A Hero Can Save Us chapter 4: Fate? Destiny Or Coincidence?

[abbey frank]

San Diego, California
Comic-con
10:30 AM

I still wore an incredulous smile as I finally reached the entrance. Three steps inside and I stopped gazing around the three story convention center in awe, it was the stuff of fantasy: Cosplayers, Trekkie's, Furries and Comic book nerds everywhere. At stands, at autograph booths piling into elevators, fake battling with their friends, I felt out of place in my normalcy. I headed to a booth selling DC merchandise and bought a Batman T-shirt, feeling more comfortable once it was on. I grabbed a schedule from the Information Center.
There were several interviews with stars of TV shows like Teen Wolf and Grimm which I just never could get into. The one thing on the schedule for that day that caught my eyes was a sneak peek of Avengers 2 at 11 AM. A smile spread across my face as I took off toward the stairs. Once on the Mezzanine level, I headed to the Outdoor Amphitheater, where a large screen and hundreds of seats awaited. It was nearly full of men and women dressed as an assortment of Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor and Captain America, etc.
I found a few empty seats toward the middle of the amphitheater and sat as far from others as possible. I sat in anticipation, thinking, 'this is the coolest thing I've ever done.' I was just about to sigh in contentment over the empty seats next to me when someone came rushing up the aisle and sat beside me followed by another man who followed suit on the opposite.
I couldn't help but glance to my left, to see who had hastily taken up my personal space. I was silently shocked to see it was once again Milo. At that moment he looked over at me, a grin spreading over his face.
"Hey, it's you again. I'm sorry I knocked you over and rushed off earlier," he began before the quiet jumble of speech around us changed to vibrant applause as the cast of Avengers 2 took to the stage. I too couldn't help but cheer. As I watched the 15 minute sneak peek, I would sometimes glance at Milo, who seemed entirely preoccupied by the screen, from the corner of my eye.
Internally, I couldn't help but admire him and found my palms to be sweaty from nervousness. When the clip finished before the applause was finished Milo and the man from the right, who I now recognized as Milo's friend Russ, hurried away and out of the amphitheater as if they had no time. I was suddenly inspired to live for the moment. As I left the theater, I began to explore Comic-con without schedule, feeding off the excitement and joy of those surrounding me. I freaked out mildly a few times after seeing moderately famous people in proximity.
After a few hours, I found my morale lowered significantly. Everything was beginning to remind me of him. A guy ran buy in a Deadpool costume, making my palms sweat, a small child wearing a Jake hat just like his nearly brought me to tears and a teenager in a Metallica T-shirt was like a punch in the gut. I suddenly found myself struggling for air, that aching in my chest, that thought, 'what am I gonna do without him?'
I tugged at my T-shirt collar attempting to catch my breath, I felt myself swaying on my feet, I needed to be alone for a while. Sweat began pouring down my brow. I headed towards a back exit, which upon going through it, I was relieved to find that it lead to an empty alley way lined with metal trash cans and dumpsters.
I sat on top of the nearest trash can and lit a cigarette before allowing tears to stream silently down my cheeks. 'This was a stupid idea,' I thought exhaling smoke sharply as a sob tore out my chest, 'thought I could escape my nerdy ex-fiance by running away to Comic con. You're a genius.' At that moment, someone burst through the exit.
"That's not what your mom said last night, Russ," Milo said with a laugh before the door closed behind him.
He turned and looked at me and oddly the first thing he said to me is, "You should quit."
Quickly wiping away my tears, I uttered, "huh?" He stepped closer looking pointedly at the cigarette before looking me in the face, "are you okay?" I looked him teary-eyed in the face and told him, "honestly, not really."
His eyes softened and he kneeled down before me.
"You know, it's weird I've ran into you 3 times today, once literally, I've been coming to Comic con for quite a few years now, it's a big place filled with a lot of people, apparently someone wants me to talk to you, so put that cigarette out and tell me your name," Milo told me expectantly. Shocked by his instruction I hesitated a moment before throwing the cigarette down and stomping on it with my cheap flip flop.
"I-I'm Abbey," I said shyly holding out my hand feeling my cheeks redden, hoping I didn't appear doe eyed. He grabbed it firmly with both hands and shook it slowly before saying with a toothy smile, "I'm Milo."
"I know," I admitted, my cheeks flushing, "I've seen a lot of your work." Just then Russ came through the door, "Miles, I'd like to see you say that shit to my mom's face-" He looked from Milo to me a few times with an odd look on his face, "who's your friend?"
Milo smiled widely at Russ, "this is Abbey, from the amphitheater."
"Right," Russ said skeptically, "you ready go get some lunch?"
"Actually, man, I think I'm going to hang back for a while," Milo told him looking at me. Russ stared pointedly at me.
"I'm Russ," he grunted with a nod.
"Hi Russ," I squeaked with a small wave.
"Milo, can I talk to you?" Russ asked him thumbing down the alley. Milo looked confused, "sure, man."
They walked a bit down the alley way where Russ began to talk in a hushed tone but gestured wildly taking away any mystery that he was warning him away. I stifled a chuckle,'go figure, Milo Ventimiglia for some reason wants to be around me and his best friend disapproves.' The more I thought of it the funnier it became and suddenly a loud giggle escaped from my lips and echoed down the alley way. Milo and Russ looked towards me, Milo looking amused and Russ looking worried, most likely for Milo. 'What the hell am I doing here, right now?" I asked myself internally. I pulled my book bag tighter on my shoulders and got up to leave.
As I began down the alley way to leave Milo called, "Hey, where ya going?" I stood there awkwardly, I thought I had been dismissed, "I-I dunno..."
"Come back," he all but demanded, waving me toward him. My feet moved automatically and I was soon standing next to him and Russ, who looked like he just drank a glass of sour milk. I stood holding on to the straps of my back pack as if going on a hike, "yes?'
"Do you want to hang out with me for a while?" Milo asked, his eyes shining with that same preoccupied look from this morning, but this time accompanied by his crooked grin.
I laughed, "I'd be crazy not to, wouldn't I?" His smile grew wider still, "see you later, Russ."