36 Questions: A Joanne Fanfiction

Question Two

Would you like to be famous? In what way?

It was the next day, and the pair were currently on the train back from Wiltshire. Their still-sore bodies were incredibly grateful for chairs on the way back, as fun as the carriage had been for the journey there, they needed all the support they could get after a long day of filming and training.

After several hours of companionable quiet, the train was still hours away from the station. The pair weren't too chatty, and Dianne was overtired, having gone to bed a lot later than she was used to the night before, so was trying to sleep. On the other hand, Joe was wide awake, and had been for what felt like ages.

Joe had become quite restless over the previous hour, and Dianne was starting, to understandably, become irritated. "What is it?" she asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"I'm bored. How much longer?"he asked her, sounding more like a seven year-old than a twenty-seven year-old.

"I don't know, I've never caught this train before!"

"Oh yeah fair enough," they laughed, but before they settled back into the quiet he asked "Can we do another question?"

"If it keeps you entertained, yeah sure," she gave in, understanding that sleep was going to be almost impossible now.

He smiled "Pass me the phone then,"

Reluctantly, she passed over her phone into his outstretched hand, the battery almost dangerously low, despite it still being morning. He smiled softly to himself, before clearing his throat "this one is a bit different for us but I'll ask it anyway: would you like to be famous? In what way? You can go first this time, I did last time." he said as a way of explanation for his reluctance to answer the question.

"Are we going to take it turns then?"

"Yep."

"Ah okay."

"Now stop stalling and get on with it"

"Alright keep your pants on mister! Umm yeah I think in order to do what I do, yeah I do need to be known by the public to some extent. Did I tell you that Amy, Chloe and I are going on tour next year?"

"No that's so cool! Where did you find the time to fit that in?"

"Well as much as I love strictly, I can't afford to not work for half the year, so we've created a tour and so if I wasn't known then the tickets for our tour wouldn't sell and I'd be out of a job and back to Oz and hairdressing," she explained.

"That's all well and good Di but you still haven't answered the question," he laughed.

"Oh yeah sorry, would I like to be famous? Yeah that would be pretty cool I guess, and umm kind of a boring answer but for being really good at something, I don't really mind what, maybe for dance? Yeah that's it, I'd like to be famous for that" she said, deciding just to speak her mind out loud rather than attempt to force her thoughts into a semi-coherent order. "What about you, you 'social media superstar'?"

With this he visibly cringed, and the once comfortable, jokey mood turned slightly sour, as the pair were reminded of where they were. They weren't simply two friends on a train ride, they were co-workers, and easily recognisable ones at that. The pair both found themselves suddenly grateful for the almost empty carriage. She hesitated before asking more quietly "do you count yourself as famous already?"

His face scrunched into an uncomfortable position, reflecting his awkwardness at the question he was about to answer. "This time last year I would have told you no flat out. Well this time last year I would have been extremely confused about who you are first and foremost but I digress."

"You di-what?"

"Never mind," he smiled fondly. "Basically it's complicated, on the one hand I'm just a guy that makes some questionably funny videos in his bedroom, and films himself annoying his mates but then on the other hand the press write articles about me, I've made two movies and you said it yourself, I'm advertised as a celebrity on one of the most watched TV shows in the UK. So it's complicated."

"I understand," she watched as his face began to relax, as the weight of his words being lifted off of his shoulders. "But you still haven't answered the question," she grinned, watching him sigh in defeat, a playful glint in his eye.

"Ugh I was hoping I'd get away with it,"

"Nope you can't fool me that easily I'm too smart for that" she winked playfully, successfully lightening the mood, but not by much.

He laughed slightly uncomfortably, before clearing his throat and starting to speak: "I'm not too sure to be honest. As usual, it's complicated but I'll try to explain anyway. So I'm not sure I'd like to be famous, probably not to be honest. I love my job, don't get me wrong, I'm so grateful for it, it's completely changed my life and given me so many memories and opportunities but at the same time I miss who I was before this 'social media star' business. I loved thatching and being on the roofs and making little old ladies laugh. I guess us coming back home has shown me the life I could have been living you know?"

She nods encouragingly, silently urging him to go on, as she lent into her now uncomfortable seat.

"Because now I have to be aware of everything I'm doing, who I meet, who I'm seen out with in case a viewer spots me or the press are onto me or something. It's not as fun as people picture, I guess. But if I was to be famous, I'd want it to be for making people laugh, that's always the best compliment I can have for a video, so yeah."

"Aww that's so sweet," she laughed as a rosy flush crept up his neck at the compliment. "But yeah I totally understand what you mean about the press."

"Really?" he asked, silently surprised, Dianne always seemed like such a happy-go-lucky girl that he hadn't considered that she'd had difficulties with the British press.

"Yeah," she sighed, looking down in embarrassment, only to look up to see him watching her intently. "It's no secret that I've dated people in the UK in the past, and it comes with the job, but whenever I'm seen with a man, especially one I'm dancing with it'll always be the next story."

"Ugh tell me about it." They laughed, having not realised that they'd have this in common without the use of the questions. "I actually like these questions, you know?" he said, pausing before telling his red-headed companion "I'm glad you suggested this last night, I don't really get the chance to talk to anyone about stuff like this,"

"Me too, I must say I'm surprised Joe. You said you find it difficult to talk like this, but you've done really well you know." She said quickly, almost nervous about how he'd react.

She needn't have worried. "Oh um thank you, I guess," he blushed, "I knew you wouldn't judge me though, I mean, if you're still talking to me after seeing my awful attempts at dancing then I knew it would be fine."

"You're forgetting that it's part of the job Joseph, but that's very true." They shared a chuckle, before continuing to make light conversation, neither of the pair were ready for another question but both of them were more entertained by each other's company than any other alternative.

After what felt like minutes, but was actually almost two hours, the train pulled into Paddington. The two left the train, eager to grab some food and begin training. After all, as Dianne liked to say "the Charleston won't learn itself Joe." 

He reluctantly agreed.