The Beginning

I was in Toronto on a family trip, and we were just leaving the hotel in the morning. We got down to the lobby and I realized that I had forgotten my wallet upstairs.

"Can I have the room key, I gotta run back up, I forgot something." My mom handed me the key, "I'll be right back, just wait for me here." I rode the elevator upstairs, quickly went into my room and grabbed my wallet. I walked back down the hallway, got back on the elevator and pressed the lobby button.

The door was just about to close when someone stuck their hand in. "Sorry." Oh my god. It was Braelin Overstreet, the famous, amazingly good-looking singer.

"No, it's fine. Are you just going to the main floor?" I asked.

"Yup." We rode the elevator in awkward silence. I didn't want to be that crazy fan, so I didn't say anything. A loud screech broke the silence and then the elevator stopped. "What was that?"

Then the lights flickered, and then went out. It was completely pitch black. "What's going on?"

"I dunno, but I can't see anything."

"Here," I pulled my IPod out of my pocket and turned the flash light app on.

"Thanks." We both walked over to the door and tried to pry it open. "It's locked. The power must be out in the hotel." He started banging on the door, calling for help. I joined him, hoping someone was on the floor we were stuck on.

"I think we're in between floors." We both quickly pulled our cell phones out and called for help. I couldn't get a hold of my parents, but he got a hold of someone. They told him that the power was out and the elevator would be stuck for at least 3 hours, until a maintenece guy could come.

"Oh my god, this is just great." I slid down the wall, and sat down. He sat down opposite me. This was the most bizarre thing ever, stuck in a blacked out elevator with Braelin Overstreet. "I'm Nicole by the way."

"Hey, I'm Braelin."

"Hey." More awkward silence.

"So this is fun."

A few minutes of silence later, I decided to break it. "How about we play a game?"

"What kind of game?"

"How about truth?"

"Sure, but only under one circumstance. No questions about me being 'Braelin Overstreet.' Only ask questions that could apply to you too."

"Ok, fair enough. I'll go first. What's your middle name?"

"Drew. Yours?"

"Drew! Ahaha."

"That's weird ahaha! If you could visit one place in the world. Where would you go?"

"Greece, no question about it."

"Why Greece?" he asked.

"I don't know, I've just always wanted to go. Where would you go?"

"If I could pick one place to go, without working, I would go to Italy."

"Ok. Three words to describe yourself."

"Hmm, passionate, respectful and energetic. Yours?"

"Independent, lively, and self-aware."

"Ok, what are five things you hate?"

"This is too easy, high school drama, Eric Duncana, routine, spagetti and winter."

"Explain!"

"High school drama is just so annoying, and it's never ending in Revelstoke, my hometown, Eric Duncana is a douche bag who dated one of my best friends. Routine bores me, I'm happiest when I'm doing something that I don't do everyday, Spagetti is disgusting and my whole family loves it. And winter sucks ass in Revelstoke. Your five things?"

"I hate Ugg boots, fake people, trash talkers, rules, and judgement."

"Ok, easy enough." After playing this for who knows how long, we got to the serious stuff.

"What's one thing you want to experience that you haven't yet?" he asked me.

"Probably a real relationship. Revelstoke isn't very good for those."

"I agree with you totally. It's impossible for me to find someone who likes me for me. So, when was your first kiss?"

"To be announced."

"Never."

"Not yet. It just hasn't been in the cards for me. What about you?"

"It was some stupid middle school dance. I didn't even like her at the time."

"Ok, so if you could make out with any girl in the world. Who would you pick?"

"Anyone? Beyonce. You?"

"Hmm, Zac Efron, he is fricken gorgeous."

He started laughing at me. "Seriously, like High School Musical Zac Efron?"

"No, like Charlie St. Cloud, 2010 Zac Efron."

"Ok, got it. So, if I was to kiss you right now, would you kiss me back?"

"Why, are you going to kiss me?"

"I was thinking about it."

"You don't even know me!"

"You're right. But I like you so far, I haven't met a nice girl, who can have a conversation with me without screaming after every word I say. So answer the question."

"Let's just say I wouldn't pull away." Then he looked at me and smiled. "So are you going to kiss me or not?"

"Ya." He came over to me and put his hand on my face.

"Just so you know, I'm not some floozy girl."

"I know." Then he kissed me. It was like fireworks, this was exactly what they described in movies. And to top it all of, it was Braelin Overstreet.

