You would think that in a city like LA, people really wouldn’t care so much about me. I mean, there’s celebrities walking around everywhere and you’d assume people would get used to it. And yet I can feel the stares from people as I get out of my car and walk towards Avidity Studio. Didn’t these people ever get taught that it’s rude to stare? Honestly.

“Hi, can I help you?” the receptionist asked me when I walked through the door.

“I’m looking for Emily Baxter,” I said, pulling off my sunglasses.

“She’s in studio C. You can just go right back.”

“Thanks.” I walked to the hallway where she was pointing and looked around. I had never been here before so I was hoping Studio C was easy to find. Would it have killed the receptionist to actually show me where it was?

Fortunately, there were signs directing me where to go and I reached my destination within a minute. Studio C seemed more like a warehouse room than anything and it took me a minute of scanning my eyes around the room before I spotted Emily off to the side at what looked to be a makeshift makeup table.

The closer I got to her, the more I could see that she was looking rough today. She was putting makeup on some girl and looked exhausted. She normally has her hair and makeup done but today she had a hat pulled low on her face and the glasses she rarely wore were perched on her nose.

Even from a distance, I could see that the girl getting her makeup done was pissing Emily off. Emily only rolls her eyes that much when she’s pissed off.

The girl stopped talking as I neared her and Emily, and she stared at me. I ignored her and tapped Emily’s foot with my own.

“Hey.”

She looked up and a smile formed over her lips. “Hey. What’re you doing here?”

I shrugged. “I was bored and thought I’d come see you. Are you really busy?”

“No. I just have to finish Serenity’s makeup and I can take a break,” she said, leaning down again to put makeup on the girl’s face.

I leaned back against the counter. “Okay.”

The girl, Serenity, stuck a slightly limp hand out to me. “Hi. I’m Serenity,” she all but purred.

I did the best I could to hold back the smirk that was desperately trying to form and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Justin.”

“Oh, I know. I had no idea you knew Emily.”

“Yeah, we’re friends.”

“Oh, friends,” she said and giggled. “For a minute I was worried that one of the good guys was taken.”

I swear I’ve never had to try so hard to not laugh in someone’s face. I deserve an award for how I’m holding this together. “Oh really.”

“It’s just so hard to find a good guy in LA,” she sighed. “A tall, handsome, charming-”

“I’m done and they need you on set,” Emily interrupted, her voice emotionless.

The girl gave a serious pout and reluctantly stood. “Well I guess I’ll see you later, Justin.”

I nodded slightly. “Sure.” I bit my lip as Serenity sauntered away, trying not to laugh while she was in earshot. But when I looked at Emily and saw the look on her face, I lost it.

“Is that girl for real?” I laughed, pulling myself up to sit on the counter.

Emily rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately.”

“Hi, I’m Serenity,” I said, raising my voice to imitate the girl. “I’m looking for a tall, handsome, manly man who won’t care if my fake nails could be a certified weapon.”

Emily began to laugh. “Justin, stop. You’re horrible.”

I grinned and leaned my head back against the mirror. “I don’t know how you hang around people like that all day.”

“They aren’t all that bad. Serenity’s just a bit much to take.”

“And what kind of a name is Serenity?”

“It’s her “professional name”,” Emily said, rolling her eyes. “Her real name’s Judy.”

“What’s wrong with Judy? That’s my aunt’s name.”

“I guess it just doesn’t have the same ring to it as Serenity.”

I laughed slightly and moved my legs back and forth a few times. “So how’s your day going? You’re looking a little tired.”

“I look like crap,” Emily said as she sat down in the chair by the table. “I woke up late and I had like ten minutes to get ready.”

“Did you forget to set your alarm?”

“I slept through it. I didn’t fall asleep until like four.”

“Lola and Mitch keep you up again?”

“No, I just couldn’t sleep. I had a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?”

Emily opened her mouth to respond but before she could say anything, she was interrupted by this guy coming up behind her.

“Hey, Em. I got you a coffee. Two sugars, no cream, right?”

She smiled. “Yeah. Thanks, Derrick. You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“You seemed tired and I didn’t want you to fall asleep before lunch.”

“Yeah, I feel like I might.” She took the coffee from him. “Derrick, this is Justin. Justin, Derrick.”

“Hello,” Derrick greeted.

“Hi.”

I took a moment to examine the guy as he and Emily talked. He seemed pretty young, probably eighteen or nineteen and obviously completely infatuated with Emily. He looked lovestruck, hanging onto her every word. And Emily seemed oblivious. She never notices the attention guys give her though. We’ll be out together and a guy will blatantly check her out and she’ll be completely unaware. I actually like it though because it shows just how she’s not self involved. And that can be a hard quality to find in a girl in LA.

“So you’re aware that guy is totally infatuated with you, right?” I asked once he had left us.

“Derrick? That’s what Lucy keeps telling me.”

“He is. That kid would get down on his knees and kiss your feet if you asked.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“You should make his dreams come true and go out with him. Think of what a devoted boyfriend he’d be.”

She laughed a bit. “Yeah right. For starters, he’s only eighteen and he still lives with his parents. And he’s an intern.”

