We Can See STARS

Chapter 1: November 2019

"Will you just stop complaining and get dressed already? I don't want to be too late!"

I love Ana, honest I do. But, currently, she was trying to get me out of the house to go to a party.

"Ana, are you serious? I won't know anybody and it'll probably only be your quasi-famous work mates."

"Well, if I have to leave my house, you do too! We won't be out for very long anyway. Pleeeeeeeeeeease???"

Ugh...I hated when she got like this. We were usually pretty content being a couple of homebodies and hanging out at each other's houses. But occasionally she was invited to parties for work and wanted me to come along so I tried to be a good friend and play nice. In response to her plea, I just groaned in her general direction and went into the closet to find something suitable. I wasn't sure exactly what her job was but I know it had to do with the media, something behind the camera. Mostly local stuff but she could be invited to a party a noteworthy person was attending. I personally thought it was pretty cool and she would often even share some of the swag she would receive.

"Okay, how fancy do I need to get?"

"Well, definitely not sweatpants and a t-shirt. What do you have?"

After 45 minutes of trial and error, a little bit of arguing and hair and makeup, we were outside in the cool November Scottsdale air. It's times like these I loved living in the desert. As we drove on through the town, the houses got bigger and further apart.

"Take a right up here." I turned the corner and found a place to park my Ford amongst all the Audis and Teslas. Perfect.

"Ana, I don't know about this. I'm already getting pretty nervous."

"I'll help hype you up. We're looking amazing and we can't waste this effort. Let's fake some confidence and do our Beyonce walk in there." I had to laugh. As goofy as that was, it always worked for us. We've used it on each other more than a couple of times.

I paused and took a deep breath willing myself out of the car, "Okay, let's do this!"

I walked into the house behind her. I always felt so big and awkward next to her shorter, smaller frame. At 5'9", I had the ability to stick out like a sore thumb. Immediately, she introduced me to some friends from work and I said hi to the few I'd met before. After forcing myself to make small talk, I went to get a glass of something to calm me down and make me a little more social. Faking social ability has always come naturally to me but it could also tire me out easily. I found a nice quiet place to sit, to people watch and wait for my liquid courage to kick in.

"Hey, you don't mind if I sit here, do you?" Ugh...that is typical. I'm over here minding my own business and in a room full of chairs someone just HAS to sit right h.....woah. The question came from a towering gent with a voice so deep I could almost feel it through the floor. Okay, it's time to answer the nice man's question Drea.

"Ummm...no, it's okay. Saved it for you." Nice opening line, little flirtatious. Oh no, but maybe it didn't come off like that. He took his seat next to me and positioned himself to face me.

"Heh. Thanks! I came with a couple of friends but I think they disappeared. I'm Jamie by the way." He confidently stuck out his hand and took my outstretched one. Oof, the perfect combination of rough and soft.

"I'm Drea, D for short. Nice to meet you. Are you guys from Phoenix?"

"No, we all live in Dallas but we come out here every so often to golf, meet up with some guys, whatever."

"That's pretty awesome." Wow, nice come back. That was lame and this guy is gorgeous. I let my mind wander a bit as he talked about other places he's been and why he likes coming to Phoenix. As I listened, I took in his face bit by bit. Although his blonde hair was cut short, I could tell it had some curl in it. His eyes intimidated me. Even more so with a small scar over his right one. The color of them were light blue with darker edges and longer than they were round. My face felt warm and I could hear my heart in my ears. It's time to find a way to bail out of this conversation before I say something unforgivably dumb.