Under the Lights

I watch as Ally hugs Josh, kisses Liam, then turns to me with a suspicious raised eyebrow. I nod guiltily and accept my hug, too, but even with her arms wrapped tightly around me and her voice whispering “thank you” in my ear, she already feels three thousand miles away.

* * *

“Wow, K-drama, what number’s that for you?”

I glare daggers at the host as he edges me over in my chaise and makes himself comfortable draped over me. “I could ask the same about how many girls you’ve hooked up with tonight. Guess Ally’s already given up keeping you in line.”

“My my, what do you know? Jealousy looks pretty good on you,” he says with an infuriating smirk.

I don’t know how Ally’s managed to work for this asshole for a year, but cutting the amount I have to see him in half is definitely the only good part of my best friend leaving. “Don’t make me barf all over you.” I may have had the tiniest bit of interest in Josh Chester once, like a billion years ago, but that ship has wrecked. Hard. “I’m not into downgrading, thank you very much.”

“Burrrrrrn!” Royce Hudson reaches over from the next chair and slaps me five. Royce is an even bigger tool than Josh, but I smile around my straw as I take another sip of my coconut-rum thing.

“Oh, please. Downgrade, my ass.” Josh snaps his fingers at a passing waitress, making me grimace. “Hey, you!”

“Do you have to be such a dick?” I demand under my breath as I take another sip. This is why everyone thinks all actors are arrogant jerks — far too many of us are.

The girl spins around, loose flame-red curls swinging over bare shoulders tattooed with colorful flowers. “It’s actually two clicks, then a snap, then a meow,” the waitress deadpans as she spins the cork-bottomed tray in her hand. I choke on my drink at the unexpected response, and the corner of her mouth quirks up as she glances at me before fixing her gaze on Josh. “What’s up?”

He’s too drunk for her sarcasm to compute. “Which of us do you think is the most famous?”

“Oh my God, Josh, what the fuck is wrong with you?” I blurt before I can stop myself. Usually I’m good at remembering that Vanessa Park does not use the F-word, but something about Josh…

I glance back at the waitress. She’s biting her lip in an attempt not to crack up, but her dimples are showing and I know this is bad. Not that she looks like the type to run to the tabloids or anything, but—

She cocks her head at me, and I realize I’ve been staring. God, I have clearly had too much to drink. I tear my eyes away and glance around to see if Zander’s shown up yet. “Well,” she says, “my ex-boyfriend’s obsessed with the Zombie Camp movies”—she gestures at Royce—“but I’m a Daylight Falls girl, personally.”

At the mention of my show, I can’t help but look back at her, and I do so just in time to get a wink.

The words “in your face” are on the tip of my tongue to shout at Josh, but they’re sticking in my mouth; my lips are too busy smiling. I look away again — fast — and immediately spot Zander walking toward us.

I sigh with what I hope sounds like relief.

“You moving in on my girl, Chester?” he asks, his eyes flickering over Josh occupying my chair. There’s a glass of something dark brown in hand, but knowing how good Zander is at the Nice Boy role, I suspect it’s exactly the straight Diet Coke it appears to be. He looks cute, his brown hair flopping in his eyes. His outfit makes me cringe a little — I can tell it was picked by his stylist, and it’s topped by his favorite gaudy crucifix necklace — but at least it’s not a velvet tuxedo; that was a seriously embarrassing night.

“Hey!” I shove Josh out of the seat and raise my face for a kiss. “When did you get here?”

“Just a couple minutes ago.” He sits down on the edge of my chair and pecks my cheek. “What’d I miss?”

“Chester was just learning that he’s the very bottom of the totem pole,” says Royce, and everyone else cracks up, including the waitress. “Your girlfriend and I are superstars, though.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Zander says smugly, and now he snuggles in, wrapping an arm around my neck and pressing his lips to mine. Everyone else’s eyes are on us, and I can practically feel Josh’s laughter, and suddenly I need to get out and breathe. I disentangle myself from the kiss as naturally as possible and mutter something about spotting Ally before climbing over Zander and off the chair.

I’m sure a few people are staring at my uncharacteristic behavior, but whatever. I’ve obviously had too much to drink, because I’ve never felt this claustrophobic before. A few gulps of sea air and I’m feeling a little better, though I’d kill for a glass of—

“Water?”

I spin around on my heels and find myself face-to-face with the redheaded waitress. She’s holding out an ice-filled glass, and I take it gratefully, tipping it back for a long swallow.

“You okay?” she asks with far more concern than any of the guys at the party would have.

“Fine. Just needed to breathe.” I’m genuinely not sure if I’m lying. “Thanks for the water.”