I Will Help You. A short story by Bella First Sight She walked into the mall, her purpose clear in her mind. She walked to the bookstore, but there were still many screaming fans, and the actor was in plain sight. She stepped around the masses, and she figured she would buy some books while she waited. She passed the plastic table, and chanced a glance at the actor. She smiled at him, and he smiled back a half-smile so crooked, she wondered if it was genuine. Probably not. She turned away and strode through the aisles. He wondered what made her turn away so easily. Most just stared as if their eyes were magnets coursing to his. He found this interesting, her disinterest, and was duly distracted. She scanned the back of a promising book, but was let down by the summary. It gave too much away. She moved on, perusing, finding a few she liked. She checked the time – she realized she had actually arrived early. She decided to purchase her books and get something to eat. He sneakily watched her leave. She was unaware. As was his agent, and the girl whose photo of him he was signing. Feeling well fed, she sat at the small table, and wondered if all the fans would have vacated. She wondered if he was waiting in the backroom of the bookstore for their appointment. She chanced a look at her watch. The time of their meeting had passed. She wondered if he was waiting. She decided to go back to the bookstore. As she approached it, she could still see the mass of people inside. She decided to sit at the in house coffee shop and have a cup of… Coffee? No. Tea. She ordered, and sat with her tea. She decided to get out one of the books she had purchased. She dug for the most promising one, and dove in to the plot, but with only a half hearted attempt. She kept checking the time and checking the mob and the actor. She wasn’t sure why she felt so nervous. She wasn’t sure why this session seemed any different than any other session she had had with any other actor, singer, historical figure… She wasn’t sure of much of anything. Suddenly a voice broke through her thought. “Excuse me, I’m sorry… But I think I recognize you from somewhere. Are you… Bella Morrison? The author?” A small woman was asking her. “Yes, I am.” She plastered on her sweetest smile. “Oh, my gosh,” the woman breathed, clearly excited. “Could you… Could you wait, for just one moment, please?” The woman asked. As if Bella would flee.
“Of course,” Bella said. The woman rushed off, to gather what, or who, Bella had no idea. She returned shortly, with a small paperback book that Bella recognized. It was a diary of hers, that had somehow gotten published (Bella was still unsure of how she had gotten anyone to publish her diary, that she had entitled “Common Sense.”) “Will you sign this?” The woman asked. “Of course,” Bella said. “What is your name?” The woman bit her lip, and her brow furrowed. “Well, could you make this one out to Mallory? That’s my sister. She’s a big fan of yours. And would you mind signing my copy, as well?” The woman said in a rush. “Of course,” Bella said calmly. She hoped her demeanor had an effect on the woman. The woman seemed very nervous. Bella signed the new book and gasped aloud when the woman handed her one of the only ten copies of her original diary, with the cover art and all. The woman smiled sheepishly. “Oh, what this must have cost you…” Bella mused. “I wanted them all to look like that, but it was so expensive to publish them like that, and it was difficult to get the original artist of the diary that I had bought to agree to let me use her art for my book. That also cost me,” Bella laughed. The woman just laughed breathlessly. Bella signed the worn copy. It looked almost as worn as the original that Bella couldn’t bear to part with, even though she had two copies of the book. The woman’s possession of the book was very nostalgic. “What is your name?” Bella asked the woman. “Stefani,” The woman said. “With a ‘P-H’ or an ‘F?’” Bella asked. “’P-F.’ And no ‘E’ on the end.” She said breathlessly. “Ah,” Bella said as she concentrated on signing the inside cover of the book. “There,” she said, smiling. The woman thanked her profusely and left. Bella glanced at the actor but there was still a large crowd around him, and he was still signing autographs. She went back to her book and tea. After a while she checked once more to see if the actor was free. He was standing, and so were his body guard and the man that had been on his other side. The small crowd left over was full of disappointment. The actor was guided to the back of the store. Bella decided she would follow, as to not waste his time. She gathered her things and departed for the back of the store. She reached the door, and knocked thrice.