Wild World Comms

Chapter 2: Did You Know? That the Museum is Pretty at Night

20:20, that's that time that your phone was telling you it was as you made your way into the Natural History Museum. The conversation with the doorman wasn't as painstakingly awkward as you thought it would have been, he simply crossed your name off the list and pointed out the direction of the exhibit.

Even though you have been there before, the museum looked a lot different at night, more beautiful and extravagant. A large banner decorated the hallway for the event 'Moonlight in Jurassica'- some fancy name to make a dinosaur exhibit at night more appealing. Though how could dinosaurs at night not be appealing? The curators have obviously never seen Night at The Museum.

Smartly dressed people filled the room, sipping champagne out of long glasses and looking like they were having too good a time socialising with others; though none of them were actually looking around the exhibit. You stood there contemplating whether or not to venture into the crowd, Will could have literally been anywhere. Instead you took the safer option, grabbing your phone out of your bag and scrolling for Will's number. Though suddenly a hand landed on your shoulder.

You spun around to see Will, dressed rather smartly in a jet black suit, looking as handsome as ever. "So you finally managed to show your face," he smiled as he brought you in for a welcoming hug.

"Fashionably late as ever. Have I missed much?"

"No. Although you did miss some incessantly long speeches, next time I might take a page out of your book and show up-" he cast his eyes down to his watch, "an hour and a half late." 

You rolled your eyes.

"Anyway, I brought you this." He held out a large glass of white wine.

"You are clearly a telepath!" You grinned, taking a sip of the drink. "There are so many people here tonight, everyone is super old and glamorous, are you sure we're supposed to be here?"

Will smirked as he gazed around the room and then back to you, "I hadn't noticed, but yes we are definitely not supposed to be here. I guess the doorman is terrible at his job just letting the riff raff in." 

"Riff raff? Okay Charles Dickens," You laughed, quirking your eyebrow at his hot sarcasm. "Have you been to look around the exhibit yet?"

"Not yet, I was waiting for you to show up." He flashed you a sarcastic glare, leading you to take sip of wine. "But while I was waiting I caught sight of Dr Wyatt and George!" Your eyes grew wide at the news; Dr Wyatt and her husband, George, wrote a book that could be considered a revolutionary novel within some circles. Will stumbled upon it when it was first published and hasn't really stopped talking about it ever since. It was safe to call them legends.

"They were over by the fountain last time I checked." Your gaze inconspicuously wandered to their location, "Can you see them?" Will whispered, as though what we were doing was a great secret.

Like a pre-owned Where's Wally book, you immediately noticed the couple through the crowd, they seemed to be in conversation with another equally established couple.

"I see them."

"I've been waiting all night to talk to them, but they always seem to be occupied with other people," you turned your gaze back to Will noticing that he was also looking in the direction of the fountain and the couple. You were like two awkward wolves eyeing up their prey in a very non-threatening manner.

"Do you want to look around the exhibit then?" You asked, hoping to pull Will out of his trance.

His eyes flashed back and forth between you and the couple, "I'll tell you what, you go ahead, because I'm going to swoop in right after those people are done."

"Okay. But don't leave me stranded on my own for too long" you replied half sarcastically, as you really didn't want to be on your own for anytime at all.

"I'll find you as soon as I have finished," he reassuringly smiled back at you.

Looking over at Dr Wyatt and George, you noticed that their conversation was nearly over with, and that another party was impatiently looming nearby. "You'd better be quick..."

"Shit!" Will reactively turned to see the couple finishing off their conversation and you laughed as he started to politely push his way through the crowd toward his heroes.

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After a fair bit of searching you had managed to find an area of the exhibit that wasn't full of people. Off to the side of the room there was a staircase, leading you to a balcony area to get a 'view from above'. The space was cute and littered with history, and most importantly devoid of people.

A group of Pterodactyl skeletons were hung from the ceiling to give the impression that they were flying through the sky. You felt pretty happy walking amongst them, sipping your wine and stopping to read the information plaques as you passed them - Did you know? That Pterodactyl's had around 90 teeth? - crazy!

Just as you were about to move onto the next fun fact, you heard someone clearing their throat from behind you, as if to announce their presence. You were pretty sure that no one else was up on the balcony with you, and Will couldn't have already been looking for you... Your eyes diverted back down towards the information plaque, you rationalised that were probably just hearing things - Did you know? The Pterodact- 

*Ahem*

You weren't imagining anything, someone was there. You slowly started to turn around, half expecting to see your beardy friend with a beaming smile lighting up his face, because it really would be hilarious to spook your friend in such a way. Although this wasn't the case.

Stood in front of you was a tall quiffy haired stranger. "Erm, hi," he mumbled, looking about as awkward as you did.

"Hello," you couldn't help but smiling back at him, as his eyes darted around everywhere before they finally settled upon your shoes.

"I like your shoes," you looked down to your slightly worn Converse, and then over to his feet that were fashioning similar all black high tops. Your eyes then moved to the stranger who was smiling in your direction, his calming blue eyes just about managing to make contact with yours.

"Thanks. It looks as though you also have great taste in footwear."

He chuckled, glancing back down towards the floor, before focusing his eyes back in your direction and offering out his hand, "I'm Dan."