“You’re welcome to dine with us, Hughes,” Amanda said, waving to a chair. “And thanks for making dinner.”
“Anytime,” said Kellan. He wrapped his panini in a napkin and sat down. The three began to eat.
For once, Nathan was glad that he had no classes to attend. Tuesdays and Thursdays were free time (apart from work), so his mind could occupy itself on other things. Translation: he could make it harder to think about Amanda. Having stuff to do helped.
Nathan worked part-time as a cashier at the local Home Depot. As a student, though, he had a flexible schedule. Being a cashier wasn't too mind-intensive, but it kept Nathan busy. And he only let himself think about Kayla. They had a date that afternoon.
Once his shift ended at five, Nathan felt relieved to go. He stopped by his dorm to catch up on his homework a little before going to Kayla’s dorm. Ashton was nowhere to be seen by that time, which meant he was most likely hitting on women someplace.
After Kayla took her seat and closed her door, Nathan drove forward to their destination.
“Which movie do you want to see?” he asked Kayla.
“I’ve looked into some movies they’re showing right now that I thought sound good. There’s Elysium, Prisoners, Thanks for Sharing…Adore,” Kayla replied. She was browsing the Internet on her smartphone to check the showtimes.
“Adore? What is it about?”
Kayla clicked on her phone, and then spoke.
“On second thought, I’m not sure about it…it’s about two friends who fall in love with each other’s sons. Controversial, I know.”
Nathan gave Kayla a wry smile.
“Um…you’re right, we’ll pass that one.”
Kayla laughed.
“Elysium sounds good. The trailer was amazing. And Prisoners seems interesting”
“What is that one about?”
“Let’s see...it’s about a man whose daughter goes missing. The suspect of her abduction is—”
“Okay, don’t spoil it. Which one do we go see, then? Elysium, or Prisoners?”
“Elysium’s huge. It’s so impressive, probably the best movie of the fall. And Matt Damon is in it.”
Nathan laughed, shaking his head.
“It’s no contest, then.”
“Come on. You’re more handsome. I pinky swear.”
Nathan and Kayla arrived at the theater. After finding parking, they walked towards it.
“The movie’s in half an hour. Can you think of a good way we can spend the time?” Kayla asked, pocketing her phone.
“Besides buying snacks?” he asked, looking around. “I have an idea. Follow me.”
Kayla’s eyebrows furrowed. She followed Nathan to the back of the theater building. It was dark enough that they could find a private spot.
“You’re joking, right?”
“We’ve never done it with risk involved,” Nathan told Kayla, closing the distance between them. He leaned forward and planted kisses on her neck. “That makes it a lot more exciting, don’t you think?”
Kayla giggled.
“Someone will see us!”
“I’m not worried about that. And even then, look behind me! There’s nothing. That building over there’s got all its lights off. No one’s in there.”
Kayla worked to regulate her heartbeat. She took a surreptitious look around. Her back was against the wall of the theater. Behind Nathan, there was only a big field and shrubbery.
“I guess my writing has rubbed off on you,” she teased. She was a romance author.
“Perhaps,” he said, kissing her. He bit on her bottom lip softly, and then moved his hands up her body. In that moment, Amanda was nowhere in his thoughts. He undid the buttons on Kayla’s outer blouse, opening it.
“We should make this quick,” Kayla whispered. “Or we’ll miss the movie.”
“I don’t mind missing the trailers,” Nathan told her, opening her blouse completely. He then continued kissing her on the neck and down her chest. Kayla closed her eyes, looking happy.
“Have you ever done this before?”
“No. You’re the first girl I take risks with.”
“Wow. I’m flattered.”
Nathan laughed, and then he removed her undershirt. Kayla leaned forward to kiss him.
“I didn’t think I would enjoy playing out a scene of the kind I usually write about.”
“You’ve never been this…daring?”
Kayla’s cheeks turned red.
“No. I know I have a wild imagination, but I’ve never seriously thought of doing these things myself.”
“Baby, you don’t know what you’re missing.”
Nathan continued kissing Kayla, caressing down her waist and tugging down at the top of her pants.
In her apartment, Amanda was sitting down on her sofa with her MacBook. She was checking what was next on her schedule, both at school and at her job.
As Amanda was adding a new entry to her calendar, the front door bell rang.
“Hughes! Answer the door, please.”
Amanda continued browsing stuff on her computer while Hughes answered the door. After a few seconds, a familiar voice spoke.
“Amanda!”
“Brad!” Amanda replied, looking up. A young man in dark pants, light yellow T-shirt, and a blazer stood in front of the doorway. She put her computer on the coffee table and walked towards him.
“How’s my best friend?” Brad asked her, and they hugged each other. Hughes walked back to his room.
“I’m doing great. What have you been doing lately? You haven’t enrolled in college?”
“No. I’m a bit busy, and happy with my career. As a matter of fact, that’s what brings me here.”
“Let’s sit down, then. Would you like some coffee, water, or a snack?”
“Water will be fine,” Brad replied. Amanda nodded and went to the kitchen. She returned with a glass of water, which she handed to Brad.
