Starlet

27. Girl Style

Friday comes, and I can't sit still all day. I am standing by the door at 5:59. Bayden stares at me from the stage.

"I HAVE A DATE AND NEED A SHOWER."

Half of them crack up laughing.

Andy rubs his eyes. "That poor man."

I jump up and down. Then run for it.

"HAVE FUN."

I am ready in record time. Then I run out on the porch. Collin is sitting at the table with Lindsay.

"WILL YOU GO TO ROME WITH ME?"

He laughs. "Yes."

"I'LL GET THE PAMPHLETS."

They lose it.

I grab them and run back to the table.

Lindsay jumps up. "I'm not staying for your date. I did explain what you mean by going to Rome with him. So, at least he understands that. You need to eat."

"BUT."

"Go eat, and then you can make him read everything."

"UGH." I take them inside.

Collin wraps me up in his arms when I come back outside. "I can tell you're excited."

"I've never been anywhere."

He gives me a kiss. "I'm glad I get to see it with you."

I smile and hug him tight. "Me too."

"Let's go eat."

I manage to calm down during dinner. We talk about the week, then we get some ice cream and sit on my swing. I stay close and snuggle him.

"So, where are your parents?"

"They died 70 years ago."

"I'm sorry."

I shake my head. That's not what I want to talk about.

"How long have you been at the castle?"

"A year, kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Yea."

"Where were you before that?"

"A... I.... Not... I don't... Well,... Not anywhere. I wasn't around a lot of people. Where were you?"

He chuckles. "Right here in the village. What was life with your parents like?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Happy. They loved me."

"Where you went next didn't love you?"

"No. I was lonely. Omar says that's why I don't understand personal space. If I'm ever too clingy or whatever, you can move me over. That's also why sometimes I don't say things right. Like when I asked you to come to Rome with me. I was excited and it came out like that. I get excited. I also mess up stupid things. When I first moved here, I was getting water from the restaurant. I didn't understand that I needed to go buy cups. The water is in the house. If you don't want to date me, I understand. I'm going to mess up everything and always be in your space."

"I like you in my space." He gives me a kiss. I could melt. I love his kisses. "Go get the pamphlets, baby."

I come back with 2 handfuls of pamphlets and try to sit. I trip and end up on his lap.

He chuckles and puts me beside him.

"Sorry, I'm a little clumsy too."

"I don't mind. Let's see what you got."

We snuggle and point out stuff to each other. I love everything about this.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Marcus picks me up. "Luke wants to know if you'll visit."

"I'll come over tomorrow about 4. Stay for a few hours."

"That'll work. Did you 2 figure out what you're doing in Rome?"

"No. It's overwhelming trying to pick something. She fell asleep halfway through."

"It's bad for her. She keeps trying to buy everything. Then she has a fit when she can't. If you can, come early and get announced tomorrow. I'll meet with you and explain how it works. You may have to make the plan."

He chuckles. "Maybe."

I try to roll backwards and stretch out.

"Shit." Then they laugh.

"How is she sleeping like that?"

"No idea. I'll take her in. You have a good night."

"You too."

I get up early and get dressed. Then run outside. I pick up the paper and Collin comes up with the pamphlets.

"I looked at them for a while. Starting at the beginning. When are you going?"

"Friday at 6 to Sunday at 8."

"Are you getting a meal plan?"

"I want pizza."

"You're going to need to eat 7 times. It's not even open for breakfast. Do you want to get a meal plan, so you can eat everywhere?"

"That sounds good."

"2 options for food really. Advanced meal plan or regular. Regular is a lot more limited, but is also a lot cheaper."

"I want an advanced meal plan. I want to eat anywhere."

"What do you want to do the most?"

"Teen club. Look. They have snacks on a fire in the evening." I hand him the pamphlet.

He smiles and kisses my head. "Did you see the bumper boat thing? You can do all of that."

"I can't swim. I'll sink to the bottom and be stuck forever. I can do the fire snacks and club though."

"That'll still be fun."

I nod fast. "I want to shop and Nadine said I could get my nails done in the spa. I think I can buy my own fingernail polish there too." I point at some waterslides. "I bet those are fun."

"Do you want to swim or see Rome for our date?"

"See Rome. I want to see it. It looks amazing."

He kisses my head. "I have a meeting with Marcus today. I'll see what's best for that. Or maybe we can walk around and see it on our own."

"Thank you."

"Thank you for asking me to join you. How are you paying for all this?"

"I saved up 50k, so I can buy everything. I got paid for the last play. I fish too."

"Let's go fishing. I got a few hours."

I jump up and drag him in the house. "I NEED TO CHANGE MY CLOTHES."

