All That We Could Be

“Fallon! Have you seen this yet?” Cheryl hurried into Fallon’s room. She was holding the Daily Mail On Sunday and a copy of The Sun in one hand; and in the other she was holding her hot chocolate. Her voice sounded worried. Fallon removed the pillow away from her eyes. “Way to kill a dream…” She muttered. “Yes well Sleeping Beauty, I think you should have a look at what the tabloids are saying about you and your new found Prince Charming.” Cheryl retorted, as she handed the papers to Fallon.

“Oh no…” Fallon groaned, as she saw the headlines. “Fallon and mystery man leave club after performance.” Cheryl echoed the headlines. “They couldn’t think of anything more original?” Fallon asked. “With you, I’m guessing they were being nice calling Daniel the mystery man.” Cheryl snickered. “Touché…although I’ve never had any reason to believe they were interested in who I see.” Fallon said. “Well you are starting to become the new pop sweetheart. So I’m guessing they’ll be coming at you now.” Cheryl told Fallon.

Fallon didn’t seem to happy about that idea. “Can’t they just forget me like they usually do? This is going to make things so much harder…What about Daniel? If they’re going to follow me now…crap…they make my life so complicated.” Fallon said darkly. “Yes well…we can’t live with them or without them…by the way how did Daniel take the whole you being a solo artist thing? I know you didn’t tell him before hand…cause when I saw him he looked flabbergasted …”Cheryl said with a laugh. “Quite well actually…he didn’t flip out on me!” Fallon told Cheryl happily. “See I told you he was a keeper.” The older girl smirked. “Yea…anyways do you think I should call Daniel to give him a heads up on the tabloids?” Fallon asked, steering the conversation away from her and Daniel.

“Yea, I think…” Cheryl was interrupted by the phone ringing. Fallon got up and crossed the room quickly to answer it. “Fallon?” asked the voice. “Yea…” She answered. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going out with some one?” At once the voice became familiar. “Craig…I’m not going to get into this with you…” Fallon said seriously. “Yea well, you had better start being a little bit careful as to where you go. Don’t do anything stupid, you hear me?” Craig warned her. Fallon couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “I promise I won’t do anything stupid.” “I’m being serious; if the paparazzi catch you doing something reckless…I don’t know how we’ll salvage your image.” “Have I really done anything that bad?” Fallon asked, slightly wounded. “No, not yet. But you’ve never really been seen with a guy before either. So just make sure you don’t do anything that might come back to bite you in the end.” Craig said with more warning. “Look Craig…what am I going to do? I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t even party…unless I have to…I don’t eat pork…what exactly are you expecting me to do? I don’t even do drugs…in fact I’ve never done any of these things in my whole life.” Fallon said with a little steel in her tone. She didn’t understand why he was being so cautioning.

“I know you don’t do anything stupid…it’s just with you, all I’ve had to worry about is critics. Now suddenly the tabloids have you pictured with some guy…it’s starting a whole new set of worries for me.” Craig said with some sympathy. “He’s not some guy…his name is Daniel. If you meet him, I think you’ll like him. Even Cheryl likes him.” Fallon said quietly. “I know dear, I’m not complaining about his likeability. Maybe I will meet him one of these days…just to make sure he doesn’t do anything idiotic. Well anyway…just take care okay? Bye.” With that Craig hung up the phone. Fallon replaced the receiver.

“So what was that all about?” Cheryl asked, she was grinning. “Nothing…just worried about how Daniel might affect my image…if I decide to change paths and go onto the destructive pop star path.” Fallon said with a little resentment. “I’ve never thought that you would take the destructive path like you know Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, and the rest of them. I always thought you’d be more like the constructive pop star…more like Cheryl Cole and Girls Aloud.” Cheryl said with a laugh. “Well I’m glad at least you believe in me.” Fallon retorted.

“Come on, get dressed we’ll have some fun today…at least for a little while. I’ve seen the work you have for the week. You have to get started on that.” Cheryl said as the two of them walked out of the room.

“Hello?” It was around 5pm when Fallon decided to call Daniel. “Hello!” She said cheerily. “How are you, Fallon?” He asked her. “Great! What about you?” She replied chirpily. Fallon had eaten some chocolate…which had always made her slightly hyper. “I’m good. So what has got you so excited?” Daniel sounded curious. “You! Uh…I mean chocolate!” Blasted turrets, I shouldn’t have said that… – Fallon thought horrified with herself, she could feel the blush creeping back. On the other end it sounded like Daniel was chuckling. “Well I’m glad you feel that way, I must say I think the same way about you.” Daniel said smoothly. Again Fallon’s heart started racing.