“Thank you,” he said, making a toasting motion to Amanda before drinking. She noticed that he’d let his hair grow longer since the last time they’d seen each other.
“You’re welcome. What is it you wanted to tell me?”
Brad grinned. He seemed thrilled about what he was going to reveal.
“I got a starring role in a movie!” he said. Amanda looked at him in awe.
“Congratulations, Brad!” she said, hugging him again. “This is great news.”
“I know. I’ve been waiting for this day for so long. Now my dream’s almost come true.”
Amanda thought about how long Brad had been an actor. He almost dropped out of high school to chase his dream. Thankfully, Amanda convinced him to at least get his high school diploma. Brad still managed to take on small acting roles while in high school, but he graduated in three years. With high honors.
“What’s the movie about?”
“I can’t tell you much.”
Amanda pouted, groaning with disappointment like a little girl. It made Brad laugh.
“But you’re my best friend, so I can tell you a bit about the movie. I’m playing this guy, who’s out of college. He isn’t sure what career he wants to pursue. One day, he finds out his fiancée cheated on him, and they break up. Later on, the guy meets a woman who awakens feelings in him no other could before. The conflict is that this woman has emotional issues. She’s not mental; it’s just that she’s never known what it feels like for others to be…supportive of her. It takes effort to persuade her to give herself a chance at love.”
“So it’s a romance. What’s the title?”
“Destined to Find You.”
Amanda liked the title.
“Have they come up with a script?”
“Yes. I’ve read it, and I liked the story, so I accepted the role. Principal photography is set to start in November, at the earliest.”
“That’s soon. And, who’s playing your love interest?”
Brad grinned as though he had just found out he was taking his high school crush to prom
. His blue eyes were shining with excitement.
“Lizzy Conley. It fits, as her character is British and she looks the part. Not to mention that she’s so talented.”
Lizzy Conley was an actress who was well known for having played a starring role in an action slash techno thriller movie set in the future. Her most recent role was as a love interest in a contemporary romantic comedy.
“Yeah, she seems awesome. I admire her a lot.”
Brad nodded, looking excited.
“Do you think I could meet her?” Amanda asked.
“That’s no problem. I could take you to one of the sets when shooting commences. Remember the last time you were in a set of a movie I was in?”
“Yeah, in New York.”
Brad nodded.
“Where’s your new movie filming?”
“Part of the shoot will be in Arkansas, but most of the film takes place in Europe.”
“I see. That means you’ll be traveling.”
“Yep. Don’t look so sad, girl. You may well have a chance to attend most of the shoots with me during your school holidays.”
“That’s true. I’ll think about it.”
Brad nodded. He finished the rest of his water.
“And you?” he asked, setting the glass on top of the coffee table. “Do you have any more photo shoots?”
“Not at the moment,” Amanda replied. “Among the few things I’ve got coming up is that I’ll be on the cover of GQ this October.”
Brad raised his eyebrows.
“I’ll be sure to pick up that issue if I have the chance.”
Amanda smiled, thinking about something.
“What is it?” Brad asked. Amanda took some time to answer.
“I wonder if I should retire from modeling.”
“I don’t know,” Brad said, sighing. “You could easily become one of the world’s top models, but it’s your call.”
“The work is fun and I enjoy it, but I love architecture more. If I retire, it would give me more time to concentrate on my studies.”
“Whatever you choose, I’ll be there to support you. You’d make an awesome architect, too. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be hiring you to build my own house.”
“Oh, don’t get me started,” Amanda warned him with a laugh. “If you spur me on, I’ll get carried away and come up with a concept by tomorrow.”
“No, no, no!” Brad replied in mock horror. “Wait five or ten more years at least, okay? I haven’t even got a girlfriend yet.”
Amanda and Brad laughed together.
“All right. I was just bluffing.”
“I know. I still wouldn’t put it past you to get carried away, though.”
Amanda slapped the back of Brad’s head lightly. He then changed the subject.
“How are you doing on your first semester of college so far?”
“It’s been great. Ithaca’s a nice change after all the big cities I’ve been to over the past few years. It’s nice to be someplace where I can go out and about without having cameras aimed at me.”
“You’re already that famous?”
“I know. I’m surprised by that, too. I never expected this kind of response from people.”
“You’re adorably beautiful, Amanda. If we weren’t such great friends, your beauty would hurt me.”
Amanda narrowed her eyes in mock irritation.
“Did you know you have lots of fans on Twitter and Tumblr?”
“I did. There are fan accounts there. I’ve gotten nice messages from my fans. A few of them have even sent me gifts.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. I have a copy of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight that a fan thought I would like to read.”
“Is there a hidden message there?”
“No. The fan is a woman. She found me on Goodreads and recognized me. She was so thrilled about having me for a friend.”
“Wow. You better give me tips about handling fans, then. I’m going to be the latest movie heartthrob, and I’m new to that kind of thing.”
Amanda smiled, and Brad laughed.
“How are Judith and Emmy? They’re at Cornell with you, aren’t they?”
“Of course. They’re okay, although Emmy’s getting used to the course workload. It’s a small school, but it’s different from high school.”