I push him to the couch and run upstairs. I throw on a nurse's dress. By the time I get back, Marcus, Tye, and Johen are sitting there with him. "No boys in the house."

"This don't count."

"This don't count?"

"No. We're going fishing."

Marcus rubs his eyes and Tye and Johen lose it.

Tye wipes his eyes off. "You're about to get a lesson in fishing. Girl style."

"How much are fish in the market? I'm ready."

Johen smirks. "They are like 35g today. You'll make some money. We're coming to watch this."

Me, Johen, Tye, and Collin get to the river with the wagon. Collin is confused. Tye and Johen can't hold it together. I run in the water.

So many big fish today. I grab a big 1 and run out. I put it in the wagon and go back.

After about the 3rd fish, Collin is sitting with Johen and Tye. They are all laughing their asses off.

"It works though. They catch more fish than anyone else."

Collin falls over backwards laughing.

Johen stands up. "We're going to make a fire and cook some. It's lunch. You like fish?"

I smile and jump up and down. "YES."

"Keep fishing. We'll let you know when it's done."

"OK." I run back in.

I get my wagon full. It's probably 30 fish. Then I sit by the fire and eat with them. We talk and eat. It's nice.

"So, what are you doing?"

"Shower, then sell them at the market. Unless you all want to eat 10 more fish each."

"I'm already stuffed. That was amazing though. You did so well. That's a lot of fish."

I smile big at Collin. I like him.

Lindsay runs up in a nurse's dress dragging a wagon. "I was going to fish, but you already stink. You want to do the fish part?"

"Yea, the wagon is ready for you."

"Sweet." She runs off with the full wagon.

I get the next wagon going and Marcus, Dipak, and Luke show up. They eat fish and talk to the boys. They all seem happy. I like that.

Lindsay flips the wagons and Collin gives me a kiss. "We're going back to the castle. I have that meeting. I'll stop by after dinner."

I give him another kiss. "I'll try not to stink then."

"You have fun, baby."

I fish all afternoon. Lindsay keeps up.

We get to the sitting room just before dinner. "Almost 2.5k each. Not bad for an afternoon. I'll be back later. I'm taking Ana to the zoo."

"Have fun."

I have dinner in the castle, then sit on my porch swing. Collin said he would come after dinner.

I wake up when Leo sits by my feet. "Good morning."

"Did you eat dinner?"

"Yea. I didn't mean to sleep."

"I wanted to check on you. See how you're doing. Then I saw you sleeping. I don't want to leave you here all night."

"Collin was supposed to stop by tonight. Maybe he forgot."

"Or decided to let you sleep here all night."

"I doubt it. He's nice."

"Are you keeping up with everything in the play?"

"I think so. I'm right where everyone else is."

Marcus and Collin come up on the porch.

I stretch big. "Good morning."

"Not quite."

Marcus smirks. "Collin finalized your Rome trip. He'll be there Saturday and Sunday."

I smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, baby." He winks at me.

"Are you f*****g serious?" Leo stands up.

"Yea, take a walk with me."

Leo leaves with Marcus.

Collin sits beside me and I snuggle against him. "Did you ever date him?"

"No. I know him from theater. I used to be friends with his girlfriend. But she got the leading part and turned into a b***h. Now, I'm not friends with her anymore. I still talk to Leo on occasion. He saw me sleeping out here and woke me up, so I wouldn't be here all night."

"I was on my way, baby."

"I know. I didn't mean to fall asleep anyway. So, how did you get 2 days?"

"Saturday for our date. Sunday, I'll come early and take you swimming. I'll make sure you don't get stuck forever at the bottom of a..."

I dive on him and hug him. My eyes fill with tears and I can't talk. I hold him and cry.

"We can go on the slides and try that bumper boat thing if you want."

I nod. I'm so happy.

He rubs my back and gets me to calm down. Then we snuggle and talk about swimming classes that Marcus is putting me in.

Lindsay staggers up half drunk with the pink-haired girl. I know it's Nadine, but I can't think of her name. "Marcus said something to Dipak about something else. Now we're going on the SeaSpa next weekend."

"Weekend after Rome. Dipak said he's not leaving you here with 2 dumbasses. So, we're going too."

They go in and Silvia plops down on the other side of Collin. "I want a boyfriend too."

I nod. "What's a SeaSpa?"

"No idea."

Collin Chuckles and looks at the brain. "Can we get a pamphlet for that too?"

"Yes, sir. It will be delivered to you tomorrow."

"I guess you'll have to figure it out tomorrow, baby."

I snuggle him. "Ok."

Then I hear Marcus laughing. "You got them both to fall asleep on you this time."

"Yea, I was starting to get concerned."

"Grab that 1. We'll put them on the couch."