Two Ways to Make Me Smile (Dolan Twins)

4. "I Think I Know You from Vine"

"Oh, sorry," I step aside so the person behind me can grab whatever they need.

"Thanks," the deep voice says to me. The stranger's loose blonde hair flops slightly as he reaches to grab a straw and a couple napkins. I spot the pink drink in his hand.

"I see you've been forced to buy one of those?" I gesture at the man's full cup in his grasp.

His head perks up and freezes for a mere second before he looks over at me. Suddenly a flashback blinds me after I take a single look at his face.

The guy looks down at his drink and then back up at me, "Uh yeah. My friend over there calls it a really weird name. I dunno if you know him and his YouTube channel, but he calls it-"

"A pinkity drinkity, right?" I cough out an awkward laugh. "I've watched James Charles more than plenty enough of times."

"I guess you're one of his sisters?" He sheepishly glares at me.

I shake my head. "Actually, no, I only watch his videos because of the sheer comedy I get from it. I don't use makeup, as you can see," I point to my dull face.

"Well that's a surprise," he jokes.

A question suddenly runs past me. "Hey, do you happen to be someone I know from that old app called Vine? You look really familiar..."

"Actually, yeah, I am. My brother and I used to run Vine accounts under separate names I was on there as Grayson Dolan and my brother was Ethan Dolan on his account...but uh, people know us as the Dolan Twins on YouTube now."

So that's who they were on Vine!

"You looked so familiar, I had to ask," I weakly smile. "How's your life as a YouTuber?"

"Pretty good, actually. Ethan and I are doing really well right now," he grins. "Are you one of our fans?"

My face pulls into an uncomfortable expression that can only describe the high level of social awkwardness that I have. "Erm...I haven't really watched YouTube for quite a while already. Ya know, final exams and all?"

"Oh, I see. You're on summer break, right?" Grayson asks me.

"I guess you could say that," I shrug. "I just graduated from high school so uh..." I awkwardly stare to the side, "yeah."

His eyes grow slightly wider for a quick second. "Umm, congratulations!" He gives me two thumbs up. "Any plans for the future? Or are you planning on becoming a YouTuber as well?" Grayson laughs.

"University," I say. "I'm only here because of a scholarship to UC Berkeley."

"Isn't that..." he raises a brow, "like, five hours away from LA?"

"I'm here on a scholarship," I shrug again. "I bought an apartment here in Los Angeles so I can have a place to stay here whenever I choose to travel between campus and this city."

"You bought an apartment unit?" He looks at me in disbelief. "That's so expensive!"

I tense up, realizing that a few more muddled words might accidentally lead to me telling my pathetic and depressing life story. "Uh, my parents were willing to help me out," I lie, a pit forming at the bottom of my stomach.

"That's nice of them," Grayson says. "Do you find it scary to be living here alone?"

"Not really..." I glance to my side, seeing my drink being placed gently onto the counter.

"Here's your drink!" The barista says with a happy attitude. "Sorry that it took longer than usual, but have a great day, Alexis!"

"It's fine. Thank you," I quietly thank her, taking a straw and sticking through the lid of my cup.

"Are you two friends?" The former Viner suddenly switches the topic.

I shrug back my shoulders, unsure of my relationship with the Starbucks barista. "I guess? It's probably just because I come here every Tuesday-"

"GRAYSON! GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HERE!" One of the boys yell.

So this is Grayson...Dolan.

"I should get going," I sheepishly clutch my drink, feeling the icy touch of the cold beverage. "Have fun with your brother and stuff, I guess."

"Thanks," Grayson beams. "Maybe we'll see you around," he jokes. "Or do you have an Instagram or Twitter?"

Why the fuck would he ask a random girl like me for my Instagram?

"I do have an Instagram account," I shrug for the hundredth time. "Why do you ask?"

Grayson looks back at his twin brother and their sister. "You seem like a pretty cool person, not as a fan of us, obviously, but I feel like E and I need more friends of the opposite gender sometimes, you get me?"

"True," I nod in agreement. "Anyway, sure, you can have my Instagram name, just don't go snooping through my old posts," my eyes give him the glare as I take my phone out from my pocket.

He turns red for a few seconds before his normal tan colour comes through again. "Of course I won't," Grayson promises. "I can assure you, I'm not a creep." He passes me his phone, with the search bar ready for me. "Here, I'll follow you."

I smile slightly as I take the iPhone X from his hand, quietly typing my username into the search bar. My profile picture pops up along with the name, and I gently hand Grayson his phone, taking a sip from my cold drink as he hits the follow button. Then he shoves his phone into the pocket of his Nike shorts before poking his straw into the top of his cup.

"Message me later?"

A soft toothy smile comes through me. "Sure," I nod, walking away from the counter.

"Bye!" He shouts back, the last word I hear from this former Vine Star before I leave the Starbucks café.