Part II :: Orlando ::
I would be in Japan for exactly three more days, ten more hours, and forty-five more minutes. I couldn't wait to leave. It's not that I dislike Tokyo. On the contrary, it's actually a pretty nice place... to visit. For some reason, this little trip was not agreeing with me. I was tired. I was annoyed. I was cramped. I was extremely bored. Looking back, I don't understand how I could have possibly have been bored in Tokyo, but you never think about it when it's happening. March 30th is a day that will forever stick in my mind. That was the day I truly learned the meaning of the phrase "be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it." I was wishing for a diversion. And I got her.
She was about five six, maybe five seven, with honey-blond hair, a nice tan, long legs, and looking a bit nauseated. It wasn't really by choice that I wound up crushed against her in the back corner of a train car, but I suppose fate works in mysterious ways. She had her eyes screwed shut like at any minute she expected the train to fly off the tracks and explode, so I decided to break the ice.
"Hello there." Great opener, I congratulated myself. I am so original. She didn't move for a few minutes, but then she almost hesitently opened her eyes, looked up, and smiled. I smiled back.
"Good morning." She replied. She had a strong voice. A little breathy, but strong. This was no shrinking violet. She was either a vocalist or just very vocal. And judging by the way she had just squared her shoulders, as if for battle, I voted for just vocal. "Enjoying the ride?" She asked with such a distasteful statement I couldn't help but laugh. "I am now!" I replied truthfully, and she gave me an odd look. So maybe I was acting strange. At least she wasn't so green anymore!
"So, what brings you to Tokyo?" I asked. Small talk. I hate making small talk.
"Education." She declared, breathiness gone, with a glance down at what I now realized must be a uniform and not just a cute outfit. Great. With my kind of luck, she was a fifteen-year-old teeny bopper who was madly in love with Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil. "What about you? Vacation, Business, visiting...?"
"I guess you could call it business, Miss...?" I waited, but she just stared blankly at me for a moment or two. I wasn't sure what was wrong, but I hoped she wasn't going to vomit. "Oh, jeez, sorry. I'm Anna Yardley." She replied, flustered. I was going to laugh at her again. I had to stop doing that. This girl went through more emotions than an lead actress in a bad B-movie.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Yardley." Okay, so I laughed.
"Likewise. Call me Anna. And you are?" When I play this over in my mind, I now realize that she must have had some clue as to who I was. It just never really occured to me that anyone could know me by name without being introduced first, or that it wouldn't be natural for her to ask me what my name was.
Get your thoughts straight, man! "Bloom. Orlando Bloom. Call me Orli."
It was like this little light went off in her mind and suddenly it all fit together. Little kids get the same statement when they figure out the culprit in the game "Clue." I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was not a calm smile and a mischeivious "Sure thing, Mr. Bloom."
Okay, so I laughed again. And maybe I did get off at the next stop with her, and maybe we did stroll along the streets and talk for ten minutes. She was from Massachusetts. She was eighteen (Thank God). She had three cats named Queen Limbo, Beaner and Tiki-Bird. Tiki-Bird was an all black half siamese. She was very claustrophobic (thus the nausea and odd behavior on the train) and her dad was controlling and hadn't wanted her to come to Japan. Her friend Maia was insane. Anna seemed to be a pretty normal girl. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fond of her, and she must have been a fan on some level, because she demanded to see my elvish tattoo. That was a little unnerving. I teased her, she mocked me, I evaded her questions, she sulked, her friend bellowed at her from a distance, and then, she was gone. I had considered grabbing her digits so I could call her later, but backed out at the last minute.
And now I had to find out what the hell "matane" meant.
PartIII:: Anna ::
"Well, actually, my father didn't want me to come. I'm the youngest, and he has this severe case of empty nest syndrome. My mom was all for it, though. Pretty much it's because of her that I'm here. Her and my friend Maia. Maia said she'd beat me if I tried to back out of this one." I explained with a smile.
