HDU

by India Lee

  “Where were you? I want you to meet some people,” Ian said when she finally reached the party room. He introduced her to the new friends he had apparently made while she was in the bathroom – a girl with a bleach-blonde pixie cut, her gorgeous model friend, and a shifty-eyed guy who was the most reluctant about shaking Amanda’s hand. They all bore the same blasé demeanor that Ian was working so hard to perfect, and they didn’t seem at all keen on looking Amanda in the eye. According to Ian’s introductions, they were “industry people” – the blonde a photographer, the model a model-slash-stylist, and the guy an independent filmmaker of sorts.

  “Well… I’ll let you guys talk,” Amanda said, knowing well that Ian’s new friends had no interest in making her acquaintance. She was simply not edgy enough for them, and they were intimidating enough for her to actually excuse herself and wander the room alone, in search of a familiar face. Dylan was preferable, but she would certainly make do with Jaime or Ben. Instead, for the next hour, Amanda ended up chatting with various strangers, mostly June Magazine staffers after being recognized and called over by Wendy, the editor she had met in the same spot two weeks ago. They asked dozens of questions about how Amanda was adapting to the big city, where her new favorite spots were, what her favorite new things were, and if she saw herself becoming a lifelong New Yorker.

  “This must feel like an interview,” one of the editors laughed ruefully. “I’m sorry. I told my niece I’d ask questions for her – she’s been following your whole story like a TV show!”

  But as Wendy began talking about actual TV shows and the one her husband was developing, Amanda started tuning out. It wasn’t because the topic wasn’t interesting – it was, but something in her peripheral vision was piquing her attention. She didn’t even have to turn her head to know that her frighteningly impressive radar had spotted Dylan from across the room.

  “Excuse me,” she said graciously as she dipped out of the conversation and began heading in his direction. She felt ready for him, even composed with an opening line of conversation that she rehearsed in her head as she approached. Her focus remained even as Dylan spotted her and gave that happy, adorable smile that made everyone around him look at what he was looking at. And just as she nearly reached him, a voice called out.

  “Amanda!”

  She frowned and spun in the direction she had heard her name. Her eyes fluttered wide.

  “Liam!” It had been only four days since she’d last seen him but something about his face looked completely different. She could see it. “You shaved!” she marveled, realizing she had gravitated over to him when her hands gave a stroke of his smooth cheeks. He laughed with surprise at her touch. Only then did Amanda blink and realize what she was doing, and that a second ago, she had been sharing a smile with Dylan. She dropped her hands and turned back to his direction. He was still looking at her, though when she saw him, his eyes quickly dipped into his glass of whiskey and he turned around to chat with a friend. Amanda’s heart sank, but she tried not to appear visibly upset so as it avoid having to explain why she was.

  “You look nice,” Liam said, almost confused.

  “Don’t look so surprised. It happens sometimes.”

  “Take a compliment,” he said. When she resisted, he laughed and ran his hand along the silk of her dress. “You look actually really beautiful, Amanda. Does that work for you?”

  Her face warmed at the touch of his fingers on her hip. “Did you need the word ‘actually’?” she asked, trying to divert attention from her blushing.

  “No,” Liam conceded. “I didn’t.” He smiled when she did. “And, in case you’re interested, the audition went well. Look happy for me because everyone’s watching.”

  Amanda’s hand flew to her mouth with real surprise. “I completely forgot about the audition! Congratulations!” She bounced on her feet. “So you think you got it?”

  “They said they’d let me know by the first week of February, so we’ll have to wait and see,” Liam said. He smiled. “But I pretty much got it.”

  Amanda did a giddy little golf clap. “I’m actually happy for you.”

  “Actually?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll take that.” Liam wrapped his arm around her, and with the room still watching, he planted a kiss on her lips. “Then let’s go celebrate with Ben and Jaime and act like a couple.”

  ~

  By midnight, the party was beginning to shift to another location. Amanda had spent the majority of it alongside Liam, Ben and Jaime. Casey had been swarmed all night and Ian was off with The Edgy Kids, as Liam had dubbed them.

