Chapter Two: Arrivals and Pinings

Monday was a grace day. We learned Sunday that we weren't having classes due to a roach infestation or something of the sort. Ecstatic, Heather, Merry and Ellette immediately planned a "girls' day out."

Which meant... Shopping. We'd had several such days since we came to New York. I thought Heather would have a spaz when we first arrived. Her fashion and shopping urges would be satisfied.

Monday morning donned bright and clear. Ellette had to pry me out of bed by threatening to dump water all over me. Since we no longer shared a room like we had at Dawnsend, we had to make up a new system for waking up in the mornings. Needless to say, most of my classes were afternoon classes.

I got up, changed, and grabbed a Fresca as we walked to the dorms where Heather and Merry were staying. The only reason why Ellette and I weren't in the dorms was because our parents freaked and said they'd pay for half the rent if we would agree to it. They had visions of their college days and the dorms, and I don't know exactly what they remembered, but they didn't want us to relive their experiences.

Parents are odd.

Anyway, Ellette and I walked through New York, talking about this and that.

"Why on earth are you just holding that can?" Ellette asked. "Aren't you gonna drink it?"

"Nope," I said, hugging it to my chest. I got a strange look from some people walking past us. "It's for an experiment. I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier. I mean, Fresca brings Legolas here, and also takes him back to Middle Earth, right? So, why not just throw some on an electrical outlet and see what happens?"

"But last time the can got hit by lightning," Ellette said. "Are you sure it'll work if you do it on purpose?"

"Well, the first time, you threw the Fresca on the outlet on purpose, and Legolas went back! So maybe it'll work the other way!" I said.

"Whatever makes you happy, I 'spose," She said. We reached Heather and Merry's dorm. Merry was sitting on her bed, reading the Hobbit when we came in.

"Oh, hey guys," she said. "Heather's in the bathroom. Fresca?"

"I'm gonna try it in the bathroom, then," I said. "It'll be closer to water if there's a fire."

"What?" Merry asked, looking up.

"She's gonna try to bring Legolas back," Ellette explained. We walked to the section's girls' bathrooms, where Heather was at the sinks, carefully putting on make up.

"Oh, hey guys. I'll just be a minute," she said.

I smiled, popped the top of the can, and poured the soda onto the outlet.

"AUBREY!" Heather screeched. Nothing happened. No lights flickering, no elves appearing.

My shoulders drooped. I set the half empty can on the counter of sinks (you know, like they have in public places), and grabbed a bunch of paper towels. I started drying off the wall and the floor where the Fresca had pooled.

"I knew it wouldn't work," I said.

"Hey, don't sweat it," Ellette said. "It probably because you were deliberately doing it. Ya know, when I threw it on the outlet in Dawnsend, I didn't think it would actually work. Maybe it's the mindset-"

"Just face it guys, it's not going to work. Can we just go please?" I said. I really didn't want to hear Ellette try to think up reasons why it wouldn't work. I had to face it sooner or later. Legolas wasn't coming back.

Heather nodded, and packed up her make-up. "C'mon. We need shopping to make you feel better."

Ellette and Merry nodded. We walked out of the bathroom.

****

Little did I know, that seconds before I poured the wondrous grapefruit soda on the outlet in the dorm bathroom, that a man was stocking up a soda machine in the middle of New York City, in the cafeteria auditorium of Metropolitan Museum of Art.

He just so happened to have an entire case of Fresca on his little cart thingy. He had one can to go to fill it up. He lifted it up, and was about to put it into the machine, when the entire case slid off the cart and landed on his foot. His hand went flying back, and the can exploded as it made impact with the wall. Fresca sprayed. Over the man, the machine, the wall, and most importantly....

The electrical outlet in which the soda machine was plugged into.

****

"I don't want to try on that hideous thing!" I exclaimed, pushing away the hanger Heather tried to thrust at me. "Look, Heather, I know you mean well, but I don't feel like buying anything today, or even looking. I'm hungry. Can we just go get food?"

Heather and Ellette exchanged glances.

"BOO!" Merry exclaimed, jumping out of the clothes racks and scaring some old woman out of her wits.

"Fine," Heather said. "Let's go get some pizza, k?"

I nodded, and let out a sigh. It was going to be a long day.

