Beauty and a Beat (A Bruno Mars Fanfiction)

44. Sandra

Marianne gets down and founds that fan girl still in front of the building. She smiles with herself, thinking about a day in her life where she came all the way to New York with small money in her pocket. She didn't even have a place to stay.

That's what people do for the things they love.

She just wishes Bruno could see how much he's loved.

"Hey," she greets the fangirl as she sits down next to her.

"Hey!" she says back with a bright smile on her face. She didn't thinking that someone'd come back. She just doesn't like to go anywhere yet. "Why're you here?"

"I told you I'd be back" Marianne says with a warm smile. The fangirl's a teenager with olive skin and long box braids hair. "I'm Marianne by the way"

"I'm Sandra" she introduce herself "Excuse me but you're his girlfriend?"

"No," she answers "no, I'm not"

"I hoped you said you're." Sandra informs "I don't really like that Jessica, you know. It's like no one likes her"

"I do" Marianne says, defensively "She's sweet, you know, when you know her in person"

"I hope so. He deserves someone real nice. It'd mean so much to us all, you know, like, we love him so much we can't stand watching him throwing away his love on someone unworthy." She complains "or at least someone who doesn't always act like she hates us fans with every breath she takes."

"Jessica is worthy" Marianne promises

"yeah, I can't help hoping that he should have someone better" she says "by the way, I have something for him"

Sandra hands her a black CD case with a 'Sandra' written on it.

"There're my records in there. The songs I wrote. I want him to have it. It means so much to me" she explains "I don't want anything from him or from the songs. It's just... he inspires me in many ways you know, without him those music wouldn't even exist"

"You're a singer?" Marianne asks

"Yeah, I wished that someday I'll have a chance to sing with him but... it's just a senseless dream"

"No. it's not" Marianne disagrees, thinking if she could make that happens

"Yes, it is." She insists "I'm going back home, tomorrow. I'm an exchange student from a country you don't know exists. This is my last chance to, at least, meet him and give it to him."

"You may come back here some day..."

"It's not an option, not so soon" she cuts up before Marianne can finish it. "Bruno once said in his home coming documentary that he's been asked to go home when he wasn't going so well in his career. He said that "I'm not going back now, not like this" and it encouraged me to follow my dream. It doesn't matter if I can't make it here. I'll go home and make it there."

Marianne silently slips her hands into Sandra's and squeezes it. "You'll make it. He'd be so proud of you when I tell him your story. It'd mean so much to him"

"Thanks" Sandra softly smiles.

"Thank me yet. I have something for you" Marianne says with a bright smile and hands her the note. "It's from him"

"what?!" Sandra exclaims excitedly, doesn't believe her eyes. Even in the note says nothing but 'Baby squirrel. Thanks for your support. It means so much to me.' and then his autograph.

"and this," Marianne hands her the cookie box "in case you're hungry"

"Thanks" she giggles as she take a bite. "So... how's he? Like in person"

"Bruno?"

"yeah"

"Well,..." Marianne pauses, doesn't sure what she should say and shouldn't say "What you want to know?"

"anything."

"Um..." she hesitates.

"he's a real stubborn dude" Phil says. He walks out of the building and sits next to Sandra. He's been listening to their conversation for a while.

"You've been ear dropping us?" Marianne questions

"Philip Lawrence?" Sandra excitedly asks.

"Yup, that's me"

"Phil, this is Sandra" Marianne introduces. "She's a very devoted fan"

"yeah! I heard a little bit of it." Phil says with a smile

"Phil, can we somehow get her to see you guys perform?" Marianne asks Phil with her puppy eyes.

Eventually, Sandra excuses herself not staying for the performance. Phil and Marianne stay there for a while, reflecting about what's just happened.

"moving, huh?" Phil asks after he notices Marianne's smile.

"yeah," she answers, flipping the CD cast in her hands. It's not like the albums in the store where you can buy the artists' feeling with the money in your pocket. This is different. This is personal.

"wait 'til you see the fan during the tour" Phil implies "People who might have the only chance in their life to see their roll model. The only chance to witness his glory, to look up at him on the stage, just so they can comfort themselves that maybe one day, they'll be like him."

Marianne doesn't say anything back.

Future with him is like blank pages. All she has is here and now. 'love is all about having and understanding' she said herself. She doesn't know if those things even matter anymore. All she wants is to stay like this forever, stay where she can hold him and kiss him and love him.

But can she?