(le cheap divider)

Their time together before the conference came and went too quickly for Conner. He wished he could spend more time with Bree before the work began. But, alas, he couldn't. He had to go to the conference in order to even be considered for publishing deals with Williams Press.

(le cheap divider)

Conner was walking to the first day of the conference. Bree had offered for him to take her car since she wasn't using it, but he declined. He barely was comfortable driving in his own town, let alone NY. He had more pep in his step than last year, and he hoped the confidence showed on his face when he entered the building.

He walked up to the desk to get his badge, it felt so much like last year. Except, the receptionist was new. And very interested in Conner. She looked him up and down as he approached her, smiling a flirtatious smile when he reached the counter.

"Hello," she said, trying the best to look cute.

Conner's first impression of her was flirty. Which was very accurate. She was short, skinny, and slender. She had perfect curves and luscious lips. Her blonde hair reached her shoulders and bounced in tightly woven curls when she spoke. She was decked out in a short skirt, much to short for anyone's peace of mind, a sleeveless crop-top, and a faded cropped jean jacket. She wore high heels that weren't too high, but high enough. She was still short with them on, though.

She had little glasses perched on the tip of her nose, in a very trendy way. She had long nails, painted a solid pink. He solid brown eyes contrasted her yellow crop-top and blue mini-skirt. She also wore a cat-ear headband, not like a child's one, but one with mo detail. Surprisingly, she didn't look childish in them, she was too trendy everywhere else for that one spark of child to matter. She also had the longest pair of dangle earrings Conner had ever seen dangling from her ears that swished in tempo with her hair as she spoke.

She looked like the exact opposite of Bree.

"Hello," Conner said, peppy. "Conner Bailey's the name."

"Conner," the girl said, tasting the word like a child tastes candy, with a smack of her lips. "I'm Bella." She said with a swish of hair and earrings.

"Nice to meet you," Conner said. "My name should be on the next page if it isn't right there."

"Oh, I know," Bella said slowly, flipping the page over agonizingly slow. "Conner Bailey, Conner Bailey," she repeated again, and Conner could see her eyes not really scanning the page.

"Uh, I really need to get there soon, so could you-"

"Oh, there's no need to be in a hurry," Bella said, looking up at Conner, propping her head up with her elbow. "I'm the assistant for the aspiring authors this year, if you're late it'll be my fault." She winked at him and it made Conner sick.

"Oh, so you did find my name!" Conner said, some of Breeks mystery novel knowledge coming back right when he needed it.

She sighed. "I did," she said, not giving up her act. "Here's your badge." She gave him his badge. "I'll see you later. Ta-ta."

Conner took his badge and rushed it the conference room, hoping to never encounter that girl again.

(le cheap divider)