****

"How the heck did you get here?" The soda-machine filler man said as he laid eyes upon the man who was standing right where the Fresca had hit the wall. He had long blonde hair with small braids, and was wearing clothes that would fit perfectly at a premiere of the Lord of the Rings. He had a bow and arrows on his back, as well as two knives.

Yeah, yeah, it was Legolas obviously. Jeez, I'm not that stupid.

Legolas blinked. "I'm... I'm back!" He said. He looked around. "But where's Aubrey?"

"What?" The man asked. Legolas turned to him. He was wearing a jumpsuit of sorts. A patch over his pocket read 'Jonas.'

"Wasn't Ellette's father named Jonas?" Legolas asked, almost to himself.

"Who are you, and why are you dressed like some Lord of the Rings fanatic?" 'Jonas' asked.

Legolas didn't answer. He looked around the cafeteria. People were looking at him oddly. "I did come back. But...Aubrey's not here! And neither are Ellette, Merry, Heather or Julie. Curses!" He pounded a fist into his hand. "Where am I?" he turned to 'Jonas.'

?Where are you? Are you insane, kid? You're in New York City," he said.

"New York City," Legolas said softly. "I hear the girls talking about this place...Tell me, sir. Do you know of a girl named Aubrey Raston?"

'Jonas' blinked. "Can't say that I do. Is she a college student?"

Legolas shrugged. "This is going to be harder than I thought.

College...college...perhaps she is. Where is this college? That's a school, isn't it?"

'Jonas' gave him a strange look, which wasn't at all unusual for Legolas. "Yeah, it is a school. Which college are you talking about? There's several in the state of New York..."

Legolas shrugged. "Nevermind, I'll find it, I'm sure. THank you."

He looked around, and left the cafeteria, the stares following him out the door. He recieved the stares as he walked through the museum, trying to find his way out. He was finally assissted by a security guard, who mentioned something about having weapons on the streets like that.

Legolas didn't really listen, as he was eager to find the girl he loved, namely me. He stepped out onto the street, and his eyes widened.

Legolas, meet New York. New York, meet one very confused, frightened, and lovesick elf.

Hello.

****

"Pizza makes the world happy," I said, closing my eyes and biting right into the pepperoni New York style slice of pizza.

"At least something does," Heather said.

"You know what else makes the world happy?" Merry asked. "Music stores."

"Fine, fine, you got your hint across," Ellette said with a smile. "We'll go to the music store after we eat. You lookin' for anything in particular?"

Merry shrugged as she bit into her own piece of pizza. "I dunno...maybe some Radiohead or Sex Pistols. Heck, I might even look for some Ramones Albums."

"You are odd," Heather said.

"What's wrong with Radiohead, the Sex Pistols, and the Ramones?" I asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Heather said with a smile. "Although... Radiohead doesn't really fit into the categories of Sex Pistols and Ramones, does it?"

Merry shrugged. "Whatever, man. I like 'em, and that's enough for me."

"I so need to buy those Weezer albums," Ellette said. "Ever since you made me listen to them time after time at Dawnsend, Aubrey, they've been plaguing me."

I laughed. "Why don?t you just borrow them from me?"

"Because I need my own copies."

"A word of warning, Elle," Heather put in. "Do NOT buy the Green album, ok?"

"Um, ok. Any particular reason why?"

Heather, Merry, and I exchanged looks. "Just don't," I said.

Ellette shook her head, a smile on her face. "Whatever you say, guys."

We finished our pizza.

******

Legolas jumped out of the way as a speeding cab came right towards him. He wandered down the sidewalk, staying with the flow of people. Everyone was giving him the strangest looks. He realized he had to find regular clothes, and soon. Regular, that is, in the ways of this world.

His eyes scanned the storefronts as he walked past, and also the people. He had to find Aubrey. Or, if not Aubrey, then one of the other girls. Before when he dropped into this world, he had been among the company of friends. And not in a bustling, busy city such as this. It had been quiet the past two times. At the boarding school, and then at Aubrey's house. Treehouse, to be exact. They were nice, he had to admit. The treehouses were like mini-houses, built into trees. An elf would be proud.

He was jarred out of his thoughts by a girl shrieking in what he took to be delight.

"OH MY GOD!" She screamed, and pointed at him. "HE LOOKS JUST LIKE LEGOLAS!"

"Nikki, you dummy! He doesn't look like Orlando Bloom," a guy she was with protested.

Legolas stopped short, and stared at the petite girl in horror. The guy was giving him a disdainful, calculating look.

