I turned to Eric and gave him a peck on the cheek before running as far from the docks as I could get. I didn't give him a name or as much as a second glance when he called to me to wait. I was too excited; too thrilled by the idea that I could finally live a life of my own.
My heart was saddened about the life and the family that I left behind me, but I couldn't dwell on it because I finally had the one thing I'd been hoping for. My body grew tired as I ran, the bag on my shoulder was heavy and almost too much for me to handle. I wanted to stop and rest. To embrace the thought that I was no longer on someone else's schedule, but my own. Yet at the same time, the idea of stopping was scary. I didn't know where I was escaping to, only that I was escaping. I had no plan and that alone frightened me. I knew that my financial supply was scarce and wouldn't amount to much in the long run, but I wasn't going to quit when things got hard and by no means would I go back to Dad.
After what seemed like forever I stopped running and nearly keeled over on the street. I looked all around me and took it in for the first time since I stepped foot off the boat. I was going to live a human life! With actual happiness! The idea was almost unfathomable. I let out a giggle and stood back up again, realizing that I had sea legs. I was even struggling to stay up right. It was silly because I'd laughed for years at the people who boarded Daddy's ship and couldn't walk straight, but now here I was experiencing it myself.
"Hey, lady, are you okay?" A girl with long blonde hair and big blue eyes asked. She was tiny, maybe 5'0 and couldn't way more than one hundred pounds. I smiled at her, nodding frantically in the affirmative. I'd never been so okay.
"You look a bit lost. I'm assuming you're a tourist, no?" I once again nodded, unable to catch my breath to force out a word. "Well, I'm Baylee and I guess I'll be your tour guide for the day." She held out her hand and I took it with no hesitation, jumping up.
"You're gonna get yourself killed trusting people so quickly." She noted, walking us to a tiny green car with a Tinkerbell decal on the back. Now that I really studied her she did look a lot like Tinkerbell. Other than the freckle that sat on her right cheek, a few inches under her eye. Baylee was pretty and it was like an instant connection. "Could I, at least, get a name?" She teased, nudging my shoulder when we got to her vehicle.
I had to think fast; as she pointed out I didn't know her and if Daddy sent out an Amber Alert, I'd get caught too easily. "Lynnette." I slipped, before my mind could tell my mouth 'no'. Baylee turned and smiled a bit. "Pretty name." My shoulders shrugged a bit and, as if Baylee could sense my discomfort, she turned on the radio.
The radio played familiar tunes, but they weren''t exaclty age appropriate, looking at Baylee, though, I suppose it fit her quite nicely. She drove with an air of confidence, yet still cautious. She'd have to loosen up a little to be my tour guide.
"Do you know the works of this mastermind?" She asked, tapping her fingers on her steering wheel and humming to the tune. I knew the works of him, but he himself, I couldn't even name the guy. I think it started with an 'A', but I couldnt' be too sure.
"This man is named Alan Menken and I am positive he's as intelligent - if not more so- than Walt Disney himself." Baylee spoke with sheer devotion and I wasn't sure if I found it endearing or creepy. I almost expected to see posters of this guy around her house. I'd definitely have to dip if that happened. I will not live with a psychopath.
"You seem very...erm...Disney oriented." I noted and she nodded with more enthusiasm than I could even force. "I should be; I'm Tinkerbell."
Okay, so at the next complete stop, I'll just jump from the car and run. They do it in the movies easy enough, right? Complete and utterly deranged, she thinks she's Tinkerbell for crying out loud!
"O...kay." I couldn't find words to reassure her I wasn't onto her schizophrenic lifestyle. Baylee threw her head back and laughed, making me jump for the door handle.
"No, no, I am literally Tinkerbell. I work at Disney World. It's my second year!" Holy crap! My eyes bounced straight out of my skull. Disney World! I wanna go to Disney World! It was another one of those dreams that Dad didn't want to hear a thing about because we'd be off the boat for too long.
"How old are you?" I asked, mystified; I was in the presence of a celebirty, well, kinda. She responded with an eager '19'. I couldn't stop staring at her and I was almost positive I was creeping her out, but she just kept smiling. "How do you work at Disney World all day and still come home to love Disney?" I murmured, taking in her lifestyle, but then realizing that she was the coolest person I'd ever met! She made me want to talk!!
"Ever since I was young I was a Disney fan and could quote every movie by heart. Still can, actually. I never really grew out of the stage though, so when my Mom took me to Disney I told Tinkerbell that I was going to steal her job." Her laugh sounded like it popped out of a Disney film when she giggled. "I followed her around all day and didn't ride a single ride. They called security the fourth day we were there and I beat up a girl who said she was going to be Tinkerbell. I was sure I'd never be allowed back in. So years passed and all I ever did was practice, now, here I am!"
I was floored by her devotion and extremely jealous. I wanted that - not to be Tinkerbell, I wouldn't want my new midget friend to beat me up - but I wanted something in my life that made everything about me light up and exult pure happiness. I wanted what Baylee had and as soon as I found it I would stop at nothing to get it.
"So, I'm going to be straight forward, Lynn. I'm assuming you're a runaway. You have a bag packed, you won't reveal anything about yourself, you look young, and you're in sunshades and a hat. While that's normal here, paired with everything else I am a bit suspicious. I want to offer you a spot on my couch. Actually, not offering, you're going to stay on my couch. That's a demand. We're going to be friends and, one day, you're going to open up to me."
"How did you..."
"Been there, done that, Lynnie- Bird. I've got your back and that's all you need to know."
(A/N You are not allowed to reveal who you actually are in Disney World, like Baylee telling Lynnie that she was Tinkerbell could get her fired in real life, but this is fiction, therefore, I say she's allowed.
Also curious, did anyone catch the Peter Pan reference towards the end?)
YOU ARE READING
The Silent Sailor
Teen Fiction(Retake on Disney's Little Mermaid) Lynnette is the daughter of a man who owns a powerful cruise ship; he's practically King of the Ocean, but Lynnie isn't happy. She's still mourning the loss of her mother from years ago and feels stuck under...
