Do I think the Twilight book series is fantastic literature? Absolutely not. Do I think the Twilight films are exceptional? No way. Have I read all the books and seen all the movies? Of course!
You see, I thank Twilight for the fact I still live in LA. When I first moved here over 3 years ago, I had no friends, no family (well, the woman I lived with at the time eventually became like family), and no job. And living in a city like this without anyone or anything to take up your time is quite daunting. Before my dad left his only daughter in LA, he tried to find something to fill all the free time I was about to have.
“You know, maybe we should get you some books to read. To keep you busy… How about this series?” He picked up the first Twilight book. “Dad, I heard those books are for little girls… But whatever, if you’re paying.” He bought me Twilight and New Moon. The next day I dropped him and my grandma off at the airport and I headed to my “new home.”
Looking back on that moment still makes me sick to my stomach… I was so afraid of the unknown. I was so afraid of failing. I was so afraid of being without my family and my friends. I was so afraid of being out of my comfort zone. I was so afraid of being alone…
I picked up that book so I would forget everything I just left behind. I picked it up to get out of my head all the negative thoughts. And the book did just that. It sucked me in. It made me feel good. It made me feel like I wasn’t by myself and 2,000 miles from everything I had known.
Over the next three weeks I read the first three books and then Breaking Dawn (the last and final book) came out. Thank goodness it was huge! It took up just enough of my time before my first friend would finally arrive in LA. (Eric,who has been my longest and one of my dearest LA friends, didn’t arrive in town until 3 weeks after I did. JERK! Kidding! But seriously, thank goodness he moved here…)
Also, did I ever tell you how Twilight brought me and Mel together?! We hung out maybe three or four times before we ever talked. You know, “girl code.” We were basically the only girls in a group of like 8 dudes, so we were very territorail of “our boys”. Then, one of the guys told me Mel liked Twilight too.
“Wait, you like Twilight?!?!” I said to Miss Mel, finally making eye contact with her after weeks of hanging out. “Ummmm, I LOVE Twilight,” she said. After that moment, Mel and I became inseperable. She was the Louise to my Thelma, the Bert to my Ernie, the Edward to my Bella. Wait, what? Scratch that last one…
Anyways, I defend Twilight not because I think it’s a great work of art, but because it kept me here in this crazy town. It introduced me to one of my bestest friends. It made me smile when I didn’t think it was possible. IT KEPT ME BUSY. So when people talk crap on it, I just shrug it off. Because if it wasn’t for that book series I could possibly be back in Illinois. I may not have met the great friends I have out here. I may not have met the love of my life, Bry Guy (my own Edward Cullen, CHEESY, I KNOW). And I may not have met Rob Pattinson. Yeah, Mel and I totally met him, went in his trailer, shook hands, it was alright (THANKS, BRANDON!!!!)…
Tonight you can find me at the Arclight at midnight seeing Breaking Dawn. My roommate and I will probably be the oldest people in the audience, we always are (besides the moms that bring their daughters, of course). But we have seen every movie at midnight in LA since we both moved here. It is one of my favorite past times. And I would not have it any other way…
LUV,
Britt
