The Assistant

1. Ride.

Scarlett

The concert is still going when she stumbles into the VIP bathroom. It's the first time she's been alone today, that she's had a chance to look at herself in the mirror. And she knows when she catches sight of her reflection that she's fucked up very badly. Her raven colored hair is wild from all the head banging and dancing she's been doing. Her golden eyes are hazy and blood shot. Her signature red lipstick is smeared. There's a hole in one of the knees of her tights, revealing the scrape from when she fell earlier in the evening.

It's much too late to worry if anyone in the audience has snagged a photo or video of her already. In the age of iPhones and social media, any evidence of tonight will go viral by morning. She can already see her name and the pictures splashed on the news front page tomorrow, both in print and online.

20 years old, out on the town, drunk and high with your celebrity friends. She's not so scared of what the public will have to say for it, more so her parents. And instead of Matt Healy, now she's just hearing her father's disappointed voice, telling her she's ruining her reputation— their family's reputation for that matter— simply to have a little fun.

She reaches into her purse to retrieve her cell phone. She sways while trying her hardest to scroll through her contacts to find his number. At one point, she's seeing double the phone screen.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" He doesn't sound like he's just been woken from sleep though. But he does sound annoyed.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't know who else to call.  I need a ride." She plugs her free ear in order to focus on his voice. She wonders where he is at this moment and pictures him in bed. He might be wearing a white t-shirt while he reads with a pair of reading glasses on. Even though she's never seen him with glasses, he's got 20/20 vision. The man sees everything. It's still nice to think about him with glasses. He could certainly pull them off.

"What's that noise in the background? Where are you?" There's shuffling on his end.

"We wanted to see the 1975," She explains. "It's a band."

"I know 1975," He sighs. She'd be willing to make a bet on his facial expression right now. It's probably the one he seems to reserve just for her, because he's always giving it to her: his blue eyes narrowed, his jaw flexed, a tsk on his lips. "Staples center?"

She has to think about it for a moment. "Yes."

"Are you drunk?"

"I might be." She hiccups.

Another sigh. "Don't move. I'll text you as soon as I arrive."

"Felicity, I've gotta get out of here." She informs her best friend when she returns to where their seats are on the balcony, among other celebs and VIPs at tonight's show.

"Really?" Felicity pouts her bottom lip. "Okay. Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I'll be fine." Scarlett has to yell in order for her friend to hear her over the music and audience.

It's only 20 minutes later she gets his text. He's able to pull up to the back entrance of the arena, telling her to stay inside until he gets to her. So she stays in an area close to the back door, away from everyone else. She pulls her hood up to shield her face, in hopes that no one will recognize her or come up for an autograph or photo. She doesn't need more of a digital footprint of tonight's events.

I'm here, is all his text reads. Then she hears the back door open and she sees him.

Matthew isn't wearing his usual uniform of either a three piece suit or a nice button down with trousers. Instead he's dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a simple blue tshirt. She's not used to seeing him so casual. It's hot, like seeing the professor you can't have outside of school hours. His chocolate hair is swept back and there's shadow along his jaw and neck of a beard. He's got that determined glint to his blue eyes as he surveys the bystanders until he finally locates her. There's a flicker of relief she registers on his face. But it's only for a brief moment because in the next, he's taking in the rest of her appearance. She must look worse than she thought because disappointment spreads over his handsome features then.