Invisible String

Chapter 1

I walked across the cobblestones quickly, there was excitement in every footstep. I walked with Gigi at my heels, as she tried to keep up with me. She laughed, and said, "Emma, slow down, we have time." I looked at her, smiled, and said. "ok." I took a minute, and I let go of her hand. We walked slowly so that we could actually look around at the city. I was wearing a white dress, short and simple. I had beige sandals on, and my hair was down, except for a strand held back by a clip. I had simple studs in my ears, and my hair was long and luscious. My cheeks were pink from the fast pace walking. Gigi was wearing a beautiful flowy top with a skirt, and her hair was now in a ponytail. I was craving something cool, a nice cold drink. "Emma, look!" There was a bookstore Gigi was pointing to. I'd been in it loads of times, but always enjoyed the cool air conditioning and the smell of old and new books, on shelves of cool brick walls. "Do you want to go in?" I asked. I can go get us something to drink and bring it back. She nodded, "would you? Thank you." She squealed and walked into the bookstore. I smiled and walked towards the natural juice cafe. There were few of these in this old town, but each year there seemed to be more. I walked into the cafe and looked at the chalkboard menu. I could feel the cool air hit my skin, and I exhaled happily. I always forgot how hot it got here in Transylvania during the summertime. It was a bit of a long line. I took out my phone, hoping to see if there was any wifi. I didn't have service here. I turned, trying to see if the connection may be better behind me. My heart stopped. Standing directly behind me, was the most beautiful face I had ever seen. It was a man, maybe in his early twenties, with forest green eyes, dark curly hair that was particularly curly from the heat, I assumed, and an extremely chiseled complexion, with protruding jawbones, that made him look as though he were a statue sculpted by the greeks. He looked as though he belonged in a painting or a museum. He wasn't quite tall, maybe five inches taller than me, who I consider being short. His eyes had creases in the corners from what seemed like smiles. He had very small lips, and he was the kind of beautiful that not everyone would find beautiful. Or, he was beautiful, not exactly hot or extremely good looking in the buff jock guy way. He looked like fragile class, and was very thin and pale indeed, and would not come off as striking to all. But when I saw him, my heart dropped. I struggled to catch my breath, for I knew him, I knew him so well. he of course had never seen my face, but he lived with me in my dreams. I had been staring at him for quite some time now, or at least, that was how it felt, I couldn't get a grasp on time at that moment. He raised his eyebrows, clearly used to this reaction, and series of expressions I was sure were painted across my face. "Hi." he said, expectantly. I clicked, right out of my gaze, and took a breath. I wasn't going to freeze up and act like a fan, not when I was actually talking to him without fans surrounding him. This was my chance. I took a moment and then smiled and nodded. I continued with what I was doing, attempting to look as nonchalant as possible. He looked confused, and looked behind him, to see if I had possibly been entranced momentarily by someone else. He cleared his throat and went back to his phone. Okay, what now. I thought to myself. As I tried to clear my thoughts, i heard a voice say, "da?" I looked up. It was my turn to order. I hadn't even looked at the menu properly. I quickly looked at it, and said to the woman behind the register, "ași vrea un ceai rece, si un suc de fructe." I said. The woman took down my order. I paid her, and stepped to the side, letting him order. I felt my face heat up, and could tell i was blushing hard. "Hi, yes, do you have any raspberry tea?" He said a bit loudly, and the woman looked at him questioningly. I decided this was a good opportunity, and stepped beside him, and said, "vrea o cei rece de - " what was the word? "zmeura." She nodded, and i didnt dare look him in the face. I felt him turn beside me, looking at me. "Rece sau cald?" The woman asked me, this time. For the first time, I turned to him. i looked up at him, staring into those eyes id stared into for days. "erm. Hot or cold?" He smiled, slightly. "Cold." He said, still watching me, as i turned. "rece." i told the woman. She nodded. Without looking away from the woman, i said, you should really ask for extra ice, the amount they put tends to melt really quickly." I was very much aware of how American my accent was. He laughed. "Okay, could you?" I smiled a little, and nodded, and leaned over the counter, and said to a worker, "cu mult geata, va rog!" the man making the drink nodded. The man beside me stepped out from the line and walked around me. I met his eyes. "Thanks." He said. I nodded. "sure." I said cooly. I smiled quickly, not to sound intimidating. He