Scenes from SparkNA

"Under the Stars" from All That Glitters by Ines Bautista-Yao

From the author: All That Glitters is a story about college students Billie Santiago and Carlos Angeles, two friends who have never really gone beyond hanging out and poking fun at each other. Then one day, blindingly handsome, public relations professional Iñigo Antonio walks into Billie's life and ropes her into his glamorous world. The scene below takes place after a spa-themed PR event doesn't go very well for Billie, so Carlos insists on cheering her up.

Billie wasn't prepared to arrive back at school. She spent most of her life there, so it wasn't the first place she'd expected Carlos to take her. She was hoping for some hole-in-the-wall restaurant or maybe even a rundown diner with greasy fries and burgers, but school?

"I know that look. Stop it and hold all judgments till after I show you where we're going." Carlos glanced her way.

"What?" Billie spluttered. "I didn't say a word!"

"You forget, I am well-versed in Belinda Santiago's Facial Expressions 101."

"And I am just as well-versed in the tricks up Carlos Angeles's sleeve. So don't blame me while I try to figure out what this surprise is."

"You can't. I haven't told you about it. I just got the go-ahead yesterday. I was saving it for a date with Patricia, but...well..." His voice trailed off, and he gave her an odd look.

She felt her mood darken at his words. "Are you seriously still seeing her?"

"Does it matter? I'm here with you, taking you to a place I was planning to take an actual date... so I was expecting less snark and more gratitude." Carlos cut his eyes at her. "I should have just taken you to a fast food joint."

"That's what I was expecting." But Billie wasn't upset anymore. In fact, she was feeling a bit lightheaded.

"Remind me not to waste anything special on you next time," he teased.

"Does that mean you're still taking me to see this totally awesome place?" She poked his arm repeatedly, a grin on her face.

He shook her off. "Quit it."

"You still are, right? Right?" Billie put her cheek against his shoulder and inhaled his scent of laundry detergent and something else she associated only with him, most likely a mix of his soap and deodorant. Whatever it was, it was comforting.

Instead of shrugging her away, which he usually did, Carlos leaned his head on hers for a split second before straightening up again. "Yeah, if not, I'd just be wasting my gas and you know how pricey it is nowadays. My dad's going to take away my driving privileges."

Billie snorted. "You truly know how to make a girl feel special, Carlos."

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Carlos pulled up in front of the science and technology building. "Let's go, Belinda Santiago. Just don't fall in love with me after this."

"Mighty cocky, aren't we?" Billie jumped down from the car, trying to ignore the flutter of excitement in her chest. She was probably just tired or hung over from immersing her brain in all things Iñigo. This was, after all, just Carlos pretending to flirt with her. Nothing more. He was likely doing a look-see of the place before taking the Pixie Princess there. So, she might as well enjoy herself. She'd had a rough afternoon. You didn't get money tossed in your face and called a pimple on society's butt every day.

Carlos fished a key from his pocket and greeted the guard who gave him a wave of recognition. Billie elbowed him in the side. "Did you secretly shift courses or something? Why are you BFFs with the guard?"

"I hardly call a wave BFFship." Carlos led the way straight through the dimly lit lobby, up a few flights of stairs, and to a door with the sign "THIS WAY TO THE STARS" stenciled on it.