more than a celebrity crush
more than a celebrity crush - Dianna/Darren; G (AU, inspired by this photoset)
The first time he sees her, it's not long after he starts working at the gas station.
His breath catches at the sight of her through the store window, and his hands still in the process of restocking the candy by the register.
He's never been the type to fawn over famous people (okay, maybe before he actually moved out here, but after a year of living in LA, the shine has worn off), but she...
She's different.
He's watched her on that silly TV show, seen a few interviews here and there, and his crush has grown steadily.
He's let himself indulge in his thoughts, certain that nothing would ever come of it, certain he would never meet her, but now he's staring at her through the window of this gas station, and his heart is tapping out a crazy beat inside his chest.
The door chimes as someone walks into the store, and he rouses himself, tearing his eyes from her to finish stacking Hershey bars and packs of gum.
He moves back behind the counter after he finishes, and his eyes drift irresistibly to the window again, watching as she finishes filling up her car.
His heart sinks a little when she gets back into her car without coming inside, and he watches her until she drives away before reluctantly turning his attention to the customer at the counter.
The first time he talks to her, she actually comes inside, and his heart nearly stops when he sees her pass through the door.
He casts furtive glances at her as she moves to the refrigerator cases near the back, and then down the candy aisle, her expression thoughtful as she decides what she wants.
He finishes cashing out the customer in front of him, and by the time they leave, she's approaching the counter, a bottle of water and a packet of Skittles in one hand, wallet and car keys in the other.
"Hi," she says, smiling softly as she lays the items on the counter.
"Hi," he replies, smiling broadly back as he rings up the water and candy.
Her long blonde hair is tied at the back of her head, soft pink lips curved in that gently smile, and she's even more beautiful in person, even without any makeup he can see.
His fingers brush against her skin when he drops her change into her palm, and the sensation sends a thrill through him.
Her eyes flick to meet his, and she holds his gaze for a moment before smiling a little uncertainly and dropping the coins into her wallet.
She gathers her things together again, declining his offer of a bag, and murmurs, "Have a nice day," as she walks from the store.
"That's my line," he says quietly as the door swings shut, and then gives a short laugh, drumming his fingers against the counter before turning away.
The first time he introduces himself to her, she giggles and nods.
"I know," she murmurs, pointing to the name tag attached to his shirt.
He grins sheepishly and nods, and she smiles back as she says, "I'm Dianna."
"I, um, know," he replies, glancing behind her at the rack of magazines, one of which has her displayed on the cover.
She flushes and nods, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Right."
"I hope you don't think I'm weird for saying this," he begins cautiously, "but... you're prettier in person."
She laughs softly as she accepts her change. "Even without makeup and my hair a mess?"
"Especially then," he says before he can stop himself, and she flushes again as she drops her change into her wallet.
"Thank you," she says softly, smiling at him once more. "I'll see you later."
The first time he asks her out, they're standing by the gas pump, and he's got a dripping wet squeegee in his hand.
The words come out of his mouth before he can stop them. "Do you want to go out with me?"
She stares at him, wide-eyed, and he hurries to replace the squeegee before coming to stand in front of her again.
"I know I'm just some guy who works at a gas station, and there are probably a ton of other guys you could go out with, but I just - I really like you. And - and not because you're famous, but because I've gotten to know you a little bit over the past couple of months and I would just really like the chance to know more." He raises his eyebrows hopefully. "If - if you want to."
"Darren -" she begins, her eyebrows knitted together.
He nods, cutting her off before she can continue. "No, it's okay, I get it." He flashes a tight smile as he takes a step back. "I'm sorry. I'll see you around."
"Wait!" she says, laughing softly and grabbing his arm as he turns away from her.
He turns to face her, optimism cautiously flaring inside of him, and she smiles.
"I was going to say yes."
"You were?" he says, unable to keep disbelief from his voice.
She laughs again and nods. "I was. I am. I'd love to go out with you."
He laughs, surprised and relieved at the same time, and she smiles up at him, her hand still on his arm as she bites gently on her lip.
