Oneshot Book - Sarah Paulson

Hopelessly Enchanted - Billie Dean Howard

She walked the floor so swiftly, never taking her eyes off the crowd.

If only she knew I'd be standing here, I don't think she would have held her Hollywood facade.

She looked over the people surrounding us, everyone shamelessly trying to benefit off of others.

But not a single face she would talk to; all too fake and greedy for her personal liking.

Her eyes trailed a path like she was trying to get somewhere specific with it, until they landed on me.

And I never would have thought that she would...

Smile?
Walk towards me as well?
Hold up-

"Well well, look who made it to an all celebrity inclusive party."

I chuckled at her humorous note:
"Spectacularly surprising, right?
'Is good to see you too, Billie Dean."

"...And to think you'd be somewhere in the depth of New York, never to be found again. But yet you proved me wrong by your presence in Los Angeles, California. At a gala.
Heard they supported your screenplay scripts?"

"Otherwise I wouldn't be here, I suppose."

She nodded, looking me up and down, sending shivers down my spine.
Then she continued her little speech:

"I forgot how breathtaking you were. I mean, I of course remember, but envisioning you and having you stand before me at one feet radar is totally not the same."

"Envisioning me?", I quirk a brow at her:
"And why would you do such thing?"

For a mere second, I thought of having her caught off guard, but her facade never slipped:

"Why wouldn't I? I like to remember works of art I've seen in life so far.", she shrugged, licking her lip.

I blush, taken aback by her comment.
It's what she always does, twirl around people's emotions like she's a casa nova.
And I don't blame her, she got the perfect imprint of it.

"You know, you don't have to compliment me anymore. There's absolutely no point."

"I believe there is absolutely no point not to, darling."

And just like that, she managed to wrap me around her finger.
All over, again.

"Billie-"

"Look, I know. But honestly, you're the only acceptable person I'd like to speak with in this whole room. Take it as it's given, please, and let's not argue about it.", she gave me a shy smile, her demeanor changing and facade falling the way I got used to it.
The way I loved it.
Just her being her honest self, not a single 'Hollywood - act' on.

"Alright, I'm all ears."

And she gave me that smile, the one my memories could never erase.

For her being my ex-wife, and me being hopelessly enchanted by her soul.
Forever, I suppose.
Forever, I fear.
Forever...
I accept.