Just Talk to Him! (IM5)

Chapter 19

July 23rd, 2013 - 10:15 a.m.

I am so jealous of Anna right now. She just met her celebrity crush (excluding Zac Efron and all of 5SOS and 1D) and she’s still flirty and confident. What the hell? I still sometimes get shy when I talk to Dana- and that was before the kiss, too!

“Has Kylie talked about me?” Anna asks, the corners of her lips quirking up.

Dalton hesitates. “I think she’s mentioned you once or twice. Are you the Tumblr freak?” He makes it sound like a good thing.

“That’s it? Okay,” she pouts for an instant. “Anyway, yeah. That’s me. I follow you.”

“You do?” He questions, looking genuinely surprised and happy.

“Yep. Just one question- or favor for Kylie- if it isn’t too bad. Ky’s a huge fan of Supernatural. (I only watch it for the hot guys, to be honest.) And we happen to know that Madison, your ex, was in the show.”

“We do?” I blink. “Who does, um, Madison play?” How did I not know Dalton had a direct connection to one of my favorite shows?

Dalton put on a thinking face. “Uh… I think it starts with a ‘K’?”

“Krissy!” Anna exclaims. “Remember, Kylie, that teenage hunter? She was in the ‘Freaks and Geeks’ episode.”

“Oh!” I realize. “Oh my god. How did I not know that?” I turn to Dalton with pleading eyes. “I need her autograph.”

He rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly. “You do know that she is my ex, right?”

I sink into my seat. “Oh.”

“I’ll text her, though,” Dalton promises seriously. “I can’t say if she’ll reply.”

I squeal and hop up and down in my seat. “Yay!” A grin splits my face.

Anna chuckles. “Dalton, you’re too nice.”

“Am I?”

They stare at each other through the screen and I just want to disappear. I hate it when I introduce two people and suddenly I’m third wheeling.

I gaze at the disfigured potted plant by the door absentmindedly as Dalton jokes and Anna teases him. A sharp poke at my side jolts my from my vacancy. Dalton peers at me curiously. “We should test this. ‘What does it take to catch Kylie’s attention?’ I hypothesize some sort of sudden physical contact, because clearly, Ms. Chase, shouting across a phone call or even in her ear will not do the trick. Thoughts?”

Anna nods, her chemistry lab expression objective and calculating. “I have to say that you do make a valid point there, Mr. Rappattoni, but I’d like to go even further to say that it takes attacking her with tremendous pressure at a small radius, especially at one of her ticklish points.”

I give them both a concerned look, laughing. “I swear, you two were meant to meet.”

“I know, right?” Anna drawls, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

“A friendship made in heaven,” Dalton adds. I cringe inwardly, but Anna doesn’t even let the remark faze her or her flirting. If it were me, I’d almost die of embarrassment and near heartbreak.

After thirty minutes of fluff-like banter and substanceless conversation, Dalton leaves to do something with the band, leaving me all alone in the lounge again. I see Anna’s eyes glued to him until he is off camera and can’t help but frown.

“You do know that he sees you as a friend, right?” I remind Anna quietly. “I don’t want you to get your hopes up too high.”

She keeps her smile. “I met my celebrity crush. I’ve never felt better.”