I began to laugh. “And you’re too good to date an intern?” I teased, reaching out my foot to bump her leg.

She smiled. “No. But…I’m sure there’s a rule about that.”

“It’s not like you’re a doctor and he’s a med student,” I said, still laughing. “What kind of a rule could there possibly be?”

She arched an eyebrow at me. “Why are you so intent on me dating Derrick?”

“I just wanted me and Serenity to be able to double date with you guys. Do you think Serenity would mind going to Chuck E. Cheese for the date?”

Emily pointed her finger at me. “You are so going to hell.”

I laughed again. “You think I’m funny.” I watched as she stood up and began to put all the makeup away. “So what are you doing tonight? Want to do something?”

“I’m so tired. I really just want to sit around.”

“We could rent a movie.”

“Okay.”

“Your place or mine?”

“Mine so then I can veg out in my pajamas and not have to worry if I fall asleep.”

“Is your place somewhat clean?”

She shrugged in a way that let me know that her apartment was a disaster. “Somewhat.”

Someone called Emily’s name and she looked toward the voice. “I need to get back to work.”

“I’ll come over at like six?”

“Sure.”

I slid off the table. “I’ll bring some movies.”

“Okay. See you later.”

I waved to her as she walked towards the photo set and then turned to leave, happy I had found plans for tonight. Even if they did involve someone who looked like she was going to fall asleep at any moment.

* * *

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Did you remember the garlic bread?”

“What do you think this large foil covered object in my hand is?”

I smiled and looked up from the tomato sauce on the stove in my apartment to see Justin waving the garlic bread in his hand. “Thanks.”

He moved to stand beside me and lifted the lid on the pot of spaghetti. “Is Lola here for supper?”

“She’s at her parents house. What movies did you bring?”

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Jackass.”

“Okay.”

“Are you going to stay away for a movie?”

“Yeah, I’m a little more awake now.” It was true. I had come home and taken a much needed shower and put in my contacts. I hate wearing my glasses. They make me look like Harry Potter. So I was feeling cleaner, more awake, and I was actually looking forward to just spending a night at home. As much as I love going out, sometimes chilling at home is what you need.

“Must be the coffee your boyfriend got you this morning.”

“Ugh. Would you just set the table?”

He laughed. Yeah, you’re not funny, buddy. Make yourself useful.

“So what did you do all day?” I asked as I stuck the garlic bread in the oven to warm up.

“Nothing much. After I left you I went to the gym and then had a nap.”

I smiled a bit and straightened. “Sounds exhausting.”

“Yeah, I think I need to get a hobby.”

“Or maybe a job,” I said, stirring the tomato sauce.

“Hey, I’ve worked hard. I deserve a break.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I looked to the side as Justin came up behind me and reached over me to grab the plates from the cupboard above the stove. I caught a whiff of him as he moved away. He smelled really good today. As much as I rag on him for wearing too much cologne, he always smells good. But tonight he’s wearing something I’ve never smelt before and he smells so so good. Damn, I need to get a boyfriend and stop smelling my friend.

Dinner with Justin was fun and once we had eaten and cleaned up, we moved to the couch to watch a movie. I know a movie like Texas Chainsaw Massacre should have kept me wide awake but it was like as soon as I sat down on the couch, my eyes were burning and I couldn’t stop yawing. I’ve already seen the movie a few times so I wasn’t missing much when I stretched out on the couch and closed my eyes.

Justin’s the best person to share a couch with because he’ll let you stretch out all over him. Lola always makes me stay on my side of the couch but Justin merely moved the pillow he had on his legs when my feel approached him and let me rest them on his lap.

“Don’t fall asleep,” was all he said.

“Mm hmm,” I mumbled, my eyes already closing. Like I was going to be able to stay awake when we’re sitting in the dark. I was tired enough to doze off with Jessica Biel screaming every two seconds so Justin squeezing my foot every once in a while to try and get me to wake up wasn’t going to convince me to open my eyes.

By time the movie was done, I must have been pretty asleep because I didn’t hear Lola come home or wake up when Justin moved my feet off his lap to get up. Talking and laughter coming from the kitchen finally caused me to open my eyes. The TV was off and there was a blanket over me. It was like they had gone to the effort of making it a nice sleeping environment and then gone ten feet away and started talking as loudly as possible.

“Sleeping beauty,” Justin greeted me when I walked into the kitchen.

I rubbed my eyes and squinted at the light. “What time is it?” I asked through a yawn.

“Ten thirty,” Lola said. “You should have just stayed asleep.”

“Ideally I would have.” I leaned back against the counter. “How’re your parents?”

“They’re good. They said to say hello and to bring you next time.”

“I would have come tonight but I was so tired.”

“Whatever. You just wanted to hang out with Justin cause you think he’s cooler than me.”

“I am cooler than you, Lo,” Justin said.

“Justin, you could only dream of being at my level of coolness.”

Yawning again, I pushed myself away from the counter. “Kay, well I’m going to bed if you guys are going to argue about this.”

“I’ll talk to you later, Em,” Justin said.

“Sure.”

“Have a good sleep.”

I caught myself breathing in deeply as he leaned down to hug me goodbye. Yeah, he was definitely smelling good.