  Amanda kept her eye on Ian all night, the hairs on her back telling her that he was doing or saying something dumb, or at least about to. She felt like a mother who disapproved of her son’s new friends, fearing that they might spur him to act out all the more. It was why she felt a pang of dread when she at one point lost him in the crowd. At that same moment, Jaime spoke up.

  “Where’d Casey go?” she asked, craning her neck. The corner where she had previously sat with press members was suddenly empty, the reporters and cameramen scattering as they tried to find new subjects.

  Once Amanda located The Edgy Kids sans Ian, it didn’t take long for her senses to tell her something new. Casey and Ian were off somewhere together, and she didn’t want to know what they were doing. She also didn’t want to think about where that kind of tryst would leave Ian’s fluctuating mind – either lovesick like a teenager or with an ego beyond control. It could even be both. Amanda kept quiet when she spotted the two descending from a staircase together, confirming her suspicions. She caught Ian’s eye as he made it to the bottom step, he and Casey wordlessly going separate ways.

  “Sadly not what it looked like,” his boozy breath breathed in Amanda’s ear when he reached her. He squeezed her wrist as if his grip might convince her. “I’ll explain later,” he offered, returning the frosty look that Liam gave him. It seemed he no longer yielded to anyone, which Amanda figured was technically a positive thing, though she couldn’t help but feel wary. Liam must have felt similarly because he pulled her closer until Ian let go of her and stalked away.

  Amanda tried not to think about the odd moment as she waited for her and Liam’s car outside. Liam was still inside chatting with Ben and others, but she felt the need for fresh air, even if it meant a paparazzi shot or two.

  “Figures I’d only catch you at the end of the night,” a voice said from behind her. Recognizing it by its first word, she spun around. Dylan smiled at her as he pulled on his trench coat. “This is becoming a pattern, isn’t it?”

  “I hope not,” Amanda breathed. “Congratulations on the film, by the way. I really enjoyed it.”

  “Thank you,” he said graciously. “I’m glad everyone seemed to. Though I don’t think I’ve heard louder weeping in my life. Were you one of those people?” he asked teasingly.

  “I found it very tragic, but I don’t think I cried.”

  “Me neither. I strangely might’ve laughed more than I cried,” Dylan said. Amanda giggled, feeling daring.

  “Was it because you were thinking about how much better you’d have done that crazy nude scene?”

  Dylan burst out laughing. “No!” he cried, though as Amanda’s cheeks flushed red, he surrendered. “Alright, yes,” he confessed. “But I swear it’s not as terribly conceited as it sounds. I was just… reminded of our conversation in the cab. It was fresh in my mind.”

  Amanda bit her huge smile back. “Me too.”

  “Oh. Well then,” Dylan smiled, cocking his head a bit. “Is it odd that we thought of each other while looking at someone’s hairy bum?”

  Amanda put a finger to her lips. “Um, I don’t think so? Pretty sure that’s normal.”

  “Oh, good. And extremely romantic, I’m sure.”

  She laughed and blushed at his suggestion at any sort of romance. But just then, felt a hand on her lower back. Dylan’s eyes slid past her to where Liam had sudde
nly appeared.

  “The car’s here,” he said, his eyes traveling from her red cheeks to Dylan. “Hey, how’s it going, man,” he greeted him, leaning forward to do a handshake-slash-hug move that Dylan completely botched. Liam pretended not to notice. “I didn’t make it for the movie, but I heard it was great. Congratulations,” he said.

  “Thank you,” Dylan responded with a nod. After a bit of a silence, he motioned towards the Mercedes. “Well, don’t let me keep you if you’ve got a car here,” he said amiably. “It’s too cold to be waiting for another second.”

  “You’re welcome to hitch a ride,” Liam said – and genuinely, to Amanda’s surprise. She watched for Dylan’s answer as she got into the car, unsure of how she felt about sitting in a confined space with the both of them.