“Okay well…I kinda of called to give you a heads up about the papers.” Fallon said after a moment. “Oh you mean about me being the mystery man?” Daniel sounded like he was snickering. “Yea…I hope you’re…okay about that? Well actually I hope you won’t…I don’t know how to say it…” Fallon stumbled over the words.

“You hope I won’t get scared about going out with you over a few photos. Nope…believe me, I’ve seen worse.” Daniel said quietly. “What do you mean?” Fallon couldn’t help but ask. “I’ll show you. How about on Tuesday we go out. I’ll explain everything to you.” Daniel told her. “Yea sure…see you then?” Fallon asked tentatively. “Be sure of it.” Daniel replied.

Monday…why can’t you be Tuesday? – Fallon thought as she sat in class. “Now remember in reproduction when times are hard females are more energetically favorable.” The professor was saying. Fallon had already read about this. She even listened to ‘Quirks and Quarks’ back home. It had done a whole segment on the male and female birth ratio versus the conditions of the time period. “It takes less energy to have a female than it does to have a male.” By this time Fallon had decided to zone out.

Once she had gotten home, she noticed that the house was empty. Fallon’s room was on the first floor, along with the kitchen and family/television room. On the second floor there was a guest room and Cheryl’s room. In the basement there were three rooms. One was a cold storage; one was where they had decided to keep an entertainment console…more like a miniature theatre. The last room was the one Fallon had picked out. It was a small library and study. Most of Fallon’s books where here. All her text books, additional text books, novels, and other literature. This is where Fallon usually spent her time. It was nice and cozy, and she had made sure there was a bean bag chair with a blanket in the corner.

Finding a note from Cheryl, which told her that Cheryl wouldn’t be home until late; Fallon headed down stairs after hanging her jacket and keys. She went through the books until she found Tithe: A Modern Faery Tale. She settled on the bean bag and started to read. She loved the quiet solitude the room provided her. It was her space, here there were no boundaries. Her mind could wander to where ever the books took her.

Soon enough Fallon had drifted away into a light slumber. Outside a car engine shut off. Fallon stirred. She noticed the time, and got up to go greet Cheryl. Fallon also had one or two assignments that needed to be done since she was going to be out with Daniel tomorrow.

“Hello Fallon!” Cheryl’s happy voice came. “Hey!” Fallon said as she came up the stairs. “How was work?” Fallon inquired. The two of them felt they were more like family than best friends sharing a house. “Same old, same old. My dad’s thinking about expanding the business overseas. He thinks there is an untapped market over where you live.” Cheryl said with a laugh. “Cool, so then I could go to Lively! back home too.” “Yea, so how much more work did you get today?” Cheryl asked with smile. “Not too much, I can finish it all tonight. That way I won’t have anything to do tomorrow.” Fallon said quickly.

“Right, you’re going out tomorrow!” Cheryl laughed. As expected Fallon blushed. “Ahh, that never gets old.” Cheryl said with a smirk. “Funny…” Fallon muttered. “So where are you going tomorrow?” Cheryl asked with curiosity. “I actually have no idea; he wants to show me what he does for a living.” Fallon said. Even she was confused as to what it was that Daniel did. “So what do you think he does?” asked Cheryl. “I haven’t the slightest idea.” Fallon said. “Come on, what are your thoughts as to what he does?” Cheryl prodded Fallon.

“Race car driver?” Fallon said without much thought. “Seriously?” Cheryl couldn’t believe this. “No…” “So then what?” Fallon thought for a moment. “Well I think it might be something that requires strength…because the first time we met he was wearing this shirt that kinda showed his muscles…” Fallon stopped abruptly and covered her mouth. She had seen the thrilled look on Cheryl’s face as soon as the words had come out of her mouth. “Oooh! I never thought I’d see the day…I think you like him…a lot…you might just love him.” Cheryl taunted her. At once Fallon had placed her hand on Cheryl’s mouth. Trying to stop her from saying that she loved Daniel. “Just because you say it doesn’t make it true.” Fallon said quickly. She took her hands away from Cheryl.
That didn’t stop Cheryl from looking like the cat that swallowed a canary.

“Quit gloating…you’re inferring that I love him…it doesn’t mean that I love him…besides I haven’t known him long enough…” Fallon tried to dispel Cheryl’s hypothesis. “Sorry Fallon, but I think I made the correct assumption.” Cheryl was still reveling. “Urgh…remember when you assume you make an ass out of you and me…” Fallon retorted. “You can’t honestly look at me and say that you don’t have those feelings for him…” Cheryl shot back. And try as she might…Fallon couldn’t deny that.