How Could This Be Real?

12. I Believe You Have Something Of Mine

We went back out to where Lee and my dad were waiting and saw that the others had joined them.

"Hey, how was it?" Stampy asked.

"Uh, it was good," I said. "How come you guys haven't gone yet?"

"We literally just got over here. I didn't think that would take so long."

"But it was totally worth it!" Sqaishey chimed in.

"Yeah, but now we have to hurry over to the signing. No time for a ride or even food."

"Oh, I'm sure we can grab something and go," she reasoned. "We can use the passages."

"Passages?" I asked curiously.

He gestured to the hallways above us that I had seen earlier. "They're so that we don't get mobbed, but I don't know if they'd be faster or not."

"Sure they will!" she exclaimed and grabbed his arm. "Come on, we've got to hurry."

So I followed them to a doorway that was being guarded. We showed the man our passes and he nodded us through one by one. He looked at me suspiciously for a moment, but soon nodded to me as well. We walked up some stairs and decided to split up. Ash came with us because he said he wasn't hungry so we started off.

I watched out the windows as we went. One to see all the cool stuff, but also so I wouldn't have to look at Squid. Lee and my dad were talking and Ash was whispering to David so I just tuned them out. A few minutes later, we made it to the signing area and they went to their designated tables.

I followed Ash and Lee to the far table and asked, "So who all's going to be here?"

"Let's see... Amy, Tom," I flinched at his name but he didn't notice, "Sqaishey, Stampy, and us."

I smiled, "Should be fun. I guess I'll see you in a bit."

I started walking away but Ash said, "What do you mean?"

I stopped and turned around, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Where are you going?"

"To get in line."

He shook his head, "You don't need to wait, you have a pass. Plus there's still some time before it starts. You wanna help set up?"

"Uh, I guess so. What needs to be done?"

He looked around and frowned when he couldn't find anything. "Oh, I guess everything is pretty much ready." He turned a grin to me, "I guess we can just hang out then."

"Right," I said slowly, "Fun..." He pulled some postcards out of his bag and set them on the table. Lee did the same and I picked one up to study it. "Huh, cool designs." Ash plucked one from the top of the stack and started writing on it. "What, you getting a head start or something?"

After a moment, he handed it to me. "Here." I raised an eyebrow and read it to myself. Angel, it's been great hanging out with you today. Stay cheesy! -Ash.

I couldn't help smiling a little and whispered, "Thanks."

"No problem." He elbowed Lee and he grabbed one as well.

He gave it to me and said, "I can do your book too if you want."

"Oh uh, yeah, of course." I pulled it out and he signed that too. "I feel like such a fangirl, are you sure this isn't weird?"

"Nah," Ash said. "We've gotta practice anyway, we've got a lot more of these to sign."

I got my book back and Lee said, "I didn't see Squid's signature in there." He nodded in his direction, "You should go ask him for it."