The Normal Heart

Chapter Two

Bruno's POV
I wake up the next day tired and groggily, but in a much better mood. I grab my phone off of the bedside table and check for any messages. None. I decide to show my fans some love and go onto Instagram. I like a few fan accounts posts and then decide to post. They always get excited when I post. I upload a picture from last nights performance, Phil and I dancing. After I check all of my social media, I then decide to shower. My black curls get soaked in shampoo and I wash my body. I rinse and step out, wrapping a towel around my waist, and then brush my teeth. I walk back into the bedroom and throw on some black jeans, a white t-shirt and a plaid flannel to wear over top of my shirt. A red beanie covers my fro and I grab my phone, wallet, and car keys.
I take the elevator down to the parking garage, and hop into the Mercedes Benz rental car. I drive down to the local mall. The first store I see is a small coffee shop and decide to go in. I order my stuff and go and sit at the far back of the shop.
I pull out my phone and begin going through random things.
"You look pretty lonely. Mind if I sit?" I look up and see a smaller girl, about 25 or 26 standing about a foot from the table. Her long black hair is swept onto the left side of her shoulder and her baby blue eyes look into my brown ones, patiently waiting for an answer.
I smile and nod my head.
"I'm Karsen." She smiles and holds out her hand.
"Bruno," I smile and softly take her hand in mine, giving it a small shake.
"That's a cool name."
"And you have have a beautiful name to match that beautiful face of yours," I respond.
"Cheesy," she laughs.
"I prefer to say; an oldie but a goodie."
"Well, it is very flattering, thank you." She softly laughs again.
"I speak only of the truth," I softly laugh back.
She flashes me a small, white teeth, smile and looks down at her hands that are now resting on the table.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, why is the famous Bruno Mars sitting in a coffee shop all alone?"
Fuck.
"Well, selling out stadiums and having crazy fans scream your name constantly, can get pretty loud. Peace and quiet is always a nice thing."
"Hmm, didn't know, and didn't think you would either," she smirks.
"Ouch!" I say pretending to grab my wounded heart.
"Aweh, is pretty boy Bruno hurt by that?" She laughs.
"First you knock away at my confidence and now you call me pretty? Are ya bi-polar?" I ask.
She laughs. "Not at all."
"So, if you don't mind me asking, why did you come sit with me?"
"What? Am I not good enough to sit here with a superstar?"
"Not at all," I answer. Almost too good to sit with me, I think to myself, not daring to say it. "I just thought you'd want an autograph or picture or somethin," I add.
She softly smiles and looks down at her hands before glancing back at me,"No actually, this is gonna sound very foolish and stupid but, uh, I was actually wondering if I could get your number?" She looks back at her hands as they begin fidgeting.
I look at her for a moment. Taking in her beauty. How her midnight black hair is carelessly- no, perfectly swept over her left shoulder. How a nervous look is placed over her acne-less face. How her crystal blue eyes match the nervous look on her brows. The way her soft hands twiddle as she patiently awaits an answer. The way her chest rises and falls with every passing moment. The only word to describe her is; beautiful.
I wait one last second before answering,"How about this; I give you my number if you agree to go to lunch with me?"
Her nervous look instantly flashes away and is replaced with relief. "Deal," she smiles, another alluring thing about her.
"Now I may be famous and be hella good looking, but I aint gon' take you to any five-star restaurant looking like this." I say gesturing my hand over my body.
"Well in all honesty, I think you look pretty damn good for a guy in a coffee shop." A hint of redness creeps into her cheeks.
I smile and thank her."Well, we should probably go if we're going to for lunch." I look down at my watch on my wrist, 12:45.
"Alrighty. Where are we going? I'll meet you there," She says standing up and grabbing her phone off of the table.
"Don't be stupid, I'm driving." I say and hold out my arm for her.
"Such a gentleman," she smiles and threads her arm through mine.
"My parents must've raised me right!" I smile back.
She softly laughs.
When we get to the car I open the door for her and she thanks me. I run around to the drivers side and hop in front of the wheel.
"Where would you like to go?" I ask pulling out of the mall parking lot.
"I don't care. It's up to you." She replys.
"God damn!" I shout.
"What?" Karsen asks.
"I picked up one of em girls!" I answer.
"'One of em girls'? What's that supposed to mean?" She asks, a little bit of hurt in her voice.
"The ones that can't choose!"
"Well, sorry then?"
"No baby, don't be sorry, just pick a god damn place to eat!" I laugh.
She turns and looks out the window. We drive past several fancy restaurants, but she never says anything.
"McDonalds," she says pointing out the window.
"Really?" I ask.
"McNuggets do things to me," she jokes.
"Same fucking here," I agree.
I pull into the parking lot and ask if she wants to go in, or go through the drive through. She says drive through, so I pull my car into the line.
"Welcome to McDonald's, how may I help you?" The waitress asks.
"Can I get a 10 pack of nuggets, a large fry and a fruitopia."
"Okay anything else?"
"Yeah, what do you want?" I say looking back at Karsen.
"Same as you," she smiles.
"Actually can I get another order of 10 nuggets, a large fry and a fruitopia?" I ask.
"Of course. Is that all?"
"Yes."
"Okay please pull up," she says.
I do as told and pull my car up to the front window. I flip down my shades and pull my hat down lower onto my head.
Shortly later, we pay and get our food. Neither of the servers realized who I was and for that, I was grateful.
"Where to now?" I ask.
"I dunno." She answers.
"Why don't we drive around for a bit?" I suggest.
She nods her head and I turn onto some random street. Beautiful houses are scattered roughly 7 meters apart on each side of the road. My eyes turn to look over at Karsen and see her admiring the houses. It's a beautiful sight.
"What?" She asks, snapping me out of my trance.
"Nothin'" I answer and turn my attention back to the road.
"I have a question?"
"Fire away b," I reply.
"Does it suck being a celebrity?" She asks.
I pause, taken aback by her question, thinking about it for a moment. "No, well not always. It's nice having the money and fame. Being able to inspire people and travel around the world. But sometimes I wish I had the peace and quiet; the normal life like you do. Having the chance to cry and breakdown and not having it caught by cameras. Or go on a date and not having paparazzi chasing you all the time."
"Oh," she simply responds. I can tell what I said made her think because for the next few moments, we sit in silence.
"Do you miss your normal life? Like the one you had before the fame and fortune?" She asks.
"Sometimes. I miss my home and my old friends. But if I really think about it, I've impacted so many lives by doing this, and for that chance to happen to me, it's really cool. Plus, I wouldn't have met all the people I have now." I say, smiling about the memories.
"Sorry," she whispers.
"About what?" I ask.
"Asking those questions." She answers.
"Why? I don't mind."
"I just don't feel like I have the right to know you like that," she answers, putting some fries in her mouth.
"Hey, I don't mind. It's nice to talk about this, rather than the girls and the music." I don't get this chance often, and it's nice to share it with somebody.
"Well, thanks for letting me ask them." She looks at me and I see a small smile roll onto her lips out of the corner of my eye.
I smile and put my hand on the stick shift. She shifts in her seat and looks out the window at the passing buildings.
I turn on the radio. "What do you like to listen to?" I ask her and she turns her head slightly.
She opens her mouth to talk but I cut her off,"I swear to God, if you say 'I don't care' or 'I don't know' I will pull over and kick you out."
Her lips close, then reopen. "Country," she smirks.
"Let's go!" I say in a southern accent.
She throws her head back in laughter and I smile.

Then I remember, this right here, it won't last. I'm leaving for Florida in roughly 3 hours.