Ecie & Esme III: Forever and a Day

Five

'Where have you been?' Dan Bushmore grinned as Esme sat down at his table outside Biff Café. 'I haven't seen you in forever. What have you been up to?'

'Oh you know,' Esme smiled. 'I've been busy with this and that. What about you? How have you been? How's your agent and everything?'

'I've been good,' Dan nodded sipping at his water. 'I think my agent has come round to the idea of me being at college now. It's past thanksgiving, so he knows I'm serious about it.'

'That's good,' Esme nodded as a waitress put some food on their table. 'How's Nayla?'

'Yeah, she's fine,' Dan replied. 'She's doing really good.'

'I can't wait to meet her,' Esme smiled. 'What is she studying here?'

'Communications,' Dan replied. 'I think she's really liking it.'

'That's really good,' Esme replied. 'How are you finding it here?'

'It's definitely not Malibu Crest,' Dan laughed. 'But I think it's really good.'

'Yeah,' Esme nodded. 'So what sort of stuff are you up to at the moment? How are you keeping busy?'

'I'm really trying to resist the itch to go to auditions and stuff,' Dan replied. 'I'm still doing my modeling, because that really only takes up one day. I've got a cologne ad coming out in time for Christmas.'

'No way,' Esme said excitedly. 'That's really great.'

'Yeah,' Dan nodded. 'I'm heading the whole campaign, so it is kind of awesome.'

'Kind of?' Esme said. 'How about totally? That is so awesome. Well done, congratulations.'

'But what about you?' Dan said. 'Are you still acting and writing?'

'I've given up on the acting thing,' Esme replied. 'I thought that when I came out here I'd take up volleyball or something, but things didn't exactly work out that way. I'm so busy with school work and my job at the bar. I don't have enough time.'

'But what about the writing?' Dan asked. 'You're really talented and it would be such a waste if you weren't still working at it.'

'Actually,' Esme smiled. 'I'm still writing stuff. I recently finished this love story about this couple. I'm still looking for some inspiration on what to write next.'

Dan nodded. 'You should write for the college paper.'

'I don't think so,' Esme laughed tucking some hair behind her ear. 'Those days are over.'

'You really shouldn't quit,' Dan said. 'It really would be such a shame.'

'I haven't quit completely,' Esme smiled. 'I can't write when there's nothing to write about. I need a push.'

'You could write a story about how handsome I am,' Dan joked. 'You could try a modern twist on a fairy tale.'

'That's actually a really good idea,' Esme said sitting forward. 'I like it.'

'What do you mean "actually"?' Dan laughed. 'Of course you love the idea.'

'Yeah Dan,' Esme laughed. 'It was a lot better than some of your old ideas.'

'Like the one about the fish tank market?' Dan laughed. 'That was a great one.'

'As if,' Esme laughed. 'That was your worst idea ever. I liked the one about the socks?'

'Which one was that?'

'These socks go missing and end up in the land of lost socks,' Esme laughed. 'I thought it was quite cute.'

'Oh I remember,' Dan laughed. 'Because I kept losing my gym socks.'

'Yeah,' Esme laughed. 'How come you could never find any gym socks?'

'I don't know,' Dan said. 'I think my mom would send them to the dry cleaners or something...'

'You can't dry clean socks,' Esme said. 'That's so silly.'

'Well that's my mom,' Dan laughed. 'She was always doing stuff like that.'

Esme nodded. 'You're mom was sweet.'

'Oh yeah,' Dan said sitting up. 'I forgot to say, congratulations to your mom. I read that she's expecting her first child with partner whatshisface.'

'Eric,' Esme laughed. 'Thanks.'

'That must be big news. How are you feeling about it?'

'It's pretty cool,' Esme replied. 'I'm happy, they're happy together and stuff. It's really cute.'

'When is the baby due?'

'July,' Esme replied. 'We're all excited for it. Where did you read about the pregnancy?'

'It was on some celebrity gossip site,' Dan replied. 'My agent was showing me a page where they mentioned something about one of my films.'

'Oh right,' Esme nodded. 'I never knew mom was cool enough to be on one of those sites.'

'It always happens,' Dan replied. 'I think her publicist made a statement or something.'

Esme nodded. 'So tell me about this film? Has it already come out?'

'It's coming out in February,' Dan replied. 'I shot it last year when I was being homeschooled.'

'Is it an indie movie?'

'Yeah,' Dan nodded. 'It's about these guys who work on a tea farm and this new girl comes along.'

'It sounds interesting,' Esme replied. 'What's it called?'

'T for Tea,' Dan replied. 'It's pretty cool. I've seen some clips from it and the trailer is really great. You should check it out when you get a second.'

'Will you go on a promotional tour or something when it comes out?'

'Yeah,' Dan replied. 'They'll be one in New York and maybe one in LA, but I'm not too sure. I think it's a limited release as well.'

'That is so awesome,' Esme said. 'You've got everything going for you. I'm really happy that everything worked out and stuff.'

'Well not everything exactly,' Dan said looking at Esme. 'We didn't.'

'Come on Dan,' Esme replied. 'Think about it, it would never have worked. I'm way to clingy for a long distant relationship and you would've run as far as you could. What happened was for the best.'

'I don't think so Esme,' Dan said putting his arms on the table and reaching for Esme's. 'We could've been really good together. We still could...'

'I'm sorry Dan, but you know I've got a boyfriend. What about Nayla?' Esme said.

'Nayla and I broke up a few weeks ago,' Dan replied. 'It just sort of stopped working.'

'I love Taylor,' Esme said looking at Dan. 'I really love Taylor and I honestly don't see myself ever being with anyone else. I'm sorry, but you've really got to move on.'

Dan nodded and sat back in his seat.

'Dan,' Esme said. 'You'll find someone who is so perfect for you. I promise you. She'll be so perfect that you'll wonder what you ever saw in me.'

Dan cleared his throat. 'So what are you doing after this?'

'I was going to study,' Esme replied sitting back. 'I've got a lot of work to get done before my next class.'

Dan nodded.

'What are you doing after this?'

'I'm heading over to the gym.'

'Right,' Esme nodded. 'Well you'll remember your socks?'

'Ha.'