mind completely captivated by his scruff, yet
stylish appearance. He fit so seamlessly in the world of
billionaire superstars and yet also retained a sense of wild
abandonment. My skin began to grow hot before Maya broke me of my
trance.
I swiped my finger across the
screen and said, “Hey girl, what's up?”
“ SKY!” I held the phone away from
my ear as she shouted my name. When she was done, she asked, “How
are you?”
“ I'm fine. Are you off your meds?
You sound more uppity than usual.”
“ You're cute when you make jokes.
Did you know that?” She teased. “What are you doing
tonight?”
“ I'm probably taking a hot bath and
then going to bed with a bottle of Merlot. Why?”
Maya gagged on the other end of
the phone.
“ That sounds depressing. I think
you need a night out.”
“ No, Maya. I've had a really long
day. Jeb pretty much rejected another one of my screenplays, I
nearly tripped into traffic, and I'm pretty sure I'm coming down
with a fever.” I raised my hand to my forehead even though she
couldn't see me do it. “Yeah, I feel warm.”
“ Skylar Jones,” There's my damn
name again. “You need to get out of the house. You spend all day
writing and then hole up in that dark cave where nothing exciting
happens.”
“ Hey, I've got plenty of excitement
here. There's mint chocolate chip ice cream in my freezer that's
sitter there, dangerously unopened.”
Maya chuckled.
“ Well, fine. You'll just miss the
most spectacular after party ever in the history of Los Angeles.”
She paused for dramatic effect, knowing that it would pique my
interest enough for me to ask.
“ Okay, I'm dying to know.” I droned
sarcastically into the mic. “Which movie?”
“ Only the latest and greatest
creation of the sexiest and most debonair man in the country: ZACK
RIDER!” Squeals erupted from the speaker which caused me to hold
the phone away from my ear again.
“ Maya, you're going to make my ear
drum explode. Take a chill pill.” I gently rubbed my temple. I
wasn't going to be able to get out of this one.
“ Look, just come out for a bit with
the girls. We'll take some shots, sip a few cosmos, and only dance
to a few short songs.”
“ You know these parties are full of
groupies,” I pointed out. “And we'll be surrounded all night by
little girls and boys trying way too hard.”
“ You know we're
much cooler than that. We actually know these people. They
don't.”
“ That doesn't make us
better.”
“ No, it gives us an
advantage.”
“ Maya!”
She giggled maniacally. I had to
laugh along with her because she had a point. We were nothing like
the shifter groupies who lined up night after night outside of
celebrity clubs attempting to get a taste of the high life beyond
the crimson doors. I've watched these celebrity followings pop up
over the last couple of years and reach alarming levels of
obsession. One girl had a shifter's name tattooed on her neck where
she said he'd “forever suckle.” It was appalling what people did to
attract attention. The shifters were no better. They devoured the
adulation they received from groupies and fans. Any time bouncers
allowed outsiders into their parties, they treated them like pets.
It was absolutely disgusting to watch. I didn't want to go. It made
me cringe to see people being used like that, but Maya was right.
I've been trapped in my apartment every night for a week, and only
left once to get dinner from the Chinese restaurant up the
block.
“ Fine. I'll go under one
condition.” It was my turn to pause for dramatic effect.
Maya sighed and groaned,
“ Whaaat ?”
“ Don't try hooking me up with
anybody again. The last one was embarrassing.”
“ It's not my fault you can't
socialize.”
“ He was a total d-bag,
Maya.”
“ Yeah, you're
right. He was. I'm sorry.” She took a deep breath. “Alright, the only
hooking up I'll be doing for you will be with some flirty martinis.
Deal?”
“ Deal.”
“ I'll see you at
stylish appearance. He fit so seamlessly in the world of
billionaire superstars and yet also retained a sense of wild
abandonment. My skin began to grow hot before Maya broke me of my
trance.
I swiped my finger across the
screen and said, “Hey girl, what's up?”
“ SKY!” I held the phone away from
my ear as she shouted my name. When she was done, she asked, “How
are you?”
“ I'm fine. Are you off your meds?
You sound more uppity than usual.”
“ You're cute when you make jokes.
Did you know that?” She teased. “What are you doing
tonight?”
“ I'm probably taking a hot bath and
then going to bed with a bottle of Merlot. Why?”
Maya gagged on the other end of
the phone.
“ That sounds depressing. I think
you need a night out.”
“ No, Maya. I've had a really long
day. Jeb pretty much rejected another one of my screenplays, I
nearly tripped into traffic, and I'm pretty sure I'm coming down
with a fever.” I raised my hand to my forehead even though she
couldn't see me do it. “Yeah, I feel warm.”
“ Skylar Jones,” There's my damn
name again. “You need to get out of the house. You spend all day
writing and then hole up in that dark cave where nothing exciting
happens.”
“ Hey, I've got plenty of excitement
here. There's mint chocolate chip ice cream in my freezer that's
sitter there, dangerously unopened.”
Maya chuckled.
“ Well, fine. You'll just miss the
most spectacular after party ever in the history of Los Angeles.”
She paused for dramatic effect, knowing that it would pique my
interest enough for me to ask.
“ Okay, I'm dying to know.” I droned
sarcastically into the mic. “Which movie?”
“ Only the latest and greatest
creation of the sexiest and most debonair man in the country: ZACK
RIDER!” Squeals erupted from the speaker which caused me to hold
the phone away from my ear again.
“ Maya, you're going to make my ear
drum explode. Take a chill pill.” I gently rubbed my temple. I
wasn't going to be able to get out of this one.
“ Look, just come out for a bit with
the girls. We'll take some shots, sip a few cosmos, and only dance
to a few short songs.”
“ You know these parties are full of
groupies,” I pointed out. “And we'll be surrounded all night by
little girls and boys trying way too hard.”
“ You know we're
much cooler than that. We actually know these people. They
don't.”
“ That doesn't make us
better.”
“ No, it gives us an
advantage.”
“ Maya!”
She giggled maniacally. I had to
laugh along with her because she had a point. We were nothing like
the shifter groupies who lined up night after night outside of
celebrity clubs attempting to get a taste of the high life beyond
the crimson doors. I've watched these celebrity followings pop up
over the last couple of years and reach alarming levels of
obsession. One girl had a shifter's name tattooed on her neck where
she said he'd “forever suckle.” It was appalling what people did to
attract attention. The shifters were no better. They devoured the
adulation they received from groupies and fans. Any time bouncers
allowed outsiders into their parties, they treated them like pets.
It was absolutely disgusting to watch. I didn't want to go. It made
me cringe to see people being used like that, but Maya was right.
I've been trapped in my apartment every night for a week, and only
left once to get dinner from the Chinese restaurant up the
block.
“ Fine. I'll go under one
condition.” It was my turn to pause for dramatic effect.
Maya sighed and groaned,
“ Whaaat ?”
“ Don't try hooking me up with
anybody again. The last one was embarrassing.”
“ It's not my fault you can't
socialize.”
“ He was a total d-bag,
Maya.”
“ Yeah, you're
right. He was. I'm sorry.” She took a deep breath. “Alright, the only
hooking up I'll be doing for you will be with some flirty martinis.
Deal?”
“ Deal.”
“ I'll see you at
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