What Are The Chances

Prologue

     Natalie tossed and turned as she dreamt a dream too good to be awakened from. She was standing outside in the cold shivering along with other fans waiting to see and possibly get the chance to meet  a well-known actor she has admired for the last three years. He was slowly approaching and Natalie began to feel light headed and dizzy. Too much excitement perhaps, she thought. "Come on Natalie, keep it together," She told herself.  Just as he approached her, Natalie's knees buckled and she fell face first greeting the cement. Well hello cement! She thought, as she hit the pavement. The next thing she knew a crowd was standing around her. She could hear someone saying back up, give her some space. Thomas broke through the crowd and reached down to help her up. Natalie's face was flush, her head was pounding and her heart was racing, but she still had her wit. Thomas helped Natalie to her feet. "You're a little shorter than I imagined." she said, a little dazed. "Wow, well okay, that was really straight forward. I always thought that I was rather tall" Thomas replied, as he smiled and moved a strand of her from her face. He examined the huge knot that was developing as they spoke. His face was handsome, yet tired. There were dark rings under his eyes that were noticeable as the street light shined across his face. His hair was messy much like someone who had just jumped out of bed. As he proceeded to speak, Natalie couldn't help but smile.

"Are you okay?" he asked with an endearing smile.

"Do you know who you are?" Thomas asked. "Yes, I'm Natalie Everhart."

"And yes, I am okay,  just a little dizzy." Natalie proceeded to stand and wobbled a little. Thomas reached for her hand to help her up. "I've got you." he said. "I'm good, thank you." Natalie said, as she held onto his hands for dear life. "I was just feeling a little faint as you approached me. I mean, I didn't faint because of you, not that you're not handsome enough to faint over. I just wouldn't faint over you. Oh God, did that come off as harsh as it sounded to me. I'm just going to quit while I'm ahead." Natalie grabbed at her head as she rambled on about not sleeping very well the night before and how she was starving. "I've been waiting out here for a while and you were kind of late coming out here to greet us. I probably should have eaten before the play but I didn't. So sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous. I'm just going to stop talking and walk away and you can pretend this never happened." "I don't want to pretend this never happened." Thomas said. "That's sweet of you to say, thank you so much for all your help, now if you'll excuse me I'm just going to walk away and slowly die from humiliation." Thomas laughed at Natalie's sense of humor and was captivated by her hazel eyes and golden brown hair. As Natalie walked away shaking her head, she could only imagine what Thomas must be thinking at this very moment, and in her mind it wasn't good. Against Natalie's better judgment she turned back to glance upon him one last time. To her surprise, he was watching her. Natalie smiled, turned back around and continued to cross the street. Thomas excused himself from the rest of the fans surrounding him and ran to catch up to her. 

     As he approached her he reached for her arm and she clocked him in the face. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry," Natalie said. "Ow! Bloody hell, you've got a pretty good right hook." "I'm so sorry, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry."  "I just wanted to invite you to dinner.  Some of my cast mates are going out for dinner and I thought you would like to join us. I'm sorry that I startled you, I didn't mean too." He said, while checking his nose for blood. "Oh God, I'm the one that should be apologizing. I'm so sorry." "Natalie right, that is what you said your name was?" Thomas asked. "Yes, Natalie Everhart," She said. "Well Natalie Everhart, it's fine and I'm good. I'm just glad that you're okay, and it was a pleasure to meet you, maybe. That ruling is still out after being hit in the face." Thomas said with a smile. "Again, I am so sorry for clocking you in the face, and the pleasure is all mine." Natalie said with uncertainty." "Okay, can we never speak of that again?" Thomas said. "So you plan on us speaking again. Natalie said coyly." Thomas stared at Natalie with so much wonder, she had defiantely peaked his curiosity. "Go to dinner with me tonight, Natalie Everhart?" "What?" "Dinner, with me? You do eat, right?" He asked with a little sarcasm. "You did say you were hungry back there." Natalie thought this is too good to be true. This has to be a dream. Wake up, wake up already. Then she heard Thomas say "So is that a no or do you zone out on all the men that ask you out?" "You're asking me out?" "Yes, I'll like to get to know you better, Ms. Everhart." "You want me." "Yes I want you." Thomas said. Wait, what? Natalie slowly opened her eyes. "No, no, no, damn dreams, she sighed. Why is it, just as it gets to the good part, you always wake up?" Natalie rolled over and placed a pillow over her face and screamed into it.