The Magic of Hollywood // Charlie Gillespie

Chapter 20

Once I calmed down from my near heart attack and let go of Charlie's hand him and Valerie left the club and gave me and Jenny some time to catch up. Charlie promised to be on time tomorrow and Valerie will probably be here before I even wake up anyways because she is almost as excited as me. I turn to Jenny. "How did that happen? How did you keep it a secret? Am I dreaming?" She just laughs and smiles at me. It feels so good to have her here. "Slow down, V." She laughs again. "Remember that day I asked you for Valerie's number? In case anything happens and I can't reach you or she can contact me?" I nod. "Yeah, I partly lied. Even though I love having someone to contact if I'm worried, I mainly needed her help to plan this whole thing." My eyes widen and I open my mouth. Valerie kept this from me too? How did I not notice a single thing? But then I remember I've been kinda distracted by a certain guy. I smile at the thought of him. "Earth to V, stop dreaming about your super hot actor." My cheeks blush. I try to distract her, because I know we will have quite the discussion about this. "So, how long are you staying?... Wait, where are you staying?" - "Nice try. I'm staying for two weeks. I'm hoping I can crash here?" I nod excitedly. "Now, what's going on between you and him?"

I tell her everything she doesn't know yet. After I called her in the middle of the night we only send each other a few texts and I never mentioned Charlie, because I didn't really know what to say. I still don't know where this is going so... However, I tell her from the day at the beach, how he spend everyday here, helping me. I also tell her how his presence completely distracts me but also somehow calms me. How I get butterflies in my stomach every time he looks at me. How my legs turn into pudding every time he smiles at me and, most importantly, how happy I am whenever he's around. "V, you know you're having like a huge crush on that guy, right?" I roll my eyes and shake my head slightly. I know she's right though. I just don't know if I want her to be right. Yes, we've spend a lot of time together but I still don't really know him. "What if he doesn't like me?" - "OMG V, are you being serious right now?" Her eyes widen and she just shakes her head. "Have you seen the way he looks at you? Because honestly, I saw you two together for like what? Two minutes? And girl, he definitely likes you. Plus, he's pretty much spending all his time with you and he plays your club opening for free." I guess she has a point...

"You're scared he'll hurt you, aren't you?" I nod. I can't look at her so I just watch my hands. "V, you know I want you to be careful but he's not Max." She's right. I know he's not. Most of the time I don't even worry about it anymore. It became so natural to have him around and it just feels right but sometimes my past just won't leave me alone. "V, don't go there." Jenny just knows me too well. I could already feel the pull of a distant memory. A very painful memory. I push the memory back to where it came from, incredibly thankful to have Jenny here right now. I put on a tiny smile, not fully able to get a real one, but I'm trying. She came all the way here so I'm not gonna let Max ruin it. "Ok, tell me all the latest" I've been so busy with my opening... and Charlie... I have no idea what's been going on in her life. I start to feel a little bad but Jenny's eyes light up and she starts talking. "Well... I... ehm..." Huh, Jenny never struggles to tell me anything. What's going on? I raise an eyebrow at her. She seems so happy so why can't she just tell me? "So... Josh and I..." Her cheeks blush and she looks away. "OMG NO WAY" Jenny has been crushing on Josh for ages but for him it's never been more than friendship. She starts telling me everything, how, right after I left, she asked him out on a date. "You know, you going here was so brave, I thought if you can do that I can at least take a chance" It warms my heart to hear that I inspired her. Usually she's the brave one, the one with the cool, innovative ideas.

We keep on talking for hours about how he had said yes and they went on a dinner date, not as if they haven't been out to dinner as friends before but she says they both dressed up nicely and went to a kinda fancy place. Afterwards he had kissed her and told her he'd always had a thing for her but never thought she liked him back. Those two... I always had this tiny bit of hope in me, frankly, their friendship sometimes felt like a relationship, just without the kissing and fighting. Thinking about it, their friendship was always way more of a relationship than my actual relationship with Max, at least after we moved in together. "J, I'm so happy for you!" I hug her real tight. Once I let go something in her gaze changes. I've known her long enough to know she's holding something back from me. "What is it?" She shakes her head slightly. "Just tell me." - "It's your opening tomorrow, I really can't" I look at her patiently. She knows I won't let this go. Eventually she clears her throat. "Max has a new girlfriend... Kaitlyn." For a second I feel like I can't breath. "There's something I never told you, J."