Dancing In The Dark - A Jimmy Fallon Fanfiction

Chapter 14

The entire plane ride, my mother wanted to talk about one thing and one thing alone: James Thomas Fallon.

How did you guys meet? What was he like at first? Has he changed at all since your first date? What's his favorite food? Is that laugh of his actually real? Does he scream during scary movies? How does Salt like him? Can you believe you're dating the man whose face used to be plastered all over your wall??!

At Taylor Swift's house, absolutely wonderful, he's only gotten better, I don't know but he hates mayonnaise, of course it's real, yes - a lot - like a little girl, she adores him, and no...it still boggles my mind.

"Remember watching Fever Pitch?" Mom giggled. This had been going on for about an hour now, but I didn't mind. Jimmy was my favorite thing to talk about. I'd always wanted to talk about him when I was younger, but no one else ever wanted to - until now. It was nice.

I giggled back. "What, you mean the 47 times I watched it junior year alone??" I laughed.

Mom laughed, too. "Yes! He was so cute with all of that soccer gear..."

"Baseball, Mom. Baseball."

She waved her hand. "Ah, whatever, whatever..." She yawned. "I think I might sleep the rest of the way."

I nodded. "Alright. Thank you for keeping me company."

She smiled. "Anything for you, muffin."

While she slept, I studied her. She had aged so much since I last saw her. Her hair, usually dyed a deep red, was slowly greying. She had bags beneath her eyes. Her limbs looked frail and tired. The loss of my father had taken such a toll on her - a bigger toll than I ever realized.

My dad was never a stand-up guy. He liked to go out a lot and drink, usually showing up again in the early hours of morning. My parents would fight often. It was awful. But, other than his alcoholism and love of partying in general, my father was a decent man. And he was my father. I loved him. One day last September, after five months of claiming to be sober, he went out for 'a drink or two'.

We haven't seen him since.

Mom thinks he ran off. I think he's dead.

Wherever he is, I'd hoped his absence would help Mom rather than hinder her. Love hadn't been a factor in their marriage for quite some time. I used to hope she would divorce him just so she could find someone of her own; but if she had divorced him, he would've died sooner. She was his rock. She kept him grounded - for a while, at least.

I stared out the window and thought about L.A. I hadn't been since the Grammys. I smiled as my thoughts turned to Jimmy. I'm so lucky to have him, I thought, tracing the sky with his name in my mind. I retrieved my phone from my hoodie pocket and checked wattpad. Our story was starting to get noticed - and in a big way, too. The fake soap opera skit that we'd done a week previously had been a huge hit, acquiring a million views in just four days. People loved it - tumblr loved it, and that's what really matters.

I typed out a quick iMessage to Jimmy, wishing I could somehow summon him onto the plane by doing so.

"Our fanfic has 100 reads already! That skit was the perfect idea! :) I miss you so much, Jim. Have fun at work! x"

I didn't expect to get a reply so quickly, but I did.

"100 reads?! That's awesome! I miss you more."

Lies!

I typed exactly that.

We were flying to L.A. to meet up with the rest of my band, production team, and Adam. I felt a surge of worry with the realization that now Mom might accidentally spill the beans, too. I made a silent note to remind her several times that no one can know about Jimmy - especially Adam.

The plane landed. We gathered our things and headed for baggage claim. I was so lost in my thoughts, I was confused when two nervous teenage girls approached me with their phones and some notebooks. "C-can we please have your autograph?" one of them asked. I smiled, snapping out of it. Oh yeah. I'm famous. I forgot.

"Sure!" I said. I signed the pages and took some selfies with them. Mom beamed from afar. By the time the giggle monsters had left, our suitcases had arrived. We were exiting when the paparazzi showed up, flashing picture after picture. Mom ate it all up. I couldn't stand it.

Nevertheless, I made a point of smiling in like every picture ever. I don't want to seem ungrateful because I'm not. I'm very grateful. I just don't like attention in general.

Adam was waiting with his black Mercedes at the pick up area. A reporter had been circling around the photographers the whole way to the cars, and finally shoved her way through just as we were reaching Adam. "Excuse me! Excuse me! Natasha!" she shouted. "Excuse me! What do you have to say about the current rumors floating around about you and - "

"Miss Quinn has no time to answer any questions from the press at this moment," said Adam, cutting off the woman. He opened the car door and I slipped inside, Mom taking shot gun. "She has a very tight schedule to follow."

"But, sir - !"

"Good day," said Adam, firmly but dignified. He got in the front seat, locked the doors, and drove away, the flash of the many cameras following in our wake.

"Thank you so much, Adam," I breathed. "They were really swarming me back there."

"Oh, it was nothing," he said. "This is why I'm here, love. Now, let's get you to the meeting and then off to the tour bus!"

I was silently sighing in relief that he hadn't asked about this supposed rumor right before he raised my blood pressure and decided to ask. "If you don't mind me asking, though, Natasha," Adam began, "...what is this about you and - er - Mr. Jimmy Fallon?"

In the pockets of my coat, I clenched my fists. "What about - ? Who - ? Is that the rumor going around?" I laughed, trying to hide my nervousness.

"Yes," said Adam. "People are saying things everywhere."

"Ha," I said. "Weird."

Adam grinned slightly, starting to believe me. "You're positive?"

My phone buzzed. I took it out and tried to read it casually.

"Okay, fine. Maybe we both miss each other equally. I don't know. But it's lunch time now and you're not here and so I'm sad. See?"

There was a picture of Jimmy making a sad face and holding a sandwich.

"I miss you, Tasha! But you're doing a great thing, baby. I'm so proud of you. And I love you so much. 💕"

I bit my lip. "Pfft...." I said. "Yes. Very weird."