Hey guys! I know, I haven't updated my stories in forever, but here's a one shot!
There's that girl. That beautiful, wide eyed girl, talking to the Cafe Hey barista. Baristo? Whatever. I've been staring at her since she walked in, but she hadn't noticed. She looks so beautiful, and so full of life. When she walks over to my table, I'm too caught in a day dream of her to notice until she's sitting down besides me.
"You are really interesting looking. Are you as interesting as you look?" She asks, and my heart flutters.
"Sure. Are you as weird as you talk?" I quip back, and she chuckles. God that lovely sound…
"Oh my gosh, yeah man, I am the weirdest cat there is." She says in an odd voice, and I roll my eyes.
"Really? 'Cause you seem like a, nice, normal girl to me." I say inquisitively, and she blushes. "You've figured me out in five seconds and you've hurt me." I smile a little.
"How can I make that up to you?" I ask, being as flirty as I can. What the hell Mae?
"Maybe we can be friends? I would be a, very, good friend to you." She says, and I think she might just be flirting back with me. No way, no way! Does Mae Clutterbucket actually have a chance for once?! "Yeah…" I say softly, looking the odd girl next to me over. "I need a weird friend." Her wide eyes light up, and she starts waving her arms around.
"Then you should pick…" She stops moving her arms, and both fingers of hers are pointed at her face. "Oh! They both landed on me." She shrugs innocently, but smirks at me. My insides melt, and I smile tentatively. My bus breaking down might not have been such a bad thing…
How we ended up in this position I've got no idea, but somehow I've ended up with the girl's notebook, and am reading it while holding her back.
"You're making me feel bad." She protests, but I continue to read anyway.
"There's some pretty heavy stuff in here... The girl with the long blonde hair." I whip my head around to look at her with a smirk. "Who's that about I wonder?" Suddenly all I want is to be in that book of hers. More importantly, I want to know what she'd write about me. I hand it back to her, and she gladly takes it.
"It's my first time here, and I want to remember everything. Maybe I'll write about it someday." She explains, sitting down. I hesitate only momentarily before sitting down next to her.
"It's my first time here too. I'm on my way to California. My bus broke down, bad luck… I don't know why these things happen." I say softly, and look away from her, suddenly sheepish.
"Because, if your bus doesn't break down, we don't become friends. If I don't sit at this table, and sit at that one, I'm not friends with…" She looks at me expectantly, and I realize she's waiting for me to tell her my name.
"Mae Clutterbucket." I say, blushing a little bit.
"Yow. What's in California for you Mae… I'm going to say Clutterbucket, but I'm not making fun of you." She asks, and I can see her visibly trying not to laugh at my last name.
"There's this place, where people are making art and singing. Topanga Canyon... I'm sure I'll love it." I bite my lip softly. I want to love it, to love this Topanga Canyon, but I'm not sure I will. And that scares me.
"Topanga… what a beautiful name for something you want to love." She says, eyes lighting up as she writes it down in her book. "I want to remember that." I watch her carefully as she writes it down. The way her eyes are swirling with possibilities and how her posture jumps at the chance of taking down a new beginning. I open my mouth to ask her name, or to tell her how I'm feeling, or to just say anything, but I hear my name being called, and remember I'd signed up to sing. I stand, gripping my guitar, and look down at the girl.
"What's your name new friend?" I ask softly.
"Rosie McGee." She says immediately, smiling innocently.
"Wish me luck Rosie McGee." I say, and a look of shock crosses her face.
"You're going to sing?" She asks curiously, and I have to smile.
"I'm going to try." I say firmly, and mount the stage. She stands up clapping, and I can see her face contort as she tries to come up with something encouraging to say.
"Remember that you're beautiful…Man!" She calls out and I blush slightly, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time she called me beautiful.
"Car drove off, airplane flew, I stayed here, missing you, I grow old, never seeing, that you were there, missing me. Are we now? What were we then? Would we look back and wonder when? What could've been, what isn't yet… will you remember or forget?" I sing, staring at Rosie the entire time, praying that she'd realize this song, these words, their meaning, was for her. When I stop singing, she claps happily, those wide eyes still filled with an innocent wonder.
"I'll remember, because that was amazing man!" She exclaims, and I sigh internally. No, she didn't realize what emotion that song held. How could she have, she was yet to discover how the world needed to be decoded. How not everything comes right out and introduces itself. But I fake a sweet smile and walk back to her.
That Merlin Scotts man stopped singing, and stares at Rosie, walking over. My Rosie… I can't even call her that. "Is this seat taken?" He asks, and she gets a delighted look on her face.
"Only by you!" She flirts, looking over at me for praise. She isn't my Rosie, and she never will be. Stupid Mae, why are you so stupid? I scold myself, but smile at Rosie anyway.
