IN HER SHADOW (Oli Sykes Fan Fiction) COMPLETE

14. Best Day Ever.

On our way out, I went to the photo collection booth and they handed me the envelope containing my photo with The Walking Dead cast. I was so nervous to look at it, nervous that I would look like an absolute idiot, so I waited until we got in the car and I shielded it from Oli's view. When I slid it out, my heart raced. The photo was amazing, even though I don't think I'd ever looked as happy as I did in that damn photo.
"Come on, let me see then." Oli said from the driver's seat. I handed it to him and he laughed.
"Aww, you look so happy." he chuckled.
"I was!" I stated. He smiled at me and handed it back then started his car so that we could head back home.

I'd honestly had the best day ever, quite likely the best day of my entire life and we didn't stop talking the entire trip home, reminiscing about the panels, raving about The Walking Dead trailer, remembering the amazing cosplayers and the incredible things that were for sale. "Oh that reminds me, you're not allowed to be mad at me, but I bought you something." Oli said about an hour into the trip.
"What? Are you kidding? What did you buy?" I questioned.
"It's in the red bag on the back seat." he said, not taking his eyes off the road. I immediately turned around and stretched through the seatbelt to grab it, and before I had even looked inside, I knew what it was by the colour and the plushy fabric I could see.
"YOU FUCKING DID NOT." I said loudly as I pulled the bag between the chairs. "Oh my Goddddd, Oliiiiiii!" I squealed, as I flopped back into my seat. Oli was just grinning to himself.
"What is wrong with you? You did not have to get me this!" I said as I pulled the Jigglypuff plushie I had really wanted out of the bag. "First tickets, then the photo, now this?!" I stated.
"You said you wouldn't be mad." he chuckled.
"I'm not mad... I just don't know why you're so nice to me! The band thing must really be working out alright for you, huh?" I said jokingly. Oli audibly laughed.
"You're such an idiot." he chuckled.

I gushed over my new Jigglypuff plushie and cuddled it as we continued to chat about ComiCon the entire way home. I looked through some of the random freebies I'd thrown into my shopping bag and I found a sticker that said 'Grumpy' so I reached over and stuck it to Oli's forehead, laughing the entire time. "What the fuck?" he questioned, pulling down his visor to see what I'd done. "Very funny." he said with a frown.
"I thought so." I chuckled. It was dark when we got back to Oli's place and I was pretty tired, so even though he asked if I wanted to stay for a bit, I decided to head home straight away. I would have loved to have stayed and played with Luna, but I didn't want to drive too tired. Oli waited as I got into my car and he bent down to say goodbye once I'd started the engine.
"See ya later, nerd!" I chuckled as I looked out the window. He laughed and shook his head at me. "Bye dork." he replied.

It was only a twenty minute drive home and as soon as I got to my room, I emptied my bag from the event onto my bed and excitedly looked through everything. I put things on display on my dresser; the figurines atop the drawers, my Edward Scissorhands Pop! Vinyl on the desk and my super cute Jigglypuff plush that Oli gifted me with my pillows on the bed. I even put the bottles of 'Love Potion' and 'Confidence Elixir' on display. I blue-tacked all of the cards, mementos and my super awesome photo with The Walking Dead cast to my wall too before sitting back on my bed to admire everything. I had the most amazing day and made such good memories. I couldn't remember ever having a day that good in all of my life. I was so glad I'd gotten to go and I was so grateful for Oli being so generous even though he really didn't need to be. I sat Jigglypuff on my dresser chair and took a photo showing all of the things I'd already put out, and I sent it to Oli. He replied straight away.
"Wow, you've already got it on display?" he replied.
"I couldn't wait. I love it all so much." I replied. "Thank you soooo much for taking me, it was honestly the best day EVER!" I sent.
"It was! I had heaps of fun. Glad we got to go and be dorks for the day." he replied.
"Um, you're always a dork." I sent back.
"You're a fine one to talk..." he replied.
"Thank you again for everything, too. You really shouldn't have spoilt me with that photo but it was SO COOL. I still can't believe I met The Walking Dead cast." I said.
"Haha, you're welcome. I'm just glad you enjoyed it." he said. He had no idea how much.

I put my phone down and decided to take my photo with the cast of The Walking Dead to show my Mum. I was sure she wouldn't care that much, but I had to show someone or I might explode! I also took my Pop! Vinyl and the Jigglypuff plush to show off too. She didn't really share my excitement or understand what was so amazing about any of it, but I rambled and she nodded along as I told her about all the stuff I'd got and things I'd seen... and of course about meeting The Walking Dead cast.
"Oh my God, you're such a nerd." Hannah said with an eye roll as she wandered through the lounge to get to the kitchen.
"Yeah, and?" I asked. She just laughed at me as she disappeared.

- - - - - - - - - -

[OLI]

I had the best day with Hailie at Comicon. Literally one of the most fun days I'd had in years. The event itself was cool, sure, but going with someone who was equally as into all of that stuff as me, someone who was so excited and happy all damn day... it just made it so much better. Hannah would never have gone with me, well, she might have just to take some photos and be seen, but she wouldn't want to watch the cosplay shows or spend half an hour looking through sticker piles, she certainly wouldn't want to line up to look at movie props or to get a good seat at a Q&A.

I got along with Hailie so well, even though she was so much younger than me. You wouldn't think we'd have much in common having a 13 year age gap, but nope, she liked all of the stuff that I grew up with, she knew it all nearly as well as me despite the fact that she wasn't even born when some of it was popular. I suppose maybe that was her sister's influence given that she was a lot closer to me age wise.

Hailie was an entirely different person to her sister though; down to earth, low maintenance, funny, almost tom-boyish in a way. She was pretty too, even if she would hate hearing that. I don't really know why she thought she wasn't. Just because she didn't care about fashion and makeup or worry about looking perfect all the time didn't mean she wasn't attractive, hell, I think it made her more attractive, maybe even more so than her older, apparently 'hotter' sister. I guess it was just a confidence thing for her, or a result of growing up in the shadow of an older sibling who never had an issue with self-esteem.

Hailie was usually kind of quiet, but I felt like she came out of her shell around me. I'd noticed it on the tour over her 18th birthday originally, then more and more in the months after. She had such a good energy that felt special, like she reserved it only for certain people, something that she didn't just show to everyone. I liked feeling like I saw the real her rather than the version she gave almost everyone else.

I liked the way I felt around Hailie more than anything else though, especially at Comicon. I felt so normal, so much like myself... every moment was easy. I didn't have to filter anything or look a certain way... I didn't feel like at any moment I'd be summoned for a selfie or be 'shown off' in a live stream. I could just relax and not think about any of that fame stuff, and that was nice. I enjoyed her company and the way she joked with me, teased me... the way she talked about things that other people would think were lame without a second thought. The more I thought about it, the more I admired her and while I knew it was incredibly complicated and questionable, I couldn't help feeling some kind of attraction to her.

She was young, but not immature. Smart and intelligent, but still playful and silly. She didn't act like a teenager at all, in fact, she really seemed to have her head screwed on.  Hailie was so much more like me than Hannah ever was and I guess it made me ask questions of myself. If I'm being completely honest, I was starting to wish I'd met Hailie in the present day rather than her sister a couple of years ago. Maybe I wished I realised all of this before I had married Hannah, back when we were on that tour. I wished I knew her then the way I did now. Things could have been so different.