Finally off the train, I was strolling along the sidewalks once more. Except this time, I had company. Now, exactly why I was telling Orlando Bloom my life story was beyond me, but I was. Truthfully, he had this way of listening that kinda made you forget that he was this gorgeous movie star. I have to admit that I did feel a little silly clad in my school uniform. Luckily, short grey skirts and white knee socks become me. He looked fabulous. Only truly beautiful people can make something as ordinary as faded blue jeans, brown boots and a charcoal-grey pullover fabulous.
"Your dad sounds uptight."
"That's the understatement of the century," I muttered, rolling my eyes, and he laughed again. I grinned.
"You said you're in Tokyo on business?" I hinted, curious. I wondered how long he'd be staying. Of course, the chances of running into him again were slim to nil, but I'm one of those people with a hopelessly reckless imagination and I couldn't help hoping we'd get to talk again.
"Yeah, more or less." He said with a mysterious smile. Apparentally, that was all I was gonna get out of him on that subject. He knew very well what I was thinking, and for whatever reason, he delighted in driving me mad. I resisted the urge to pout. He caught my indignant glance, and just grinned all the more, looking immensely pleased with himself.
We were nearing my school. Soon he would have to go off to wherever it was he was actually supposed to be and I would be left in math class wondering if I had in fact imagined the entire encounter.
"So what school are you at here?" He asked before I could think up a new question to throw at him.
"Well, actually, I'm at--"
"ANNA! HURRY UP!" Maia's insistent bellow interrupted my sentence, but made my point perfectly. I grinned and shook my head and checked my watch, dismayed to discover that Maia was right. If I didn't speed up my leisurely pace, we would indeed be late for class. I sighed, resigning myself that this was the end of my little fantasy. I turned and waved at her somewhat distant figure, poised impatiently by the tree and benches in front of the bulding.
"That's my stop." I said a bit apologetically, gesturing. "I see." He answered, and we just stood there for a few minutes, unsure of what to say. "Well, it was very nice to meet you." He said finally, and I nodded, extending my hand. "Yeah, nice to meet you too. I had fun talking." He shook my hand and grinned. "Same here. Tell your dad to get a massage or something."
I laughed. "I'll do that."
"ANNA!"
"Oh, jeez..." I said under my breath. There was one more thing I had to do before I said goodbye. If I didn't, I knew I'd regret it the rest of my life. "Hey, Mr. Bloom?"
"Orlando," he corrected. "Sorry, Mr. Bloom," I replied with an evil smile. He rolled his eyes.
"Can I ask just one more thing?"
"Shoot."
I took a step closer to him and looked sideways conspiritorily. "Can I see it?" I asked in an excited whisper. He got a half-astonished, half-freaked out statement. "See what?" He asked suspiciously.
"Your tattoo!" I cried like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He laughed again.
"Which one?"
"You know which one!"
He rolled his eyes again, sighed and slid up his shirt sleeve, exposing the delicate elvish script permantently fixed in his skin. "There. Happy?" He demanded teasingly.
"There, happy?" I mocked with a wrinkled nose. He laughed again.
"ANNA! NOW!"
"I gotta go." I laughed.
"Alright. See ya 'round."
"Bye." I turned abruptly and began hurrying towards the impatiently waiting Maia. I had risked her wrath, but I didn't care. She'd understand if she gave me the chance to explain.
"Anna!" I stopped dead in my tracks and spun around, but apparentally Orlando had changed his mind about whatever it was he was going to say. "Have fun at school!" He said instead.
"Yeah. Sure thing. Matane!" I answered with a flashed peace-sign, and then ran off to Maia.
"Who was that masked man?" she asked the minute I fell in step with her, turning back to watch his retreating figure. "I mean, you practically had to tear yourself away from him!"
I opened my mouth, but then I also turned and watched him go. "Just some nice guy I met on the train." I smiled. I wasn't lying. He was a nice guy, and I had met him on the train.
"Oh." Maia answered, giving me the "you're-hiding-something-and-I-know-it" look. I smiled innocently at her and batted my eyes. "Fine, but you know if you don't tell me now, I'll get it out of you later," She threatened. I grinned. "You can try." I retorted cooly.
"You can--- oooh!" She cried, making a move to grab me in a head lock. I shreiked and took off down the sidewalk laughing, Maia hot on my trail.