“I can imagine. When I think of college, I picture a preppy guy with glasses and a bad hairdo dragging around a backpack full of concrete-block-sized textbooks.”
Amanda laughed out loud.
“You haven’t got it too wrong.”
“No kidding? They still carry around books like that? I thought e-books were standard issue these days.”
“Not yet.”
“Bummer.”
“Ditto that.”
The following morning, Nathan woke up early. When he finished dressing up for school, he went to the living room area to retrieve his backpack. Ashton walked in from his bedroom.
“Early bird,” he commented, laughing. “What are you so eager to do?”
“What early bird? It’s 8:30.”
“You don’t have class until over an hour.”
“I’m just hungry. I woke up and couldn’t fall back asleep. Are you joining me for breakfast?”
“I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes. Call me so I know where you’ll be.”
“All right,” said Nathan. He then walked out of his dorm and took the stairs down.
As he walked away from the building, Nathan sent a quick text to Kayla.
On my way to have breakfast. Where r u?
Farther up ahead, Nathan met with Claire and Oswald.
“Morning, Nathan!” Claire greeted him. Oswald gave him a nod.
“Good morning, guys. Where are you headed?”
“Starbucks. I felt like something sweet. And I could use some coffee,” said Claire.
“All right. Let’s go.”
“Where’s Ashton?” Oswald asked.
“He and Kayla will be catching up with us shortly. By the way, how was your weekend?”
“It was ah-may-zing,” Claire said, looking up at her boyfriend with a dreamy look on her face. It was clear she loved Oswald with all her heart. Nathan hoped he had that with Kayla.
After entering Starbucks, Nathan spoke.
“You two can go find a table. I’ll be ordering. What would you like?”
Claire and Oswald thought for a moment. They gave Nathan their orders.
“Okay.”
After placing the order, Nathan went to sit with his friends. Claire looked at the customer line.
“Ashton’s here,” she said, and Nathan looked to see. Ashton waved at them.
A few moments afterward, their order arrived. Nathan and his friends began to it.
“This is good,” Claire said, taking a bite of her cake. Oswald smiled at her.
“Coffee’s the best invention ever,” Ashton said. Claire and Nathan laughed. “How else could we manage to stay awake during class?”
“I know,” Claire agreed. “Yesterday, I was awake until midnight watching a movie.”
“Is that the same one you’ve seen like a hundred times?” Oswald asked her.
“So what?” she replied, feigning indignation. “And it’s a sweet movie.”
Nathan laughed. He grabbed his phone, intending to send Kayla another text. At that moment, his gaze shifted to a table close from where they sat. His expression turned to one of surprise.
“Ashton, she’s here.”
Frowning, Ashton turned his head to look at the place Nathan indicated. His mouth opened wide.
“Wow. It is her,” he said, and then leaned towards Nathan to whisper, “She’s hot!”
Not exactly the words Nathan had in mind.
Amanda, feeling Nathan’s glance on her, looked up. She noticed him, and waved her hand.
“That’s Amanda Tilley,” Claire said, awed. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe I’m under the same roof.”
/> “Go sit with her, bro,” Ashton told Nathan. Claire’s eyes widened.
“Ashton. What if Kayla shows up and sees me?”
“You know her?”
Nathan laughed at Claire’s excitement.
“Yes, we know each other from high school.”
“And you never told me?”
“I didn’t know you knew who Amanda is.”
Nathan looked over to where Amanda was. She was looking at him.
“You should sit with her and talk. You could catch up on stuff.”
“I don’t want Kayla to think the wrong things.”
“She knows you and Amanda are barely friends. Come on, she wants you to sit with her.”
Nathan hesitated, looking at Amanda. The corners of her lips rose up in a smile.
“I wouldn’t think too hard about it if I were in your shoes, man,” Oswald said.
“Okay, okay,” he said, standing up.
“Go for it,” Ashton told him. Oswald and Claire laughed. Nathan walked towards Amanda with his food. He stopped next to her table.
“May I sit with you?”
Amanda looked up at him, and then nodded. Nathan sat down opposite her.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m doing great. And it’s a surprise to see you. Do I have a stalker now?”
“What? Ha ha, of course not. We just ran into each other again by chance.”
Amanda exhaled softly, showing a hint of a smile.
“Are you here alone, or is someone with you?” he asked, taking a bite of his cake.
“I’m waiting for Judith, but she’s running late.”
“I see,” Nathan said, looking around the restaurant. His gaze stopped on a table next to the wall behind them.
“Who is that guy?”
Amanda didn’t even turn around.
“What guy?”
“He’s watching you like a hawk. Aren’t you supposed to be sitting together?”
“I’m supposed to be sitting with Judith. Now stop staring at him,” Amanda commanded, taking a sip of her coffee.
“He’s your bodyguard, right? Now that I remember, I saw him when you and I met at American Eagle. He was watching you, but I didn’t think anything of it. I figured that he was just dazzled.”
The two were silent for a moment. Amanda watched Nathan while they both ate.
“I don’t see what’s so surprising that I have a guard,” Amanda spoke. “Plenty of celebrities have security.”
Dream Date Page 5