Royal Pursuits
Part Five:
Alan stood outside the Animation Building once again; phone in hand. He had beaten David at Midway Mania and now it was time to make good on the bet. He knew though what it would mean as soon as he pressed the big green phone icon to dial the number the girl from earlier, Zoe, had given him. If he called her, he was letting go of the Anna he had met. The “perfect Anna” he had built up in his head.
David watched his friend, staring at the building as the Red Car cable car rolled passed. David snapped a picture of the kinetic energy flowing around. How could he miss a shot like that? Alan frozen in time while the rest of the world continued around him. He put the camera back in his bag, took a sip from his Coke and walked up beside Alan.
“What’cha thinkin’?” He asked after a second. He looked down at Alan’s phone; Zoe’s number punched in, but still not called.
“It was all in my head.” Alan said softly.
“What a twist!” David shouts, trying to break the tension, as well as not realizing what Alan meant.
“No. I mean, Anna.” He laughs at David.
“Well, she is a real person, we have the photos to prove it… Unless she’s a ghost. Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuun!” David continued on the humorous path. One he was sure Alan would appreciate.
“I meant that Anna. Yeah, she was real, yeah she was funny and laughed at what I said and had a great personality but,” Alan sighed, “That’s just it. I like this character, I did something I said I wouldn’t do: I put this girl on a pedestal and maybe I got confused about what is real, what isn’t, and where I really should be.”
“That’a boy.” David patted his friend on the back. “We may call you a cartoon and Toontown your home, but we do live in reality.” Alan smiled at him. “And,” he continued, “I’m sure Zoe would like to enjoy some of that reality with you.”
“You think so?” Alan asked, looking from his friend to his phone, his smiling and confidence faltering for a moment.
“Dude, I’m your wingman. It’s my job to let you know these things. Plus, you didn’t see the way she kept looking at her friend about you.”
“Really?”
“Really, really. Now quit stalling, quit killing your battery and call her already!”
Alan took a deep breath and pressed the green button. The number began to dial and he put the phone up to his ear. It rang once, twice… He was connected. David watched his friends face, just as excited. Alan took in air to speak but the air was sucked from him as her voice mail message began to play. His face fell as David took a few steps away so Alan could have some space.
“Hi, it’s Zoe! I’m probably a little busy at the moment, but leave a message in song, monologue or soliloquy and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!” The message ended with a kiss sound before the familiar beep sounded. Alan quickly put his mind back to work as he tried to think of what to say to the machine.
“Hey, Zoe! It’s uh, Alan. Remember? We rode those rides this morning and got food? With David and your friend? Listen, I know it’s kinda random and seeing as you did kinda disappear earlier I felt like we didn’t really get to finish what we were talking about or anything. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to get, like, a snack or dessert or something and watch Paint the Night and the fireworks? It’s cool if not, just thought I’d reach out. Sorry this isn’t in any of your preferred forms. Haha, ok. Call me or text me later if you’d like and let me know. You have my number now. It was nice to meet you. Bye.” He hung up.
David walked back over.
“And now, we wait.”
