ExtraOrdinary

Chapter 6-things are turning around

It had been a whole three week since the robbery, and to put it simply, things seemed to be turning around. Since I didn't have to spend every night at the gas station, I actually had some free time. Afternoons were often spent with Shailene, or Shai as she now asked me to call her, and often we were joined by Ansel and Theo. It was hard to believe that this is what our conversations at the cafe had led to. I was now friends with a movie star even though she insisted she was nothing more than the average girl.

Today just happened to be one of those afternoons I was spending with Shai. I had just finished washing some dirty tables in the cafe at the end of my shift and was about to head out the door when Ashley's voice rang through the cafe.

"Hey Alice, where are you going?" she sounded as if she was ready to begin an interrogation.

"Oh just gonna hang out with some friends," I replied sweetly, picking up my purse, packing some food into a bag, and heading for the door.

"What? I thought you didn't have any friends,"she looked genuinely puzzled.

"Things change and so do people," I said with a smile on my face, as I pushed the door open and headed for the movie set, the bag of food and my purse in hand. I always brought Shai an afternoon snack from the cafe whether it was sandwiches, or cookies, or pastries.

After walking about 10 blocks on the busy streets of Chicago, the movie set came into view. What had once seemed to me the biggest inconvenience to the city of Chicago, had now become a wonderland. I could spend hours wandering around the set with Shai looking at the equipment and set pieces. No matter how many times she asked me to, I never got bored of rehearsing lines with her. To me the set was like being a kid in a candy store. It was everything from my wildest dreams.

As I approached the gate, the screaming of fan girls became louder and louder. I had become a professional at muscling my way through them to the front and soon found my self face to face with the same bodyguard I met the first time I ever saw the movie set. The guy I had once seen as a robot now had a name, Fred. Fred smiled at me as I waved the pass I kept in my pocket in his face jokingly. He just smirked and offered me a hand. As he pulled me over the fence, the usual shouts of protest from the fan girls could be heard, many insulting. Others were questions 'Are you dating Ansel/Theo?', 'How did you meet Shailene?'. I did my best to block them out like I normally did. At first I found the insults they screamed upsetting and their questions confusing, but I had begun to just accept it for what it was, a bunch of girls jealous someone else got to spend time with their idol.

When I finally reached Shai's trailer, I knocked on her door the same as I did every day. She insisted I just come in, but I wasn't one to risk barging in on private business.

"Come in," he chipper voice rang from behind the door. As I opened the door, I was greeted with a smiling Shai perched on the couch with her feet up on the table, phone in hand. "Ooooh you brought food!" She exclaimed excitedly, jumping off the couch and grabbing the bag.

"Well hello to you too," I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest like I was somehow insulted by her ways. She just rolled her eyes.

"I hope you brought enough for Ansel and Theo because I think they'll be joining us," she stated while sitting right back down on the couch, concerned about getting anything less than her share of the food.

"Always do," I said plopping down next to her.

"So how have you been?" she questioned already stuffing her mouth with food. I swear they starve these people.

"Shai, you saw me yesterday," I said exasperated.

"I know but a lot can change in 1 day or 24 hours or 1440 minutes or 86400 seconds," she rambled with a matter-of-fact, I-know-what-I'm-talking-about sort of tone.

"Okay Shai I get your point," I said throwing my hands up in surrender.

"Hey we're living proof," she motioned to the two of us with her free hand that was not already holding a sandwich. I looked down at the ground, 'she hit that nail on the head' I thought to myself. My life had been turned upside in the span of 2 hours, I didn't even need a full day. "You okay?" she said with concern which broke me out of my daze.

"Oh yah sorry just lost in thought," I replied shrugging my shoulders at her skeptical gaze. "So when are trouble 1 and trouble 2 getting here?" I asked referring to Theo and Ansel.

"Should be here any minute," she looked at her watch. "Actually, they said they would be here 5 minutes ago."

"Late as usual," I sighed slouching into the coach, and with that the door suddenly burst open.