The Ruels of My Heart

chapter three - your perspective

The concert was just how I expected. Lame. It was filled with too many hype teenagers screaming and obsessing over Ruel. I'm just leaving when I feel a hand tap my shoulder. I spin around and see two men dressed in black hoodies with 'CREW' on the back looking at me. One has a fancy camera with a microphone sitting on his shoulder. I can see a light blinking, which I know means it's recording.
"Hey, we're giving you a free meet and greet ticket with Ruel!" One of the guys says, grinning. I've seen these videos on instagram, where the crew surprising one lucky fan with a meet and greet. The fan always screams or starts crying. Not me. I just stand there, not knowing what to do. The last thing I want is a video of me turning down an offer like this to go viral...
"Oh my god!" I finally say. I hope that my lousy attempt to sound thrilled isn't too obvious. "Is this a prank? You've got to be kidding me! Thank you so much!"
"Come on, let's go introduce you to Ruel. You're his last meet and greet of the night!" The crew member says. I hope I look happy. Because I'm honestly not, I just want to go home. Oh well. What's the worst that could happen?

I walk into the meet and greet room. Ruel is sitting down on a couch, but he stands up when he sees me. What a weirdo. He probably thinks I'm in love with him, just like all the other fans. I definitely am not. I hadn't even heard of him before tonight. He looks different up close. I stare into his bright green emerald eyes, but they don't meet mine. Is he checking me out? No way. It's probably just part of the meet and greet.
"Hey," He says. I can tell he's trying to sound confident, cool, to impress this one awkward fan who apparently isn't buckling at her knees and crying at the sight of him. Immediately I decide he is such a jerk.
"Hi," I say, because I don't want to be rude. He looks up to my face and smiles, but he flinches as soon as we make eye contact.
"What's your name?" He asks, in that same fake, cocky voice.
"Leo," I reply.
"It's great to meet you!"
I try to smile back. Why on earth did I take the meet and greet ticket? I'm just as big an idiot as he is.
"Are you from Sydney?" He asks.
"No," I reply, "I moved from Melbourne today."
"Oh, I love Melbourne!"
"It's okay I guess." I hate Melbourne. I have too many memories there.
"What brings you-"
I carelessly interrupt him because I know what he's going to say. "My immature mother who I love very dearly made me come to this concert. Then some guys came up to me and gave me a ticket to this meet and greet. I didn't want to look ungrateful so I took it. I'm starting to wish I didn't." I say. I could have easily gotten out of this. I should have gotten out of this. But I do feel kind of bad when I see Ruel's face fall, his eyes filling with hurt.
"So um... What are your hobbies?" He asks, obviously trying to change the subject but failing miserably.
"I like football, hockey, volleyball, swimming, and basketball." I answer.
"Oh," he says. "I love basketball."
So we have one thing in common. Who would have guessed?