  “Thank you, but that’s alright. I think I’ll take a taxi,” he smiled courteously, laughing when he caught Amanda’s grin.

  “Don’t let anyone steal it from you,” she called out the window.

  “I don’t let just anyone do that,” he called back before Liam shut the door.

  LIAM ON AMANDA: I MISS HER WHEN I’M WORKING

  Posted by PrettyKitty29

  HDU via The Pop Source

  January 31th 9:33AM

  The Pop Source caught up with Liam Brody last week at the New York premiere of What Was Lost and the hunky actor gladly shared a few words about his new sweetheart, Amanda Nathan, who attended the premiere to support her good friend, Casey Mulreed.

  TPS: It’s been about two weeks since you flew Amanda out to New York. Has she had any sort of calming effect on your fast-paced life?

  LB: She’s definitely good at making me laugh and remember that things aren’t that serious.

  TPS: We know you’ve been auditioning for the next Terrence Rambis film, A Soldier. Has it been hard to juggle those responsibilities while showing Amanda around?

  LB: A little. There was a three-day period where I didn’t get to see her at all, which was tough because I missed her.

  TPS: Did she miss you?

  LB: [Laughs] Honestly, I don’t think so. She has a few friends who are really good at making her forget about me, so I think it was a one-sided yearning.

  My, oh my! Could it be that Amanda’s the heartbreaker in this relationship? Whatever it is, looks like she’s bringing out the never-before-seen side of our favorite ex-playboy!

  (OKAY, I ADMIT IT, THIS INTERVIEW WAS KIND OF CUTE AND HE MIGHT NOT BE THE SPAWN OF SATAN. HDU, please just make it easier on me by admitting that you’ve hopped the Liam bandwagon too. Love >>> hate, tbh. – PK)

  TOP COMMENTS

  Honeybee103192

  K now that PrettyKitty approves of Liam I can admit that I’ve been super attracted to him since he stepped out with that meh-looking chick. Makes me feel like I have a chance…

  Kitster629

  Fiiiiiiiiiiiine that was cute.

  x_lanfi_x

  OMG, HDU. My friend who goes to school in NYC bumped into Amanda and Ian near her dorm yesterday and she said that Amanda is much cuter in person and that Ian Marsh (the hipster guy she hangs out with) is actually better-looking than most celebs in real life. Yup, cool story bro.

  mrstylerchase

  that hipster kid looks like he’d be a douche irl. but damn, those green eyes <3

  FilmFreak (Moderator)

  Huh?? How does he look like a hipster or douche??

  Despite the sheer humor of the HDU article she had posted about Liam’s yearning for her, Amanda couldn’t help but feel an unhappy pit in her stomach.

  For nearly a week, she had not spoken to or seen Ian. Since Casey’s premiere, he had been almost entirely unreachable, similar to how Liam had been when he was preparing for his audition. With his phone going straight to voicemail, Amanda was forced to ensure that he was still alive by checking his Internet activity. He was leaving comments on HDU, but a small fraction of the amount that he normally posted, and he wasn’t responding to the messages she left in his inbox. He was busy. But with what? Amanda wondered.

  She scoured his Google searches relentlessly to find that only one small gossip blog had published recent pictures of him – out grabbing coffee before heading straight back into his apartment. It inspired her to drop by and see if he might let her in, but the visit proved fruitless. Amanda could truly only wonder what he was so busy doing in there. Maybe Casey, she had snorted to herself before remembering that since Monday, Casey had been in Los Angeles and London for the West Coast and U.K premieres of What Was Left. It was for the better because Amanda would have probably called her to ask if she knew of Ian’s whereabouts, which would probably have been foolish considering there was nothing going on between then. Right?

  She pondered the thought as she sat across from Liam at a restaurant in the West Village. He had called early in the morning to invite her for breakfast on quaint Cornelia Street. It was at the exact kind of charming bistro that she loved, but she had been mostly silent since arriving. Liam simply watched her as he drank his Americano.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking about,” he finally said. Amanda looked up at him and his genuine curiosity. It made his dark eyes kind of gleam.

