Something About You

Chapter 7

"Claire Emerson is over there!" I yell so Kara can hear me.

"The actress? Where?" I point in her direction and Kara has the same reaction as me, "Holy shit! I wonder what she's doing here."

We both look at each other with our eyes wide and smile. Celebrities come to Las Vegas often, but this is my first-time spotting one at a club.

I can't stop staring in Claire's direction. I don't recognize anyone else that's with her at their table which is about thirty feet from ours. She really is more beautiful in person. She's wearing tight black jeans, heels, a tight, sequenced crop top, her darkish blonde hair is down and loosely curled, and a dark red lipstick. She's insanely gorgeous and I can't stop looking.

Tayler puts a drink in my face to bring me back to earth.

"Kara told me Claire Emerson is over there! That's so cool!"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I saw her at that table," I try to point in the direction not so obvious.

If there's one thing I learned from my dad from the industry he's in, it's to act cool around celebrities; as if they're regular people just trying to live their lives like everyone else. I tone down the creepy staring and regain focus on my friends. Tayler and Jamie just took a shot and I imagine, by the looks of their faces, they're feeling drunk. I laugh when some of Jamie's shot drips down the side of her face.

We're all moving our heads and tapping our feet in rhythm of the music. I hear a remix to a song playing that I know, "Define" by Dom Dolla. I start mouthing some of the words and do my weird look around the club. Still moving my body with the music, I realize I have a happy grin on my face; a sort of half smile. As my eyes shift more, I notice Claire Emerson with a drink in her hand staring at me. We make eye contact and I don't know what to do, I look away.

My smile has turned into a blank stare and my heart is pounding. I remain calm. I wipe the stupid look off my face and try to act "cool". I smile at my friends every move as we continue to move in sync. I look again in Claire's direction and see her still fixated on me. Instead of looking away, I lock eyes and give a small smile. She smiles back. We stay connected for a moment until one of her friends grabs her attention for a drink. I stay fixated on her now as she takes a sip from what looks like a cranberry vodka and laughs at something one of her friends said.

I smile at the sight of her laughing; she has one of the Hollywood smiles that you know will haunt you forever. And I'm over here, just staring at her like a creep.

"Parker!" I turn to my friends. "Let's go dance again!" Tayler says with her drunk look. Eyes glossy as if she's looking through you not at you, and can't understand a word that you say.

"Yeah sounds good! Just gonna make one more drink, I'll be right behind you guys!" I just want to pour myself some water and sober up more.

I chug a glass of water, go in my purse to grab a piece of gum, and chew away.

As they walk to the dance floor, a guy comes up to me, "You seem like a good dancer, I'm a good dancer, we should dance!" He's tall and cute but in a goofy way.

"I'm Kevin!" He yells and puts his hand out to me.
"Parker!" I shake it.

His dark hair is slicked back by gel, he has a decent smile, and he's wearing a gray suit. I feel as if I should let loose and just dance with him and I'm about to accept his offer when in the corner of my eye I see two girls walking towards me. It's Claire and one of her friends as they approach closer, followed by a huge bodyguard keeping a visual. My body feels a sort of electric shock. I feel anxious and frozen for a moment until Claire and I make eye contact. Suddenly I feel everything, everywhere. This is more than just butterflies.