a question or two and gave me a tour of the café. She told me stories about her, the origin of café name and even her menu ideas. We pretty much spent a hour or two chatting.
I would work Sunday afternoons and nearly everyday after school if I was available. They were extremely flexible so I could pretty much come in whenever I wanted.
"You know, dear. You remind me of me when I was your age." She gazed off sentimentally. "Always dreaming and filled with ambition. Plus because of our gorgeousness we were constantly surrounded by handsome men." Meredith winked, her silver hair shone in the sunlight streaming through the windows.

~~~

The weekend finally arrived, after a week of school. I had a pile of homework so I immediately sat down in the dining room and splayed notebooks and textbooks all over the table. I never liked grade school. Never had I hated it but there were so many other things that I wished I could do. University, on the other hand was very different. I chose courses that I was passionate about, so I was totally immersed in my work when I got a call from Dan.
"Hello Lil. Are you busy tonight?"
"Besides homework, no. I can do that on Saturday and Sunday, though."
"Wonderful. Would you like to come over?" What? "Oh fuck. That was not at all what I meant. Forget that. I never said anything."
I smirked but forgot that he couldn't actually see me so I said, "Ooookay."
"Would you like to watch movie or hang out at my house tonight. We can go out for dinner as well, if you want. Plus Phil will be there, at my house that is, so that will make it less awkward." He paused. "Or more awkward."
"I would love to. I get there as soon as I...oh. I need your address."
"Oh god. Yes. Sorry." He recited his home address and I promised to arrive as soon as I was ready.

~~~

I pressed the buzzer and Dan opened the door not long after.
"Hello." He said. Phil popped up behind him.
"Welcome to our den." He said and opened his arms up gesturing to the room around him.
"Our den?"
"That's the first thing I could think of." Phil shrugged and I walked in.
"This is so weird." I muttered. Phil looked at me, his eyes large as if he was personally offended at my comment. I quickly shook my head and corrected myself. "No sorry. It's just because I've always seen you flat in your videos and now I'm in it. I don't know, never mind."
"No I get it." Phil said. "I was like that with like every youtuber I finally met." I silently praised him for saving me from this awkward moment I had created. I looked over at Dan who was staring at me the way you would stare at an adorable puppy. There was a little, crooked smile on his face that made me blush.
"So, do you want to get something to eat or I don't know, we could watch a movie." Dan asked.
"Um, I'm not actually hungry at the moment, so we could start a movie I guess. What do you have?" I followed Dan to the living room. The television was surrounded by thousands of games consoles and cords.
"Ignore the mess." Dan muttered. He shoved away a Guitar Hero guitar and opened the cupboard under the TV to reveal a collection of DVDs. "We've also got Netflix." He took out a few disks and I looked around, picking up a video games disk.
"You know," I stated, holding up a Donkey Kong Xbox disk as well as a few other. "I've never actually played any of these before" Dan spun around and I heard Phil say something un legible from another room.
"What? I can't believe I have a crush on a girl who has never played video games before!" Dan cried. Crush?
"No, that's not true. I've played like Super Mario Bros and, whats that one with the cars and guns."
Dan looked unimpressed, "Grand Theft Auto?"
"Oh yeah."
"That is depressing. We're playing Donkey Kong. You good with that?" Before letting me answer, he reached over and grabbed the case from my hands and slid it into the Xbox. Phil walked into the room with a bowl of microwave popcorn and put it on the table. He sat down on the couch beside me and Dan handed me a controller.
"You playing?" He nodded toward Phil.
"Sure." The television turned on, glowing white with the Xbox logo centred on the screen. Dan showed me how to play and after many Game Overs, laughing from Phil and an exasperated Dan. I finished all the levels in World 1, or Dan and Phil finished World 1 while I figured out every way to loose lives.
"Well I'm crap at that." I said leaning back on the couch.
"Hmm really? I didn't notice." Dan replied rolling his eyes. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "You're not crap at that." He muttered so quietly I barely heard him. I blushed and he rested his hand on my knee as I leaned back onto the couch.
"Aw you guys." Phil said, filling every word with as much sweetness as they could carry. I elbowed him in the ribs and he let out a small giggle making Dan and I laugh.
I went home slightly after 10 o'clock, taking a taxi home to avoid the underground which was a bit sketchy during later hours.
Dan texted me shortly after I got home saying that he had lots of fun and we should do it again sometime. I went to bed excited for Dan and university and life in general. I finally felt happy and worry-free.

~~~

Hey everyone!

I just want to point out this isn't a normal fan fiction, or it's not like the ones that I've read. I love Lillian's life, London & university & everything, so I like incorporating it into the story.
Sorry if that's not what you want or were looking for but it's what I love to write.

Thank you xxxxxx
Laura