I would be in Japan for exactly three more days, ten more hours, and forty-five more minutes. I couldn't wait to leave. It's not that I dislike Tokyo. On the contrary, it's actually a pretty nice place... to visit. For some reason, this little trip was not agreeing with me. I was tired. I was annoyed. I was cramped. I was extremely bored. Looking back, I don't understand how I could have possibly have been bored in Tokyo, but you never think about it when it's happening. March 30th is a day that will forever stick in my mind. That was the day I truly learned the meaning of the phrase "be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it." I was wishing for a diversion. And I got her.
She was about five six, maybe five seven, with honey-blond hair, a nice tan, long legs, and looking a bit nauseated. It wasn't really by choice that I wound up crushed against her in the back corner of a train car, but I suppose fate works in mysterious ways. She had her eyes screwed shut like at any minute she expected the train to fly off the tracks and explode, so I decided to break the ice.
"Hello there." Great opener, I congratulated myself. I am so original. She didn't move for a few minutes, but then she almost hesitently opened her eyes, looked up, and smiled. I smiled back.
"Good morning." She replied. She had a strong voice. A little breathy, but strong. This was no shrinking violet. She was either a vocalist or just very vocal. And judging by the way she had just squared her shoulders, as if for battle, I voted for just vocal. "Enjoying the ride?" She asked with such a distasteful statement I couldn't help but laugh. "I am now!" I replied truthfully, and she gave me an odd look. So maybe I was acting strange. At least she wasn't so green anymore!
"So, what brings you to Tokyo?" I asked. Small talk. I hate making small talk.
"Education." She declared, breathiness gone, with a glance down at what I now realized must be a uniform and not just a cute outfit. Great. With my kind of luck, she was a fifteen-year-old teeny bopper who was madly in love with Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil. "What about you? Vacation, Business, visiting...?"
"I guess you could call it business, Miss...?" I waited, but she just stared blankly at me for a moment or two. I wasn't sure what was wrong, but I hoped she wasn't going to vomit. "Oh, jeez, sorry. I'm Anna Yardley." She replied, flustered. I was going to laugh at her again. I had to stop doing that. This girl went through more emotions than an lead actress in a bad B-movie.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Yardley." Okay, so I laughed.
"Likewise. Call me Anna. And you are?" When I play this over in my mind, I now realize that she must have had some clue as to who I was. It just never really occured to me that anyone could know me by name without being introduced first, or that it wouldn't be natural for her to ask me what my name was.
Get your thoughts straight, man! "Bloom. Orlando Bloom. Call me Orli."
It was like this little light went off in her mind and suddenly it all fit together. Little kids get the same statement when they figure out the culprit in the game "Clue." I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was not a calm smile and a mischeivious "Sure thing, Mr. Bloom."
Okay, so I laughed again. And maybe I did get off at the next stop with her, and maybe we did stroll along the streets and talk for ten minutes. She was from Massachusetts. She was eighteen (Thank God). She had three cats named Queen Limbo, Beaner and Tiki-Bird. Tiki-Bird was an all black half siamese. She was very claustrophobic (thus the nausea and odd behavior on the train) and her dad was controlling and hadn't wanted her to come to Japan. Her friend Maia was insane. Anna seemed to be a pretty normal girl. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fond of her, and she must have been a fan on some level, because she demanded to see my elvish tattoo. That was a little unnerving. I teased her, she mocked me, I evaded her questions, she sulked, her friend bellowed at her from a distance, and then, she was gone. I had considered grabbing her digits so I could call her later, but backed out at the last minute.
And now I had to find out what the hell "matane" meant.
PartIII:: Anna ::
"Well, actually, my father didn't want me to come. I'm the youngest, and he has this severe case of empty nest syndrome. My mom was all for it, though. Pretty much it's because of her that I'm here. Her and my friend Maia. Maia said she'd beat me if I tried to back out of this one." I explained with a smile.