  “Ian and Casey,” she answered, exhaling. “Them having sex,” she added bluntly, surprising herself. She wasn’t alone as she watched Liam’s eyebrows lift, for once caught off guard.

  “Is... this a fantasy of yours?”

  “Ew!” Amanda threw her napkin at him. He caught it and laughed, giving a shrug as she literally shook the idea from her head. “I’m not thinking about it for fun, I’m wondering if they did because things have been weird with him lately.”

  “How?”

  “I haven’t seen him since the premiere and I don’t think anyone has, to be honest,” she said, narrowing her eyes as she unraveled her croissant. “I think he’s been… well this is only if they slept together, and because I just have a suspicion that girls are like, his kryptonite, but… I think the only reason for him to be holed up in his apartment is ‘cause he’s, like… obsessing over Casey or doing something weird and mentally destructive?”

  “He’s plastering his walls with cutouts of her face, you know that right?”

  “Ha-ha.” Amanda kicked him under the table. “That could actually be true. To an extent.” Her smile fell to a look of worry, making Liam chuckle.

  “Listen, I saw them that night too. Coming down the stairs together,” he revealed to her surprise. “And it’s more likely they were doing a line, not each other.”

  Amanda’s eyes widened, briefly silenced by the sheer audacity of the suggestion. “Pffffft,” she said, leaning back in her chair and drawing out the sound for as long as possible. “Yeah, because Casey Mulreed is a total cokehead.” Liam nodded.

  “Little known secret.”

  “Psh,” Amanda brushed him off. He shrugged. “Okay, let’s just move on, I just had to get all that annoying… whatever it was out of my system.”

  Liam shrugged. “Boyfriends are supposed to sit through those every once in awhile,” he said, bringing his coffee cup to his lips. “Though there’s usually a fair exchange,” he added before taking a drink.

  Amanda squinted. “Are you going in a perverted route again?”

  Liam considered it. “I didn’t think it was that perverted,” he laughed. “I’m taking it you’re on the conservative side when it comes to relationships.”

  Amanda scoffed. “No?” she answered defensively. She wasn’t on the conservative side of that at all. What an ugly thing to say. At least to her. Megan always loved to call her the same word. “Don’t be mad, it makes you sweet,” she had said whenever Amanda bristled at it. It never felt good to confess her relationship problems only to be called conservative. Conservative reminded her of the fact that her boyfriend dumped her for another girl. She knew it wasn’t technically a horrible word, but Megan had attached a meaning to it that only ever brought back bad memories. Suddenly, the mere thought of her made Amanda wri
the with anxiety again. Something Megan-related was at the back of her head, desperately trying to wrestle forward through the hundred other thoughts on her mind. Amanda had forgotten something, something kind of important.

  “Oh, fuck me!” she suddenly gasped as she remembered.

  Liam raised his eyebrows. “Okay.”

  “Shh!” She couldn’t even bother to throw anything at him as she bobbled her phone in her hands, scrolling through her inbox and finally landing on her exchanges with Megan. She clicked on the last text she had received from her, the one she had forgotten about after reading it drunk at the Turkish restaurant, the night of Roué. She stared at the key phrases.

  I’m embarrassed by how I left off with u

  I am visiting NYC on Feb 3rd

  I would love to catch up over a nice dinner

  U should bring Liam

  Miss u

  ~

  Megan would be arriving to New York in less than forty-eight hours. Worse, Amanda had drunkenly responded with an agreement to go to dinner with her. But another fact bothered her by far the most. Megan was job-hunting in the city, or so she claimed. She had a meeting with “a possible agent.” Her stay could very well last forever. Amanda had certainly won the battle of their last meeting, but she remembered well how Megan had never been one to go down without a fight. If someone did well, she always had to do better. It was her right to as the prettiest, most treasured girl from Merit, Missouri – to remain always the most admired and successful. Amanda’s adventures in New York were but a challenge for Megan to match and do better.