Dylan puckered his lips and smoldered at the handsome man in the mirror. He had to be careful with his jaw. Thing could cut glass. With his stubble, he had a mean five o’clock shadow. He checked both sides of his reflection, unsure which he liked better. His bright blue eyes sparkled like sapphires.
A myriad of beautiful woman smiled back at him. He collected pictures of himself with models and actresses, posting them around his vanity. He flashed the same pouty look in every photo. His hair curled at the ends, smooth and silky. A couple of curls always stuck out.
The alarm on his phone went off. Lunch was over. He winked at himself for good luck.
“Time to shine.”
He left his dressing room after popping a mint in his mouth. Somebody practiced their lines a couple doors down. It sounded like they needed to work on their timing.
Dylan stopped in the middle of the hall. A conversation around the corner piqued his interest. Two people talked outside of Aliyah’s room. He recognized her manager. The other person, he guessed, was Aliyah’s new boyfriend.
What was his name again? Calvin?
He stayed hidden to listen in. Lots of drama around those two. Rumor had it, the kid was only a fan.
“Yeah, no, it went well,” he said, “She wants to see you now, if you wanna ask her yourself.”
Tiffany straightened her blazer. “So, you stepped up then? And it’s fixed?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, it couldn’t have gone much better. I think I crushed it, to be honest with you.”
She put her hand up. “I don’t want the details.”
The two chuckled. Dylan stuck his finger in his ear like he was hearing things. Tiffany didn’t get along with anybody.
“Did she tell you about the party?”
“Yeah, last night. I’m stoked it worked out. I miss you guys, you know? Markus and Jamal, too.”
She smiled and tossed her ponytail over her shoulder.“Did you want me to walk you out?”
“Nah, I know the way.”
She hesitated before giving him a hug. “Thanks for coming by, especially on such short notice.”
“Absolutely. Always.”
Dylan returned to his room as they said goodbye. He fiddled with his door like he was just leaving. Calvin came around the corner with a big grin. When he passed, they almost bumped into one another.
“Oops, sorry about that.”
Dylan stopped him like his police uniform was real. “Excuse me, can I see some ID?”
“Oh, for sure.” He took off his pass and handed it to him. “I was just heading out. Did I need an escort or something?”
Dylan held it up and squinted. The print was small. “No, you shouldn’t.”
His name was Kelvin. Not Calvin. Security printed a copy of his driver’s license on the pass. He was nineteen, lived in South Los Angeles, and weighed 160 pounds at five-eleven.
Yikes.
He handed it back. “Kelvin, huh? You’re Aliyah’s boyfriend, aren’t you?”
“Oh, snap, you recognize me?” He slipped his pass back over his head. “Man, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that—”
“Is she doing okay? She was having some trouble this morning. I’m just wondering if it has anything to do with our kiss?”
The grin fell from his face. For a second, he went silent. And stood still. A deer in the headlights. It seemed somebody forgot to mention that little part.
“She’s doing fine.” He tossed his hair aside. “As far as I know. We haven’t seen each other for a while, so…”
“I was just thinking. We have our first kiss this afternoon. I’m pretty nervous about it. Maybe she is, too.”
He sputtered his lips, spitting some. A droplet clung to his chin. He wiped it off with his fist.
“Look, man, I gotta go. I’m already gonna be late.”
“Yeah, of course. I should get back, too. It was nice meeting you—”
He reached out to shake his hand, but Kelvin had already started down the hall. The kid snapped like a toothpick. He smirked. He headed back to the studio after that, whistling to himself.
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