Saving Life

Fangirl Feelings

WHEN CASSILYN ARRIVED HOME, She said to Aleo, "I'm reading that book." Aleo smiled. She tossed her bookmark into her book and stood up. "I'm Aleo Aiden," she stuck her hand out for the other girl to take. "It's nice to meet you. You like to read, so I've heard." Cassilyn took Aleo's hand and shook it. "Well, I'm Cassilyn Avery. And you got that right. I do like to read. And that's my sister--" Cassilyn was cut off rudely by her sister. "Harlynn. I told you everyone calls me Harlynn, dorkface." And with that the rocker chick stormed to the kitchen. At least Aleo thought it was the kitchen.

Cassilyn had a shocked look on her face. She muttered something under breath and then shook her head. As though she had a thought she didn't like."Nevermind her," Cassilyn turned away. She started heading up the stairs, she turned. "Well, you coming?" Aleo smiled and ran up the stairs after her. 

"So, this is my room," Cassilyn walked into a book overflowing room. Aleo followed and smiled to herself. "Oh my gosh! I read that book like two days ago!" Aleo said, picking up a book with a crown and blood on it. "It's really good, right?"
"Oh, totally."
"What are you reading?"
"Legend,"
"Legend,"

Both the girls giggled. Aleo and Cassilyn talked and read all afternoon. Until they were just about to go swimming, her phone ringed. Cassilyn nodded as if to saw answer it. Aleo cut a glance at the caller's ID. It was Sophia. "I'll be right back!" Aleo called, jogging out of the room. Everything was a blur. Now just so suddenly, she collided with her new friend's older sister. "Watch where you're going, punk." Harlynn sneared. Harlynn walked off. Aleo answered her call.

"OH MY GOD, ALEO WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHY ARE YOU NOT ANSWERING ME?"

Aleo flinched and held the phone away from her ear.

"I told you, I'm socializing. It's a strange thing, but still, what up?"

"Ugh, people who don't read are horrible types of human. What does it mean for them to be plain, such boring species? Not loving something so much and it destroys their life? What do they do with their lives?"

"I know. But, this is different. The girl's a fangir--"

Sophia squealed.

"I have to run! Her demonic sister is marching her combat up the stairs."

"Oh, okay. Bye Aleo!"

"Bye Soph,"

The girls hung up. Aleo walked back into Cassilyn's room.

***
"Augustus Waters died eight days after his pre-funeral." Aleo and Cassilyn broke down in tears. The girls continued to sob uncontrollably. The hugged and cried and hugged and cried.

After the movie, they decided to read. They read for felt like an eternity. Perhaps, millennia. Aleo and Cassilyn exchanged social media and phone numbers. Soon, Aleo was out the door, racing home.

The moment she walked through her front door, she heard a cry. She jogged up the steps and saw that her brother's door was open. Slightly ajar. She knocked. "Matthew?" She whispered. It was almost inaudible. She heard shuffling coming from the other side. Soon, her brother, who was teary-eyed opened his door. He stepped aside to make room for his sister to come in. "What happened?" Aleo asked gently. Although, she never really does things like this. But, she knew she and her brother shared a storm connection.

Aleo motioned for her brother to sit, and she sat next to him as well. Running a hand through his sandy hair, he said, "I-I read that book you like. The one where the hot guy dies..." Did he have to reopen that wound and dunk salt on it? She asked herself. Aleo felt like she was going to cry. But then, she gulped and replied her brother. "The Fault In Our Stars? Yeah, I can feel you." She said. Aleo sympathetically rubbed her brother's back. "But why?" He asked after a long silence. "But why what?" Aleo turned and faced her brother. "Why do the best people always die?" He asked quietly.

Aleo knew they would have this conversation some day. So she was mentally prepared and ready for what was to come next. "Author's the best, but also cruel people," she breathed. "They write the book, it gets famous, it has a fandom, and then it gets crazy. But if you already started crying over the death of a character, it's best you say goodbye to your friends." Matthew looked at Aleo. "Once you're in the fandom life, there's no turning back. No one gets off this train."

"So you're saying I'm crazy?" Matthew asked. "Normal people who don't read think fangirls are crazy. But actually, we're just the way the fandom makes us." She paused for a breath. "What am I, if you are a fangirl?" He asked. Aleo laughed, "A fanboy! You're dense Matthew!" She hit him playfully. They laughed. Aleo then officially decided she had the best brother ever.