Why Wait?

41

"What has been your favorite so far," Alex asks me while we try to find a table where we can finish eating our Mickey-shaped ice cream.

I pretend to think for a while. "Meeting Jasmine."

He laughs. "I think she was more excited about meeting you."

I laughed along. "That was funny."

Princess Jasmine literally fainted when she saw me with Alex. Someone had to come in as a replacement and had to take over for the next few minutes until the original Jasmine finally came to. Alex gave her a signed autograph and I took a picture with her before assuring the manager that she did not need to be fired - it apparently wasn't the first time she had done this.

"Are you Alex Flemmings?" a little girl no older than seven says. She looks up at him with innocent eyes.

Alex nods, giving her his signature smile. "Yes, I am."

She grins up at me. "Then you must be his girlfriend."

I was about to deny when I remembered that's what we're telling people. I nod as well. "What's your name?" I ask and she takes the seat beside me.

"My name is Danielle Cooper. My mommy and older brother are standing over there in the Beauty and the Beast shop."

We look over and just as promised, there was her older brother - no older than fourteen - and her mother. They wave. Alex, being the wonderful person he is, waves them over.

They walk over to us. The mother starts apologizing. "I am so sorry about her. She just saw you guys from far away and immediately recognized you two. We'll just be leaving and---"

"No, it's okay," Alex says. "We don't mind. We'd love the company."

She sighs softly before taking a seat. "If at any given time you feel uncomfortable with us being here, then we'll get up and go."

"Wouldn't want you running us over with you sixteen million dollar car," the fourteen year old mutters under his breath.

But we heard him.

The warm smile is wiped from Alex's face and he looks down at the table. The atmosphere grows tense and I clear my suddenly dry throat.

"Jackson," Danielle snaps, kicking him from under the table. "Be nice. They're famous."

The mother looked so shocked and afraid by what her son said that I thought she was going to pass out. "I-I am so sorry. He didn't mean it. He really didn't. I don't know why he said that but I'm sure it was probably an accident. It slipped."

Honestly, we get the point.

She was just rambling now. Alex gave her a shaky smile, assuring her everything was okay before grabbing our bags and handing me mine. "It's okay. It really is. But we have to get going. There's a concert I have to get ready for."

He starts walking without waiting for a response.

I frown. "Sorry. It's still a sore subject for him."

I look through my bag, searching for the tickets Alex had given me this morning and them to Danielle. She looks at them for a few moments with confusion then holds them up for Jackson to read.

When he does, he eyes me suspiciously. "Tickets to your concert? What makes you think we want to go?"

Shrugging, I zip up my bag. "You don't have to go if you don't want to," I assure him. "You can use once anytime this summer. There's VIP passes for you guys if you do come. Thanks for coming to sit with us."