"Yeah, you aren't a normal girl at all." I say sarcastically, as the man sits.
"I liked your song ma'am." He says to me, but I can tell he isn't focused on me. No, he's focused on innocent little Rosie. "And what do you do?" He asks her, an amused look in his eyes.
"Ah, who knows?" She waves it off, still batting her eyelashes. I get a wave of protectiveness over her, a refusal to let him think she's just some idle girl.
"She's an observer of humanity." I defend, and his amusement only grows.
"The world needs more of them." He says, sarcasm hidden away nicely. I sense it, the entire cafe senses it, but of course, Rosie does not. "Well, thank y'all for your kind words, but I'll be on my way." Yes, yes please do leave. I think, but Rosie gets an almost sad look on her face.
"Oh, do you have to go?" She asks, with the most flirtatious voice I've ever heard. Maybe a little desperate as well.
"I try not to stay places too long." He says standing. "Especially when people do that." My anger spikes. He'd been playing with her! He'd had no intention of staying at all!
"Stay here with this one too long and, she might change us for the better." I say, narrowing my eyes at him. He gets my message, but Rosie only lets out a flattered "awe".
"Yeah, anyway. You keep writin' down those observations, and you, you keep playin'." He demands, causing me to roll my eyes.
"What, my new song, Why Even Bother Trying I'll Never Be As Good As You Guys?" I ask, only joking a little bit. Merlin smirks, and Rosie frowns.
"That's a very discouraging title." She complains, as Merlin tips his hat and leaves. He stares at me for a little bit, eyes boring into mine. He knows I'll never succeed at anything. I do too. That's why I hand my guitar over to Rosie.
"Here." I murmur, forcing yet another smile. Her confusion grows as she takes it from me, putting it by her side.
"Why are you giving this to me? You were great!" She says, and I shake my head.
"No, he's going to change the world. I'm not going to change a thing." I say, and it hits me. I really never will change a thing. I won't get Rosie to love me, and nothing in Topanga Canyon waits for me. There's no reason I should be on this Earth. I stand up quickly, and she looks up at me, those wide innocent eyes full of confusion, and a bit of hurt.
"Where are you going?" She asks, fear creeping into her voice at the notion I might be leaving. I take a shaky breath and smile.
"Don't you worry about it weirdo. I'll be right back." I lie. She seems to accept it, and goes back to writing in her book as I walk away. I can't look back, if I look back I'll turn around and stay with her, but I do. I cast a glance at her, trying to memorize anything I can about her. Her chestnut hair up in that bun, the contours of her body and the innocence that completely surrounds her. I smile a little more genuinely, and grab my coat, leaving the diner and Rosie McGee forever.
The tears run shamelessly down my face as I wait for the bus to arrive, recounting the night's events in my head. I won't be boarding the bus, but it'll be my ride out of here. This life, this pain, this Earthly plain. I see the bus driving up the street, and stand from the bench I'd been sitting on. I start walking towards the bus, but cross suddenly, walking directly in front of it, and waiting for the impact of my death. But it never comes. Instead I hear a bus horn blaring and feel my body being tackled away to the side.
"What the hell?!" I complain loudly, and open my eyes to look at my savior. Instantly I freeze, for I am staring into the eyes of Rosie McGee.
"You were going to leave me…" She accuses quietly, hurt and sadness in her voice. That's when I see it. Her eyes no longer hold innocence, only a hard knowledge that she'd just stopped a suicide attempt. And I can't bare the knowledge that I am the one who destroyed that innocence. I burst into sobs, no matter how childish it is, and she pulls me close. That's all I ever wanted to be, close to her. I let her hold me, let her pick up my flower crown that had fallen onto the ground, and let her place it back on my head. It no longer feels like a symbol of peace and free being to me. It feels like a crown of thorns.
"I-I'm s-so sor-ry R-Rosie." I choke out, shaking my head. "I l-love you." I add. Why not? My life's already over. Why not admit my crush? Maybe she'll run away in disgust and I can continue my death wish. When she stiffens, I know my words have made their impact and I go back to animalistic sobbing, until I feel soft lips pressed against mine, and it's my turn to freeze. Rosie is kissing me. Rosie McGee, is kissing me, and I'm crying like a fool and doing nothing. I place my hand on her neck, pulling her close and kissing back. It's amazing, that such an innocent girl had suck skills in manipulating my mind to mush. When we finally pull away, her eyes had softened again.
"Don't you ever leave me." She whispered, and I nod.
"Remember me Rosie McGee."
"I will, because that was amazing."
Yay, I did something almost poetic! So I realize that if Rosie and Mae had gotten together Riley and Maya never would've been born and probably would've caused a paradox or whatever, but I can't have been the only one to realize that there was undeniable flirting going on in that episode! Guys! Raya reins supreme!