But It Isn't Right (Duskwood Fanfic)

Episode 1 - Meeting the Group

I'm used to randos and fans getting my phone number occasionally. Also, I don't know how they do it, but marketing firms and producers manage to get it sometimes, too. Even though we clearly publish Dari's business number and email so that people can contact her, people still think that they'll get better results by calling me directly.

So when someone named Thomas started texting me, I stayed patient. I've learned it's better to be polite than to be rude or even just block someone because you never know where the next opportunity will come from. Then he started adding people to the group, and based on his awkwardness, I thought maybe it was a really poorly-planned marketing pitch.

I was about to refer them to Dari when they mentioned the name Hannah Donfort. "That sounds familiar," I told Thomas. Because it did. But I wasn't sure from where. I quickly checked my phone contacts--nobody by that name.

"Hey, Dari?" I called.

"What's up?" she called back.

"Can you do me a favor?" 

"...'kay, what is it?"

I winced, knowing she wasn't going to like it. "Can you go through all my social media interactions and see if I ever talked to someone named Hannah Donfort?"

"WHAT?" she screeched. Yep, I knew it would be bad.

"Dari, it could be important. Her boyfriend says she's missing, and they're looking for clues. She gave them my number."

She sighed. "Li, how do you get yourself into these situations?"

I rolled my eyes at my big sister. "Would you please just do it? Pretty please? You're so much better at it than I am," I coaxed. It was true. She was a social media master.

"Ay, Li! Fine!"

I went back to the text messages. Cleo had sent me a picture of Hannah. I forwarded the pic to Dari. "That's her!" I yelled. "Just in case she doesn't have her real name on social media."

"What am I, the CIA? How am I supposed to find her with a picture?" I ignored that and went back to the texts.

These people clearly didn't know who I was, which was fine. I was not that famous. At all. But enough people knew me that it was more likely that Hannah knew who I was than I knew who she was. I interacted with a LOT of people, and Dari communicated with even more of them on my behalf when they just assumed it was me they were having a conversation with. But it seemed better that since I didn't know how Hannah knew me yet, I keep my profession out of this for the time being. I didn't need to mention it unless it turned out to be relevant, though I wouldn't lie to them if they asked.

Plus, it was kind of nice when people talked to me like a regular person instead of a public figure. Just then, I heard Dari's feet running toward me. "Li!" she exclaimed, out of breath. "I think I found her. She's from Duskwood?" She showed me a social media profile; it definitely looked like the same person.

"Duskwood! Do you mean, that tiny little place over by Alton? Have I talked to her before??" I was starting to get excited.

Dari shook her head. "Not as far as I can tell. Maybe you guys met sometime?"

"I don't know. I've only been to Duskwood for that festival they have, years ago when you took me. I definitely didn't give anyone my phone number while we were there."

"Well, I'll check your emails and stuff just in case."

"Thanks, Dari. You're the best."

She grinned. "I know."

I went back to the texts. It seemed like there was disagreement among the group about whether or not they should have contacted me. I was feeling a little weird about this. I told them I wasn't sure if I knew Hannah or not, and a couple of people left the chat.