Moonchild

Chapter 1

            Anais Black had been so sure that he would not call. It had all been so hectic at the premiere, the partying after, and all the people trying to shake his hand. He had managed to pull her to the side and hand her a piece of a fancy napkin with his name scrawled on it in someones eyeliner. Anais examined the currant colored name and sighed it, Elijah Wood. What the hell had they both been thinking? There was an unspoken rule in L.A. and that was never to date anyone that is not an actor. Anais sighed again and sat down at her dining room table. In the background some Cibo Matto played and her cat, Yuki, pounced around madly (keeping time with the music it seemed).

            It had surprised her that he had called though and she could not breath as he told her that he wanted to know if she would like to attend a gallery showing with him. The conversation went a little like this:

 Anais: Hello, Anais Black.

            Elijah: Hey, Anais. Its Elijah!

            Anais: Oh, hi. I didnt think youd call. I gave you my number before we left New Zealand and you didnt call then. I just assumed that you wouldnt this time either.

            Elijah: Well, I lost it that time. I think it fell out of my jeans pockets when I was digging around for a cigarette. So, how are you, Anais?

            Anais: (gulps) Fine. How about you? I read some article that you were looking for Madeleine Samis number again. How is that going?

            Elijah: (sighs) She was just a friend! Anais, I dont know how many times I have to tell you that. You seem to think she was more, so I think youre jealous. I would love to think you felt that way about me.

            Anais: (sharply) I dont! So, dont think that I do!

            Elijah: (laughing) I dont, A. I really dont think you give a damn about me. I actually only called to see if youd like to attend a gallery showing with me and have dinner before or after. Just a night on the town, seeing that I owe you since I didnt take you out when we were in Wellington.

            Anais: Cool. Ill go with you then.

Anais didnt believe the last words; Ill go with you then. She fumbled with the napkin piece again, staring glassy-eyed at the writing. What was she going to do? She had fallen for Elijah back in Wellington while she was working for Peter Jacksons WETA as a set designer.  They became friends fast due to Elijahs curiosity to see how they did the magic that created a set.  He would bounce into the studios saying hello to everyone and then deciding to annoy Anais because she looked more amiable.

            Anais would talk to him about music (he had a thing for Radiohead and Massive Attack, while she adored Cibo Matto and Bjork), movies (they agreed on all the ones they talked about), art (she was an art student at UCLA) and home. These conversations would end suddenly due to the schedule they both had, but picked up in the evening when everyone was free to bounce around New Zealand or Australia. Anais would go with Elijah, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, and the others to whatever pub they fancied that night. In the smoky, beer-drenched pubs, Anais and Elijah would continue their conversation and would try not to laugh at how dumb the other sounded in a state of near-drunkenness.

            Those moments ended after the movie did, but Elijah had told Anais when they got to the airport that he would keep in touch and that he had enjoyed his time with her. Anais believed him and gave him her number; he never called. Of course, months went by and Anais didnt think that he gave a damn about her. Then at the London premiere of Lord of the Rings, she saw him standing with Ian Holm and Ian McKellen. It all flew off the handlebars from there. 

            He noticed her watching him and smiled sweetly like only he could. After talking with the two older men he moved towards her.  "Hi. I bet you thought I forgot who you were? "There was a twinkle in his azure colored eyes and she had to answer him.

            "Yeah, you didnt call me when we got back to the States. Whats with that, Elijah?"Anais gave him a look that he knew to be  a scolding look (much like the one she gave him after she discovered that Dom and he had pissed by or in a fountain during their time Down Under).

            He smiled and took her hand in his. "Well, I wont now. Heres my number. Give me a call if I dont call you". As he said this a horde of reporters were running up.

            Anais looked at what he shoved in her hand and found a napkin there with his number there.

            Now she was trying to figure out what to wear on Friday night and what to do about her feelings that were getting out of control. How did she feel for him? She didnt know, but it went through her head as she pulled out a pair of dirty denims and a 70s style slashed sleeved top. Her outfit was complete, but her emotions were not.