The first time he sees her, it's not long after he starts working at the gas station.
His breath catches at the sight of her through the store window, and his hands still in the process of restocking the candy by the register.
He's never been the type to fawn over famous people (okay, maybe before he actually moved out here, but after a year of living in LA, the shine has worn off), but she...
She's different.
He's watched her on that silly TV show, seen a few interviews here and there, and his crush has grown steadily.
He's let himself indulge in his thoughts, certain that nothing would ever come of it, certain he would never meet her, but now he's staring at her through the window of this gas station, and his heart is tapping out a crazy beat inside his chest.
The door chimes as someone walks into the store, and he rouses himself, tearing his eyes from her to finish stacking Hershey bars and packs of gum.
He moves back behind the counter after he finishes, and his eyes drift irresistibly to the window again, watching as she finishes filling up her car.
His heart sinks a little when she gets back into her car without coming inside, and he watches her until she drives away before reluctantly turning his attention to the customer at the counter.
The first time he talks to her, she actually comes inside, and his heart nearly stops when he sees her pass through the door.
He casts furtive glances at her as she moves to the refrigerator cases near the back, and then down the candy aisle, her expression thoughtful as she decides what she wants.
He finishes cashing out the customer in front of him, and by the time they leave, she's approaching the counter, a bottle of water and a packet of Skittles in one hand, wallet and car keys in the other.
"Hi," she says, smiling softly as she lays the items on the counter.
"Hi," he replies, smiling broadly back as he rings up the water and candy.
Her long blonde hair is tied at the back of her head, soft pink lips curved in that gently smile, and she's even more beautiful in person, even without any makeup he can see.
His fingers brush against her skin when he drops her change into her palm, and the sensation sends a thrill through him.
Her eyes flick to meet his, and she holds his gaze for a moment before smiling a little uncertainly and dropping the coins into her wallet.
She gathers her things together again, declining his offer of a bag, and murmurs, "Have a nice day," as she walks from the store.
"That's my line," he says quietly as the door swings shut, and then gives a short laugh, drumming his fingers against the counter before turning away.
The first time he introduces himself to her, she giggles and nods.
"I know," she murmurs, pointing to the name tag attached to his shirt.
He grins sheepishly and nods, and she smiles back as she says, "I'm Dianna."
"I, um, know," he replies, glancing behind her at the rack of magazines, one of which has her displayed on the cover.
She flushes and nods, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Right."
"I hope you don't think I'm weird for saying this," he begins cautiously, "but... you're prettier in person."
She laughs softly as she accepts her change. "Even without makeup and my hair a mess?"
"Especially then," he says before he can stop himself, and she flushes again as she drops her change into her wallet.
"Thank you," she says softly, smiling at him once more. "I'll see you later."
The first time he asks her out, they're standing by the gas pump, and he's got a dripping wet squeegee in his hand.
The words come out of his mouth before he can stop them. "Do you want to go out with me?"
She stares at him, wide-eyed, and he hurries to replace the squeegee before coming to stand in front of her again.
"I know I'm just some guy who works at a gas station, and there are probably a ton of other guys you could go out with, but I just - I really like you. And - and not because you're famous, but because I've gotten to know you a little bit over the past couple of months and I would just really like the chance to know more." He raises his eyebrows hopefully. "If - if you want to."
"Darren -" she begins, her eyebrows knitted together.
He nods, cutting her off before she can continue. "No, it's okay, I get it." He flashes a tight smile as he takes a step back. "I'm sorry. I'll see you around."
"Wait!" she says, laughing softly and grabbing his arm as he turns away from her.
He turns to face her, optimism cautiously flaring inside of him, and she smiles.
"I was going to say yes."
"You were?" he says, unable to keep disbelief from his voice.
She laughs again and nods. "I was. I am. I'd love to go out with you."
He laughs, surprised and relieved at the same time, and she smiles up at him, her hand still on his arm as she bites gently on her lip.