The Truth About Hollywood

I stayed in the lobby, pacing back and forth, waiting for Danny to show up. It didn't take him too long to arrive, looking disheveled. His hair was messed up, and his face was slightly flushed, probably from a combination of the fight with his girlfriend and having to rush here.

"Hi," he smiled, digging his hands into the pockets of his jeans and trying to look cool.

"Hey," I replied. "Mom's down here."

I started leading him down the hallway, but he eventually caught up and took my hand in his. "Look, I really am sorry about the whole thing with Steph."

"Why...why are you apologizing to me for that?" I laughed.

"Because...um... I don't know. It was drama?" he chuckled for a second. "And she was kind of rude to you."

Shrugging, I assured him, "Yeah, but she was just jealous. It was a total natural reaction." My face flushed as I remembered the scene that she had to see unfold in front of her.

"I guess, but...it's not really an excuse." We stopped in front of my mother's room, and I turned to face him. The Stephanie thing was really not something that I wanted to discuss in the hospital, and it wasn't that big of a deal. It didn't really have much to do with me.

"This is going to be a really awkward way for you to meet me parents," I began, glancing back toward the room. "But, um...brace yourself."

Danny nodded once, and we entered the room. Dad lifted his head and raised an eyebrow at me. "So... What happened to the coffees?"

For a second, I stood there, wondering exactly what had happened to them. "Um...I got kind of distracted." Then, my memories came back and I recalled that I left the coffees in the lobby on the table...whoops.

Oh, well. They were probably gone now anyway. Who wouldn't want to steal a free coffee lying around?

"I see." Dad's eyes were examining Danny, sizing him up. "And who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is Danny. He's the one who's been driving me to and from the set recently while things have been...tough."

"Hm," was all Dad had to say.

Danny just stood in the corner awkwardly, clearly trying his hardest not to glance at the woman in the bed with all the machines hooked up to her. "Hi," he greeted, waving a little, to break through the silence.

Dad just looked at him again before putting his attention back on Mom.

"So..." I mumbled. "Any more news?"

"No. More of the same." I walked back over to Danny, and before I knew it, Dad was talking again. "So are you two...?"

"No," I responded the exact same time Danny said, "Kind of."

I chuckled slightly, looking at Danny from the side of my eye. "No, we're not. You just broke up with your girlfriend."

"But...I did that for you," he muttered so my dad couldn't hear.

I stared at him with wide eyes for a second before he smiled, showing that he was not telling the truth.

Which was good. I didn't want to be the reason they broke up. That...would be awkward.

After a while of talking uncomfortably, I announced that I was going to get some coffees. "For real this time," I added before slipping out the door, Danny in tow.

"Your dad seems nice," Danny said casually, trying to make conversation.

I let out a snort of laughter. "That's funny. He's been nothing but an awkward turtle. He's just not sure what to do, since..." Since I had no intention of finishing that sentence, I just shrugged.

"He's never had to deal with you bringing home a guy before," Danny finished for me.

My face flamed up. "Um, yeah. Thanks for that. It's kind of sad that I'm sixteen, and you're the only boy that I've ever kissed, and even then, just for our TV show so-"

Danny cut me off by pecking me on the lips. "And now you've been kissed for real."

I looked around, blushing fiercely. "I guess I have. Thanks for that."

"Don't have to thank me," he grinned, getting a couple cups of coffee. "I wanted to."

As he walked ahead to go add some cream and sugar to both of them, and I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile.

This was the start of a beautiful thing.