anybody else | wilbur soot fanfiction

_chapter fourteen_ broken cars

My breath stops as I stare out the front window of my car.

My gaze drags up the tall figure in disbelief. The man's head is tilted down slightly as he talks on the phone, but he cuts his gaze to the right. Right towards me.

I can't believe this is happening.

Our eyes lock for a moment, but there's no hint of recognition in his eyes. I give him a small smile before subconsciously opening my door.

He's off the phone by the time I'm out of the car and walking towards him. My feet move on their own. I don't know what's happening except that this is mere coincidence. Maybe fate if I believed in it.

Because I was driving down the road and pulled over to a man. A man that's staring at me questioningly as I slowly walk over.

A man that's Wilbur Soot.

"Hi," I say softly once we're next to each other. "Need some help?"

"Well my car started smoking." He chuckles. "So unless you're a genius mechanic, I'm not sure."

He didn't recognize my voice. He doesn't know it's me.

"Not quite." I shrug, trying to keep talking. Hopefully he'll recognize the voice in a bit.

"Then you could keep me company." He smiles. "That is, if you want."

I pretend to think for a minute. "Usually I avoid strangers, but you don't seem too strange."

"That's good to hear." His mouth is turned slightly to the left in a smirk.

Is Wilbur flirting with me?

God, I hope not.

"What takes you out to these back roads?" I ask, gesturing to the light forests and nothingness around.

"A thing for work," he says simply. I notice he's not mentioning the band.

"What's your line of work?" I like pretending I don't know him. It's like pretending I'm somebody else and seeing him from a strangers point of view.

He's handsome and friendly, but not in a creepy way. If I was anybody else, I would say he was attractive.

This is Wilbur. Keep those thoughts out. I think to myself.

"It was actually a recording." I can tell he's trying to downplay it.

"Oh, you're in a band?" I ask in a musical tone.

He nods with a smile. "You play anything?"

I shrug. "No really, but I have friends who do."

"Cool friends. Don't know if I can say the same about you, though." He jokes.

I smile. "We'll, you know. Not my circus, not my monkeys."

Wilbur's smile spreads wider than it was at the phrase, then his mouth forms the shape of an O.

"Mai-" He cuts himself off, worried it's not who he thinks it is.

"Yes?" I answer even though he didn't say my name.

"Are you? Do you know?"

I smile at his flusteredness. "Spit it out, Wilbur. It's not nice to make me wait."

His entire face falls. The sound of my voice, the phrase, the way I knew his name without ever asking.

"This is not happening." He laughs in disbelief.

"Hi," I say, starting over.

"Hi Maia," he breathes out.

"Soo.." I move up on my tiptoes. "This is my face."

"This is my face," he jokes.

"Nice."

"Nice."

"This is kind of awkward." I mess with the bun on top of my head. "I don't even know why I pulled over, but it-"

"Was totally worth it," he finishes for me.

I smile. "Want to sit in my car while you wait? It's a little cold out here."

We sit in my car for an hour talking. The tow truck was taking a lot longer than we had expected.

"I still can't believe this is your face," Wilbur says randomly in a conversation. "It hasn't sunk in yet."

I let a hand through my reddish-brown hair. I took it out of my bun a little bit ago, so now it's just a mess hanging from my head.

"I can't believe I pulled over to see a complete stranger."

"I'm not a stranger." Wilbur nudges my arm. "I'm your bestie, remember?"

"Oh yeah, how could I ever forget?" I ask sarcastically.

"Hey, guess what." Wilbur hits my arm more aggressively but not enough to hurt me.

"What?"

"I'm the second person to get a face reveal from your online friends." He smiles excitedly.

"Technically first," I correct, "George was irl first."

Wilbur's smile widens even more. "I'm so bragging to Tommy about this."

I roll my eyes. I open my mouth to speak when a tow truck comes into view.

"Damn it," Wilbur mutters.

I frown a bit as we get into the car.

We talk to the guy driving the truck. Wilbur is planning to drive back to the mechanic in Brighton with the tow truck, so we have to say our goodbyes here.

"Well it was nice to see you," Wilbur says as he embraces me.

"You too," I mumble into his chest, completely encased in his scent. I pull away to glance up at him. "Would you want to hang out the next time I go to Brighton?"

He chuckles. "I would have to think about that one."

I drop my arms from the hug and take a step back. "Fine, be that way. Jerk."

He smiles. "I'm kidding, Maia. I would love to."

"Good because there may or may not be one planned soon."

His eyebrows raise. "Actually?"

I shrug, taking a few steps backward toward my car. The towtruck man is waiting for Wilbur to get in, and I don't think he will until I leave. "Maybe. I'll have to think about that one."

Wilbur's jaw drops. "Fine be that way. Jerk."

I roll my eyes. "Bye, Wilbur. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Maia."

_author's note_

y'all don't even know what i got planned for this book.. i think it's my favorite concept so far ngl

also what's your least favorite starburst flavor/color?

have an amazing day :))