looked at me expectantly, waiting for it to dawn on me who he was. "where are you from?" I asked instead. He laughed. He sure laughed a lot. "I'm from new york city, what about you?" I knew this of course. "well, I'm from here, but i was raised in San Francisco." He smiled, and put his hands nervously in his pockets. "you're the first American I've met here." I wasn't surprised. "why are you here?" I asked. "I'm actually just here for a few days for personal reasons, merely because I was interested by the mystery of Transylvania." he said. I nodded. "Why only a few days?" I asked. "Well, I'm shooting a film in italy beginning in a few days." I gulped. Italy? "really?" He nodded. "Do you live here?" he asked. "No, I'm here with my friend for the summer. Well, actually, not really the whole summer, we're actually going with my family to Italy in about a week, as well." His eyes widened. "See, my parents live there. Well, just during the summer. My dad's an artist, see, and he's doing some artwork installation for a film." He laughed. "what film?" I shrugged. I saw the coincidence, and I'm sure he did too. " I couldn't tell you. He wouldn't tell me what it was, probably just because of confidentiality." he nodded. "Where do you live?" he asked. "I'm still in college, at University of Glasgow. I'm a senior." I added quickly, to make sure he knew he wasn't talking to a teenager. "Wow, you've been all over. Why Scotland?" He asked me. "It has a good film industry and I like the location." I said simply. He smiled at me. "So you're in the film industry?" He asked. "As what? an actress?" He asked. I shook my head. "No, I want to be a director, first." He looked impressed, and I blushed. "What kinds of films?" I heard my name called and took my drink. He followed me. "independent, more on the romance/drama spectrum." I said matter of factly. "What about you?" I asked. It felt so stupid, and I hoped he didn't see right through me. If he did, he hid it well, but then, that was t be expected of an actor as talented as him. "I'm an actor. I'm, um. James Brooke. " I couldn't describe the flutter in my chest as I heard him say his own name, his eyes still fixated on my own. I falsed comprehension, as I gasped, and said, "Oh, yes, I saw you in a film. You're excellent!" I tried not to blush anymore than i already was. He seemed to loosen a bit. I don't know why i wanted to pretend I didn't know who he was, but it was evident he wasn't used to not being recognized, especially by an American girl, and he looked much more relieved and comfortable as recognition dawned upon me. He laughed. "Thank you. What film?" I smiled. "The one in Greece, 'Moon River.'" He smiled. "You two had such good chemistry," I went on. "Thank you so much. I really appreciate that." His name was called, and he took his drink. We walked outside and felt the blazing heat upon our skin. "Man, it's hot here." He said, laughing. He took a sip. "Good call on the extra ice." He said. I shrugged. "yeah, I thought so." I grinned. "what's your name, I'm sorry, I forgot to ask." He asked me. "I'm Emma ." I said sweetly. "well, Emma, you've no idea how nice it is to hear a friendly voice, there are less Americans here than I expected." He said. "I think that's part of Romania's beauty, though." I said. "it's not a tourist magnet, it's just its own world, everyone speaks the same language. It's one of the things I love about it. It's so hidden." He looked around. "Then it's the place for me. " he said wistfully. I watched him, until he turned around at me, and met my gaze. As inconspicuous as possible, I said, "Are you here with anyone, then?" He smiled, and looked down, shyly. "Um. No, uh, I'm not." He looked back up at me. "what have you been doing then?" I asked. "I mean, here in Romania." He laughed. "not much, actually. It's been difficult to communicate with the people here." I considered it and then said, "Well, if you'd like, I could show you around, or give you some good pointers. Seeing as I am fluent in both languages." I inhaled sharply. It was bold, but i figured it was just polite. His eyes widened. "that would be great, oh my goodness. I would love that." My heart leapt. "okay, of course." It dawned on me for a moment that Gigi was still in the bookstore. I grabbed my drink and said, "you know what? I have to get going, I have to meet my friend, she's at a bookstore." He got up. "sure. Um, how should i contact you?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, um, here's my snapchat." He added it into his phone. "Okay great, text me later, there's a great restaurant i know around here, if you're interested." I said, trying not to sound too eager. "Sure, that sounds great." I sighed. "Oh, and um. Emma ." Hm? I turned. I loved the way my name sounded when he said it. "Do you mind not mentioning me to your friend? Or my name? I just want to stay a little bit low profile." I nodded. "Later." I said. He waved, and laughed. I walked away, my heart pounding, and a grin I had on my face widened.