I pull out my phone, and I'm admittedly a little sad when it's Easton. "Howdy."

"What are ya up to today?" Easton asks.

I'm walking down the street. Craning my head back, I look up at the perfect blue sky and white fluffy clouds. What was I doing? "Nothing."

"You're looking for some work, right?"

"Yeah."

"Come over to my place, I might have an opportunity for you."

I'm shocked. "You do?"

"Yeah. I know a guy who knows a guy."

That makes me laugh. Then, I smile. "Thanks Easton."

"What?" he says, laughing in my ear. "You really think I'm going to let you flounder? Hell no."

~

"Howdy, Mrs. Brown."

"Oh c'mere Tristan!"

Chuckling, I walk forward and give Easton's mom a hug. She's a tiny slip of a thing, drop dead gorgeous too. Honestly she kind of reminds me of how Tiana looks in The Princess and the Frog. I'd never tell her that, though, because to tell her that would be to admit I had seen the movie.

"How've you been?" she asks with her thousand watt smile, and it makes me suddenly realize how much I have missed this woman.

"Eh, alright."

Someone comes up behind me and slaps me in the back of the head. I don't even need to look to know it's Easton, but I do anyway. He points at me. "Do not lie to my ma."

"No need for violence," Mrs. Brown teases, slapping her son's shoulder as he walks past, causing him to flinch. She then narrows her eyes at me. "Besides, not like I didn't see it written all over his face. What's wrong, baby?"

I suppress the urge to roll my eyes. I settle for cramming my hands into my pockets awkwardly. "I just went through a breakup..."

"Who is he?" she asks, trying to get me to smile as she holds up her fists. "Lemme at 'im."

"You do not want to tango with that hombero, ma," Easton calls from the kitchen.

"I'm sure I could take him," she says, giving me a wink with her arms still up.

"He's famous," Easton calls. Mrs. Brown puts down her hands, looking at me intrigued. "Like, super famous."

"Who is he?" she calls over her shoulder.

"Orion Bauwens."

She wrinkles her nose. "Who?"

"Orion Bauwens," Easton says, coming into the room. He presses a can of Dr. Pepper against my chest and I gratefully take it with a nod. "Yaknow, famous rockstar? Saturn Mutants?"

"Can't be that famous," she says with a smirk, and I can't tell of she's pulling my leg or actually has no idea who Orion is. "I ain't never heard of him."

As Easton pops open his own can, he rolls his eyes heavily. Then he reaches into his back pocket, pulling out his cell. After typing in something with one hand, he cocks the screen towards her. "That's Orion Bauwens."

"Oooooh," she says, and it's then I realize she honestly had no idea who he was originally. "That guy. I think I've seen him on the news and stuff."

"Probably," I mumble as Easton tucks his phone away.

"Well don't you worry about him any more," Mrs. Brown tells me. She goes on her tip-toes and plants a kiss on my cheek. After that, she starts to head toward the stairs. "You don't need anyone like that, anyway. Fame messes with people. You're too kind for that type of lifestyle, Tristan Smith. Be happy you got out while you could before it swallowed you whole and spat you out a damaged man."

Once we hear her shuffling around upstairs, Easton looks at me embarrassed. "Sorry."

"So," I reply, plastering a grin on my face." Job, huh?"

"Oh, right!"

I follow Easton into the kitchen where we sit at the table. There's a jar of shelled peanuts sitting there; we both take some and put them into our drinks, waiting for the fizzing to be more manageable.

"So, one of the understudies and I got to talking. His brother works in the construction industry. The firm is doing a huge building construct."

"Go on," I prompt, taking a sip.

"Two things; first of all, they don't break ground until the spring. So if you're looking for work now, you'd have to find something between now and then."

"The other thing?"

"The job is in New York."

For a few minutes we both sit in silence, crunching away periodically on our respective sodas. Finally I shrug. "I mean, I moved around a lot as a roadie, so the distance doesn't bother me."

Easton smiles at me. "Plus you're a shoe in. The job is yours, for sure, if you want it."

I can't help it; I grin at him, tapping his shoulder. "Thanks, Easton."

"Is that a yes?"

"Darn tooting."

Easton grins at me. "Excellent!"

Afterwards Easton and I hang out for a bit. He catches me up on his life in New York. When he starts filling me in on insider celebrity gossip, I have to politely tell him to stop.

"I've had enough drama for a lifetime in that regard," I tell him.

He frowns sympathetically at me.

When we're done, I'm about to leave when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pull it out. As I see who it is, I can feel myself frown and my brow wrinkle.

Jake Larson

2:34PM

Hi Tristan...I thought you might like to know that Orion is going to be fine. He's gone back to rehab (same facility as last time)

2:35PM

If you don't want updates like this, I respect that. Just wanted you to know.

Also, Gloria says thank you for letting her know that you landed safely the other day.

"What's up?" Easton asks.

I let out the smallest sigh, shaking my head. "Don't worry about it..."

2:36PM

Hey Jake. No, I actually really appreciate the update. Believe it or not, I'm happy he's going to be okay.

Yeah me too. I think we all are.

Not knowing what else to say, I move to put my phone away. But then it buzzes in my hand. This time I smile at who it is.

"Aren't you mister popular?" Easton says.

I chuckle and shake my head, opening the front door. "Bye Easton."

David :)

2:37PM

Hey good lookin, whatcha got cookin?

I laugh, walking down the sidewalk.

I really didn't have anything to worry about when I was a hot mess  the other day if you're going to say shit like that, did I?

Hahaha. 😒

What's going on?

Wanna go somewhere? I don't have classes today. 🙃

Like a date?

Yeah, if you wanna call it that. 😘 I was thinking we could catch a movie or something.

A movie? Actually going to a theater? I hadn't done that in forever. Grinning, I type my response.

I'm down.

Come to my house and we'll look up what's showing.

Omw.

As I slip my phone into my pocket, I feel my smile running away.

I wonder what Orion's and mine relationship would have looked like had he not been famous. Would we have done something as mundane as go to a movie? The possibilities were endless with no fear of the paparazzi. Beaches, clubs, baseball games...Just walking around town, another face in the crowd.

I shake my head, reminding myself that I'm with David now. Even though it feels a little forced this time, I smile to myself with that knowledge.