The Late-Night Host And I

Sixteen

Leigh

I started the ignition and waved goodbye to Jimmy.

I put on my bluetooth headset and turned it on. "Call Ally." I started driving when I heard the other line ringing.

"Yes, hello?" I just realized that I forgot to send my new number to her. "Hey Ally. It's me, Leigh. I got a new number."

"Oh! Hey! It's been a while." We haven't seen each other for like, a year? Yep.

"You're in the Met Gala right?"

"Yeah. Oh and are you coming? Jimmy Fallon is gonna be there!" She knew? Right.

"Yes, I'm going to be there. Do you mind if I borrow some of your dresses?"

"I don't mind! I'm here at St. Patrick's Cathedral." I searched St. Patrick's Cathedral on my GPS and it was twenty minutes away from here.

"I'm hanging up. Just stay there."

--

I parked and walked inside. Wow, why is this gal even here?

"Hey!" I yelled as I saw her kneeling. Someone shushed. I gave her a peace hand sign and ran to Ally.

"Don't to that again, L." We chuckled faintly. "What's with you?" I asked pointing at the altar. "I need to be a good example to my fans." I nodded.

She's hitting the charts now. Yep, she's a singer. There are many controversies about her and she's my friend in middle school. We are reunited by my job back in Chicago.

"Done." She stood up and gestured for me to follow her.

We walked outside. "I didn't know you're in New York, L." All I can simply answer is a nod. "Let's go get a dress!" I grabbed my keys from my bag and hopped in the car.

"Just go across there and that's my apartment." She said pointing at some street.

I drove a little fast and parked in front of her apartment. Looks so different than mine.

"Good morning, madam." The receptionist greeted while we enter the elevator.

Ally pressed two. "Are you living with Jimmy?" I shook my head no. "Not yet. I bet soon." I rubbed my neck while chuckling nervously. "Here we go!" She led the way.

She grabbed her keys from her bag and unlocked the door. "Oh. My. Goodness."

Look at those designs! These are beautiful! "I think this one suits you." She said grabbing a black maxi dress. "Really? You think?" I said observing the glimmering black dtess.

"Jimmy will like it!" I thought about Jimmy. He will never like me and I have no problem with that. "Yeah! I think he will!" I lied.

I felt my phone shake in my pocket and I reached for it.

Me: Tell me the address where merlin will pick you up

Jimmy: I can go there with my friend.

I hit reply. "Who that gurl?" I quickly hid my phone in my bag. "Jimmy is checking if I alresdy got a dress." I grinned and rubbed my neck, again.

"After I will wear this, I'm gonna go get it washed and return it to you." She shook her head no. "Leigh, you don't need to! It's all yours!" She grabbed a pair of black high heels. "These are well too."

I'm so grateful I had a friend like her, a bestfriend like her. Even though she did reach her dreams, she never forgot me. "I know these things will never repay you."

"You being here is repaying, Ally." I patted her back and smiled. She started fidgeting the zipper of her bag. "What's wrong?" I asked her. "Nothing. It's just, you're the only person who is still true to me."

I pulled her in for a hug. "Your fans are out there, Ally. You can go trust them." I said pulling back her hair. "Trust them." I added.

"Jimmy?" I answered as I heard my marimba ringtone. "I'll pick you up right now. Where you at?" I looked around the room. Who would guess the address by looking at the room? I'm so stupid.

"E 53rd St." She yelled. Then I realized it was on speakerphone, stupid. "Go and pick me up. Thanks." Ally gave me a bag. "I thought this will fit well on your outfit later." I looked at it and this is the most expensive thing I've ever touched.

"Thank you, man." She patted my back. "Always welcome and thankful."

"I'll get going then." I picked up my stuff and walked my way out of her apartment.

"Pixton, this way." I stopped. "Who are-" I was cut off by seeing Jimmy. "So fast, right?" He smirked. "Yeah." I nodded.

"Don't say anything." He whispered. "What is-" Before I could finish, he took my hand and we started running.

All I can see right now is Jimmy. Of course, he grabbed my hand and I'm running with him. How come that he can survive without his wife, the love of his life? How come that he does a show every night making people happy if he is not happy?

"Why here?" I asked, realizing we are not taking the main exit of the building. "The executives have to put bodyguards wherever I go. Even in Hamptons, they have put some around my house. I'm not allowed to go out today because of the gala." He lets go of my hand. Thanks.

"Is that why we're using the back door?" I said rubbing my hand which was getting red because of Jimmy grabbing it. "Yes. Any problems?" I shook my head no.

He slowly opened the door and looked at the surroundings. "Hey! I thought you are the one to pick me up?" I said pointing at Merlin. "I-I can't pick you up by myself!" Jimmy yellingly whispered.

"You can! You know this place. How about my car?" He bit his lip, I think he's thinking. "Let's just go inside of the car." I waited for him to open the door for me, but he didn't. He walked to the other side and hopped in.

--

Jimmy

"Go to my office." I stepped out of the car. "Sir." My bodyguards nodded as I rushed to my office.

That woman is really insane. I should've let her enter my life, it was a fucking disaster.

I heard the door click open. "What do I need to do?" She asked. "I'm thinking of what you should look like later." I looked at her and started thinking what to do with her.

"Maybe you could, um. Do something with your hair." I pulled her hair back.

"Jimmy stop it!"

"Stop what?"

She pointed at my arm. "Remove it!" I realized that my sleeve is caught on her  hair. "How?" I started moving my arm in many directions.

"Ah! Stop!" She yelped. I picked the button on my sleeve. "You happy now?" She touched her hair. "Ouch." She muttered.

I looked at my sleeve and realized that the button was missing.

The button of my favorite long sleeve shirt is missing.

I knelt and looked for the button. "What are you doing?" I stood up and shook my pants to clean off some dirt. "Just go and prepare for the gala, I'll call Victoria- oh." I opened the door and saw Victoria standing.

"What a surprise." I mumbled to myself. "I will help her prepare." Victoria said and Leigh followed her.

"Why didn't you tell me Victoria is here? Is she waiting too long?" The bodyguards looked at each other. "I told her you're doing something special for a couple." He said avoiding my gaze.

"What made you say that?"

"She was shouting 'Jimmy stop it!' and some stuff like 'Stop it!' So, we thought there's going on." I sighed. "You thought we were having, sex." I cleared my throat and they both nodded.

What the heck?