Celebrity Skin

Brian sat on the cold concrete bench, staring at the ceiling and trying to ignore the two older men next to him. It wasn’t going very well, considering they would try and include him in their conversation, just assuming he was either an addict or a dealer as well. After the officer read him his rights, he took him in, finger printed him, took away everything he had, took mug shots and locked him in his holding cell.

“This one time, I had some hot little thing suck my dick for one hit on the ol’ pipe.” The creepier of the two stated, putting a large emphasis on ‘one hit’.
“Shit man, I hear you. Crack heads will do just about anything for a fix.” The other laughed.

Brian was disgusted. He wasn’t either of the two things the other men thought he was, and definitely didn’t deserve to be there listening to two old druggies talking about their exploits. He had been there for a few hours now, just sitting, waiting for his one phone call. He was beginning to loose patience, and if he kept him there any longer he’d go crazy and start bouncing off the walls. The entire room read ‘criminal’, a title he firmly believed did not fit him. Cement floors, small, barred window, 4 large cement benches chained to the wall, and two drugged up dealers for that extra touch to make him feel like a prisoner.

“What’dya think, kid?” One of the men addressed him for the thousandth time. Brian had enough.
He knit his eyebrows together, ready to tell the guy off, when he heard the cell door open. He assumed it was the officer coming to get him for his phone call, but as he looked up, he realized he was very mistaken.

In walked a petite woman with crazy black curls, no makeup, light grey jeans and an old Jack Daniels shirt. The guard slammed the cell door and locked them back up.

“You’ll stay in here until all the paperwork is done.” The officer told her. She flipped him off and took a seat on the opposite side of the cell from Brian and the two other men.

Brian stared at her for a while, not able to place where he knew her from. He saw her getting creeped out, probably from the other two men staring at her. He glanced over and noticed that they, in fact, were not staring at her, only leaving him. That’s when Brian realized, she was creeped out because he was boring holes into the side of her head. He immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.” He smiled. The other two men chuckled.
She shrugged, and continued to stare at the far end wall.
He cleared his throat. “I’m Brian.”
“That’s nice.” She stated.
“Do you have a name?” He tried again.
“Yup.” She answered, popping out her ‘P’.
“Come on kid, leave the pretty woman alone.” One of the men stated.

Brian looked at the man in disgust, knowing fully well that he was trying to look like the good guy. The woman shot the man a thankful look, and returned her gaze to the wall. Brian sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. He hadn’t meant to scare her, he just wanted to talk to her and figure out where he knew her from.

“Brian Haner?” A guard called, opening the cell doors.
“Thank God.” Brian mumbled, standing up. The man escorted him through a hallway to a phone that hung off of the wall near a clutter of desks.
“Dial 399 first, then the number of the person you’d like to call.” Brian nodded and waited for the officer to leave, but he sat atop the desk next to the phone. He sighed, and dialed the first number that came to mind.

“What’s crackin’ homie?” Jimmy answered.
“Well, lets see, I’m in jail.” Brian seethed.
“Whoa, for what?” Jimmy asked.
Brian groaned. “I’ll explain later. I’m in the L.A. county jail, just come get me, okay?”
“Dude I’m here.” Jimmy giggled.
“What do you mean you’re here?” Brian asked.
“I mean I’m sitting in some waiting area with Lee.”
“Then get me out of here already!” Brian yelled.
“Sir, please calm down.” The officer stated.
Brian took a deep breath. “Dude, just fill out my paperwork and post my bail. I’ll pay you back.” He hung up the phone.
“Is someone coming?” The officer asked.
Brian gripped the bridge of his nose. “My friends already here; he’s in you’re waiting room.”

The officer looked at him strangely, but didn’t ask anything of it. He escorted him back to the cell, telling him the same thing he had told the woman earlier. He returned back to his seat, noticing the two men were gone, but the woman remained in the same place.

“I’m sorry for staring before.” He stated lamely a few minutes later. “I just … I can’t place where I know you from.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s for the best.”
He frowned. She was being very difficult.
“I’m not a drug addict, if that’s why you’re not talking to me.”
“Never said you were.” She mumbled.
“Can I know you’re name, then?”
“Nope.” She smiled politely at him.

He sighed loudly, and prayed the paperwork would be done soon. Brian wasn’t sure why Jimmy was here, but he was thankful he was. The pair sat in silence for what felt like hours. Brian had successfully counted every tile on the ceiling three times over; a whopping 45 ½, since one of the tiles were cut in half to make room for a vent. He ran his hands down his face, wondering why everything was taking so long. Finally, Brian heard keys jingling and the same guard from before walked into their cell.

“Okay, you’re both free to go. Just sign out at the front desk and you’re court dates will be mailed to you.” He forced a smile.
“About fucking time.” The woman mumbled, pushing past him and out of the prison cell.
“Thank you, officer.” Brian smiled politely, following behind the woman.

He walked out into the ‘lobby’ and saw the woman signing her release form. He followed suit, and did the same.

“Starlight!” Brian heard Jimmy’s voice ring through the small room. He turned around and watched as Jimmy enveloped the tiny woman in a bone crushing hug.
“Jim, don’t hug people you don’t know.” Brian scolded. The woman barely wanted to talk to Brian, why would she want to be hugged by strangers?
“I’m not!” Jimmy defended, leaning his chin on top of her head. The woman giggled.
“You know him?”
“You know her?”
The two asked in unison.
Jimmy smiled. “Yep!”
The two exchanged confused looks.

How did Jimmy know the mystery woman in his jail cell?