Sleeping with Socks

Chapter 7 + Where the changing appears

It's been a long time since I haven't walked in London with my little brother. My mother was feeling very bad these days, so she was spending her mornings and afternoons in her bed with coffee and medicines. To be honest, I was terrified. Did it mean that she was about to leave this planet ? I didn't want my mummy to go. I needed her, more than anyone, and the thought of living without her was not a possibility to me.

Charlie and I decided to escape the weird atmosphere of our home for the day. April began the week before. The sky was blue, the clouds were almost gone, the flowers started to blossom and the sun stopped hiding. It was ten past noon, and we were extremely hungry because we didn't eat a lot at breakfast, as we were really excited to go out. We took something like three whole minutes to choose between McDonalds and Nandos. The first one came out because it was the nearest, and I was done with walking with my brand new heels.

Charlie, mum and Kate were saying that I was changing. I've never worn heels before. I've never worn eye-shadow either until today. Kate even told me "You become more woman." Was that even possible ? I've always been a kind of girly, trying not to get into the codes and being someone special. But my best friend said my personality was enough to make me special. This morning, I did my make up in a quarter of an hour, applying some foundation, concealer, powder, attempting to make a soft pastel smoky in the most proper way, and trying my new red lipstick. My mum said that I was looking older, and I was happy about it. I didn't want to look like a teenager anymore. My basic cheeseburger and my french fries arrived with Charlie's Big Mac menu, and we had a seat on a four people table. I dropped a chip into my sauce, and looked at my brother eating his burger. The salad fell from it. He put it in his fingers to bring it back into the burger. He had ketchup everywhere on his hands and mouth.« - Holly shit.- You're disgusting.- Give me a towel please. »I did, ate a few chips as he was wiping his face and his hands. I bit in my cheeseburger and I realised that he was staring at me.

« - Yes ?
- Hm, nothing.- Why were you looking at me that way ?
- For the first time of your life, you look your age. »

I put down my sandwich and looked at myself. A beige collar blouse, black trousers, a cute necklace.

« - What d'you mean, my age 
- You look 20. And you're 20. When you were ten you were looking 87. When you were 19 you were looking 15. Until last week, you were looking 15. But today... You look 20.
- Thanks for mentioning my "87 years old" fashion sense, brother.
- It was terrible. But you're "20 years old' one is amazing. It suits you. »

I first opened my eyes widely. Then I shook my head.

« - This was the very first compliment you ever told me, Charlie.
- I reckon my first attempt was not too bad.
- You're right. Thank y...
- Essie ? »

I looked up to discover the person owing the voice that just said my name. It was belonging to a blonde girl. She should be 15 or 16, maybe more. I've never seen er before, but apparently she heard about me because she knew my name. She was looking at me with the same sight I would have if I was in front of Jennifer Lawrence or Andrew Garfield. She repeated my name, I nodded, and she had a sort of gasp. That was weird.

« Can I just have a picture or something ? »

Charlie almost killed himself with his coke and the girl giggled.

« - Is that your brother ? she asked me.
- I am, he replied. I'm Charlie.
- I'm Rosie. »

He gently smiles at her, and she brought her sight back on my face. Oh, now I remembered. She asked me something.

« - Of course you can.
- Awesome, she said enthusiastically.
- Sat here. »

So she did, and she held her phone in front of us. Before she pressed the button, Charlie asked if he could join. Rosie agreed after she blushed, and he came to sit next to her. Then he said a really really bad joke to make us laugh, and she took her picture. It was really nice, actually. She thanked us, we said goodbye, and she left. Charlie got back to his seat.

« - What the hell was that ?
- I'm not too sure.
- How does she know you ?
- No idea. Twitter, maybe.
- Essie, we only ask a picture with someone who's famous.
- I know right.
- Are you famous ? »

I sighed. I didn't really know what to answer to his question. Was I famous ?

« - I don't know. People just know me as Will's friend.
- Ok. I see. You're popular. How do you feel about it ?
- I can't tell. I'm not popular in my head.
- Try to get used. »


Wha was that meaning ? Somimes my brother was weird, acting as he was full of wisdom. A sort of shaman or something. Be he scared me a little bit. This girl who asked for a photograph was... My fan. If I really could say that. The very first one I met. And judging by the followers I got since "the day of the picture", as Will and I called it, she was not the only one I had. And they'll certainly get more numerous and more numerous after a few months. Two minutes after she left the restaurant, my phone warned me that I had a Twitter notification. And then a lot of them came really quickly. She posted the picture. People favouited and retweeted and reacted.

Scary.