"That's not the point, John," the girl said. "He's got the clothes, hair, ears, weapons and EVERYTHING! Oh boy oh boy oh boy!"

"Calm down, Nikki," John said. "It's probably just some weird fanatic trying to get little girls to look at him so he can take them in a back alley and-"

"Shut up!" The girl ran towards Legolas. "Wow! What's your name?"

Legolas looked down at the girl and stared at her for a moment. Then he turned around, and fled.

******

The sounds of the Beatles flooded my ears. I swayed slightly to the music, my eyes shut. I could drown away all my fears and despair simply by listening to these four do their stuff. It was amazing.

I was shoved harshly from behind. I whipped off the headphones and glared at Merry. "Stop," I hissed. Merry put her hands up in apology.

"Sorry, but I was trying to get past, but that guy wouldn't move!" she pointed to a guy behind me. The guy turned, and gave her an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there," he said to both of us. He looked closer. "Hey, I know you. You're Aubrey Raston, right?"

I tilted my head slightly. He was cute, with dark hair and dark eyes. He had a gorgeous smile.

"Yeah, that's me. Who're you?" I asked.

"Alex Martin," he said. "We're in the same Creative Writing course."

"Oh!" I said. I finally recognized him. I didn't see him much, as he sat behind me, and he was always one of the first to leave the room. "Hi! How are you doing?"

"Good," Alex said. Merry looked from him to me, smiled, and ran off to go gossip with Heather. "How are you?"

"A little on the depressed side, but I'm gettin' better," I said. I held up the headphones. "Just listening to the Beatles. Always puts me in a better mood."

"Any reason why you're depressed? Or is it my business?" Alex leaned back against the CD shelves.

"No, its not, but it's no big deal. I just miss someone a lot. Someone I won't be able to see again."

"Really? A lost love, perhaps?" Alex asked, obviously in jest.

I winced, my fingers tightening on the headphones.

"Oh, jeez, sorry Aubrey," Alex said. "I didn't realize-"

"It's nothing. It's foolish," I said, turning around. I reached up to put the headphones back on when Alex took them gently out of my hands.

"It's not foolish. Love may seem like it is, but it isn't. You should know that, Aubrey. You're the best writer in our class."

I shook my head and turned around. Alex was a little closer than I felt comfortable with. I took a step back. He seemed to realize what he was doing and took a step back himself.

"I'm not that good," I mumbled, playing with the headphones.

"Sure you are. I think you could get published some day. And as I said before, Love isn't foolish."

"Maybe not," I whispered. "But it hurts."

Alex gave me a soft smile. "It always does. But after awhile, it gets better. I promise you."

"How would you know?" I asked, turning away.

Alex looked towards the window at the city, people walking by and the horns of cabs honking away. "Because, believe it or not, Aubrey, you're not the only one who's fallen in love."

I looked at him, and I realized something. He was right. I smiled sadly, and looked over at Merry, Ellette, and Heather, who were arguing over something or other. They seemed so detached from it all. Heather was the only one who turly came close to what I was feeling, and not even close enough. She hadn't been in love with Kurt, and besides, he was cheating on her, not disappeared complete before she could even say goodbye.

"You know what Aubrey? I think you're very pretty," Alex said, looking back at me.

A blush rose on my cheeks. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Believe me."

"I'm not," I protested further.

"Oh, come on, Aubrey. Stop being so humble and accept a compliment, ok?"

I paled. A memory came to me, of a year ago. Legolas and I in my treehouse...Legolas trying to tell me I was beautiful, and me rejecting it. He had said that while it was not good to be vain, it was not good to be overly humble either.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked.

"I-I have to go," I said, and rushed over to the girls. "Let's go, please."

"What? What's wrong?" Ellette asked, immediately noting my panic. She looked over at Alex, who was coming towards us.

"I just...want to get out of here, ok?" I said.

"Aubrey-" Heather started.

"Look, I don't want to stay here," I said. "I-I think I'll start crying."

The girls knew exactly what was up, and we left. Alex still followed us.

"Aubrey! Aubrey, what did I say?" He called after us. I stopped, and turned towards him. "I'm sorry, whatever it was."

"It wasn't your fault," I said, looking up at him. "It's nothing, really."

Nothing? Yeah right. Here I was, doing the very thing I told Legolas not to do. I was pining for him.



Chapter Three

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