Finally off the train, I was strolling along the sidewalks once more. Except this time, I had company. Now, exactly why I was telling Orlando Bloom my life story was beyond me, but I was. Truthfully, he had this way of listening that kinda made you forget that he was this gorgeous movie star. I have to admit that I did feel a little silly clad in my school uniform. Luckily, short grey skirts and white knee socks become me. He looked fabulous. Only truly beautiful people can make something as ordinary as faded blue jeans, brown boots and a charcoal-grey pullover fabulous.
"Your dad sounds uptight."
"That's the understatement of the century," I muttered, rolling my eyes, and he laughed again. I grinned.
"You said you're in Tokyo on business?" I hinted, curious. I wondered how long he'd be staying. Of course, the chances of running into him again were slim to nil, but I'm one of those people with a hopelessly reckless imagination and I couldn't help hoping we'd get to talk again.
"Yeah, more or less." He said with a mysterious smile. Apparentally, that was all I was gonna get out of him on that subject. He knew very well what I was thinking, and for whatever reason, he delighted in driving me mad. I resisted the urge to pout. He caught my indignant glance, and just grinned all the more, looking immensely pleased with himself.
We were nearing my school. Soon he would have to go off to wherever it was he was actually supposed to be and I would be left in math class wondering if I had in fact imagined the entire encounter.
"So what school are you at here?" He asked before I could think up a new question to throw at him.
"Well, actually, I'm at--"
"ANNA! HURRY UP!" Maia's insistent bellow interrupted my sentence, but made my point perfectly. I grinned and shook my head and checked my watch, dismayed to discover that Maia was right. If I didn't speed up my leisurely pace, we would indeed be late for class. I sighed, resigning myself that this was the end of my little fantasy. I turned and waved at her somewhat distant figure, poised impatiently by the tree and benches in front of the bulding.
"That's my stop." I said a bit apologetically, gesturing. "I see." He answered, and we just stood there for a few minutes, unsure of what to say. "Well, it was very nice to meet you." He said finally, and I nodded, extending my hand. "Yeah, nice to meet you too. I had fun talking." He shook my hand and grinned. "Same here. Tell your dad to get a massage or something."
I laughed. "I'll do that."
"ANNA!"
"Oh, jeez..." I said under my breath. There was one more thing I had to do before I said goodbye. If I didn't, I knew I'd regret it the rest of my life. "Hey, Mr. Bloom?"
"Orlando," he corrected. "Sorry, Mr. Bloom," I replied with an evil smile. He rolled his eyes.
"Can I ask just one more thing?"
"Shoot."
I took a step closer to him and looked sideways conspiritorily. "Can I see it?" I asked in an excited whisper. He got a half-astonished, half-freaked out statement. "See what?" He asked suspiciously.
"Your tattoo!" I cried like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He laughed again.
"Which one?"
"You know which one!"
He rolled his eyes again, sighed and slid up his shirt sleeve, exposing the delicate elvish script permantently fixed in his skin. "There. Happy?" He demanded teasingly.
"There, happy?" I mocked with a wrinkled nose. He laughed again.
"ANNA! NOW!"
"I gotta go." I laughed.
"Alright. See ya 'round."
"Bye." I turned abruptly and began hurrying towards the impatiently waiting Maia. I had risked her wrath, but I didn't care. She'd understand if she gave me the chance to explain.
"Anna!" I stopped dead in my tracks and spun around, but apparentally Orlando had changed his mind about whatever it was he was going to say. "Have fun at school!" He said instead.
"Yeah. Sure thing. Matane!" I answered with a flashed peace-sign, and then ran off to Maia.
"Who was that masked man?" she asked the minute I fell in step with her, turning back to watch his retreating figure. "I mean, you practically had to tear yourself away from him!"
I opened my mouth, but then I also turned and watched him go. "Just some nice guy I met on the train." I smiled. I wasn't lying. He was a nice guy, and I had met him on the train.
"Oh." Maia answered, giving me the "you're-hiding-something-and-I-know-it" look. I smiled innocently at her and batted my eyes. "Fine, but you know if you don't tell me now, I'll get it out of you later," She threatened. I grinned. "You can try." I retorted cooly.
"You can--- oooh!" She cried, making a move to grab me in a head lock. I shreiked and took off down the sidewalk laughing, Maia hot on my trail.