He pulled back and I said, "is it just me, or did it all of a sudden get really hot in here?" He just laughed and kissed me again.

After another hour of being stuck in the dark elevator I felt liike I knew a side of him that know one else did. "I've never felt so comfortable and close to someone that I just met before."

"I've never felt like this either." Right when we started another conversation the lights randomly flickered on once, and then stayed on. "Yes!" We jumped up and pushed the main floor button. A few seconds later, the door opened and we were finally out. Neither my family, or his group were there. We walked back up, the stairs this time though. When we got to the top, Braelin opened the door for me.

"Well, I quess this is it."

"No, it doesn't have to be. How long are you staying here?"

"Leaving in two days."

"Well, how about I take you out to dinner tomorrow night at the hotel restaurant."

"Ya, that sounds great."

"Can I get your number and I'll text you."

"Ya, but only if I can get a picture to remember this." We took a picture on my phone and he told me to send it to him. I gave him my number and said good-bye. He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I had a surprisingly good time for being trapped in an elevator for three hours."

"Me too, you even made me forget about being claustrophobic."

"You're claustrophobic?"

"Ya, haha. Well, I'll text you sometime, and then I'll see you tomorrow."

We said good-bye and I went into my room. My family was sitting in there waiting for me. I collapsed on the bed.

"What the hell happened to you?" My mom asked.

"I got stuck in the elevator when the power went out."

"By yourself?"

"Nope."

"Who was with you?"

"A guy."

"What guy?"

"Braelin Overstreet."

"Bull shit."

"No, I'm dead serious. I was by myself and the door was just closing and he jumped in at the last second."

"I still don't believe you.

Then I pulled out my phone and showed her the picture.

The next morning Justin texted me, 'So, you still on for dinner tonight?'

I texted back, 'ya, for sure!'

'Say 7. I'll come get you at your room.'

'Ok, I'm in room 123.'

At precisely 7 o'clock that night there was a knock on the door. I was waiting in my room alone. I composed myself, and checked my makeup and hair in the mirror. I wanted to look nice, but still look like my layed-back self. I opened the door, and Braelin was standing there, looking very sharp. We said hi to one another, and he gave me a hug. We walked into the hallway, and stopped when we got to the elevator. "So, should we take our chances on the elevator, or just take the stairs?" I asked him.

"Stairs!?"

"Ya ahaha." We walked down the stairs, and went to the restaurant. We got seated at a nice corner table away from everyone else. After ordering our food, we started talking about general things again. But this time he was more open to the subject of him being famous. But instead of him giving me the usual talk-show answers, he opened up to me.

"Sometimes it sucks having to get up every morning and greet hundreds of screaming girls and then have paparazzi follow your every move. I wish that I could like I was still in high school, I can't have sick days, and I don't get to hang out with people my own age."

"I can't even imagine doing all that. Especially for you. The whole world is like scarily obsessed with you."

"Thank you! I don't get what is so fascinating about me. I especially don't get why people cry and faint when they see me."

"It's insane. I don't get how people can like someone so much, even though they really don't know them."

"Ya, plus there's all the haters in the world. You should see some of the cruel people who post things on facebook and youtube."

"Oh, I see the,. People are jealous douches, you shouldn't listen to them. They all just know that they will never be as successful as you. And guys envy you because you could have any girl in the world."

Just then the waitress came over with our food. She set it down on the table, and left. All of a sudden a crying little girl came up to our table, and then a big guy stepped out of a corner. "It's Ok, I can handle this one Jimmy," Braelin said the the man. He turned to the little, crying girl.

"Oh my gosh! Braelin I love you so much! Will you sign this for me?"

"Of course I will." He signed her magazine, took a picture with her and then she ran away.

"Well, that was crazy" I said.

"Ya, you get used to it."

"Who's that guy by the way?"

"Oh him? That's my security, Jimmy."



After that weekend Braelin and I stayed in touch for about a month, but eventually stopped talking. Until one night. Three months later I was out of town again with my family and some friends. We were out at dinner and I had to go to the washroom. I excused myself from the table and walked towards the restroom. I was just turning the corner to go in the door when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see who could possibly be trying to get my attention. "Excuse me, you just dropped this necklace back there." When I looked at their face, it was Braelin. What were the chances! "Nicole! Is that you?" he asked.

"Oh my god! How have you been Braelin?"

"I've been good, how about you?"

"I'm great! This is insane, what are the chances that we'd meet each other again!"

"It is! I usually wouldn't chase after a girl to give her something that dropped, but I felt like I had to this time."

"Well good thing you did." I gave him a hug, and said, "well, hopefully we run into each other soon again." We said good-bye and I went into the bathroom, totally dumb-founded.

I went and sat down at my table again, completely silent. "What took you so long?" my sister asked.

"Just ran into someone."

"Who?"

"Someone I haven't seen in a while, who I didn't think I'd ever see again,"

Just then Braelin came up behind me and tapped my on the shoulder again. "Nicole, I need to ask you something."

"Ya?" I looked over at my sister, who was completely star-struck. The whole table was staring at us, but I didn't care.

"I just can't get over the fact that we've met twice now, under crazy circumstances. I don't usually believe in fate, but I can't stop thinking about you. So, would you like to go out again sometime?"

"Ya, I'd love to. But I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Well, what are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing."

"How about we go to the hockey game?"

"Right now?" I looked over at my mom who nodded in agreement, "sure, why not."

"How about we meet outside in say, 20 mintues. That should be enough time to finish eating"

"Ok." He walked back to his table and sat down. The whole table started bombarding me with questions, like how the hell I knew him,

Twenty minutes later I left the table and went outside. Braelin was waiting for me. We walked over to the car he had waiting and we were driven over to the hockey arena. When we got inside I had a taste of what his life was like. His security guard was following close behind us, and every person we walked by stopped and stared.

"Do you ever get used to this?"

"Ya, this isn't even that bad though." We went up to one of the concessions and ordered our snacks. Since I obviously didn't expect him to pay, I pulled out my wallet. "No, no this one's on me."

"Are you sure?"

"Ya, I think I can get this one." He payed for the food and we went into the arena. We got to our special box seats and sat down.

Wait, who's playing tonight?" I asked.

"It is.... Edmonton and Vancouver."

"Please tell me you're not an Oilers fan!"

"No! Maple Leafs all the way! But I think I'll root for Vancouver tonight. What's your team?"

"Canucks! This is exciting, I haven't been to a Canucks game yet!"

After the game, we went outside and Braelin suggested we stop for coffee before the date ended. We got back into the car and drove to a little coffee shop. We ordered our drinks and sat down at a table.

"I had a really good time tonight." I said.

"Met too, I don't want it to end. Tomorrow I have to fly back to LA."

"This sucks, I wanna see you again."

"Me too. But I have something I wanna tell you."

"Yes?"

"Well, I'm not really good at this stuff... but I just, I really like you."

"I like you too!"

"No, like I really like you. I've never liked a girl so fast."

"Well, that's what I figured you meant. Cause I like you like that too."

"I don't know what it is about you. I feel completely comfortable around you, but at the same time, I'm incredibly nervous. I feel like I know you so well."

"Awe, I don't think a guy's ever said that to me before. You are like the sweetest and funniest guy I've ever met."

"Well, you are the sweetest and most genuine girl. I can't wrap my head around the fact, but I feel so close to you."

"How about we skip this part, and you just kiss me again."

"Ok." He leaned across the table and held onto my hand. Then he kissed me, there was that electric shock again. His smooth lips were twisting in mine. I felt like our lips were melting together. In the middle of the kiss, he pulled away, looked into my now open eyes and said, "you're absolutely gorgeous." I smiled at him and put my other hand on his face and I kissed him again.

He sat back down and just smiled at me. "I'm really glad I ran into you again."

"I'm very glad too. I'm just sorta speechless right now, I haven't been this happy in a long, long time.

Just then the waitress came up to our table, "I'm so sorry guys, but we're closing in a few minutes."

"That's ok, we were just leaving anyways," I said to her. She walked away and Braelin and I put our jackets on and went outside where we got back into the car.

We were driving back to my house and we started talking, "I really wanna see you again."

"Me too, when are you back in Canada?"

"I don't really know, but we'll definately keep in touch. I really really like you though. A lot. I don't think I'll be able to stop thinking about you."

"Awe, you're so sweet. And I really like you too. It sorta sucks that we won't see each other."

"We will see each other!" By then we got to my house.

"Well, this is it." He gave me a hug and then I turned to open the door.

"Hold on," he grabbed my hand and I turned around. He put his hands both on my face and kissed me. The kiss lasted for awhile, but it was amazing. It felt so right to be there in that moment. When I pulled away I gave him another hug. "Bye, I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too. But I'll call you later, if that's all right?"

"Ya, anytime." I climbed out of the car and we said our good-byes. And the rest is history.