Sparks Fly

Long after the plane had touched down, Ellie was sitting next to her red suitcase. Carlos' large black duffel had Sophie on top of it. Sophie's purple suitcase finally popped into view, and they heard “Hey, Carlos!” shouted from across the baggage claim.

A lanky guy with dirty blond hair ran up to Carlos, after he'd gotten Sophie's bag . They shared some kind of bro hug before laughing at the tiny suitcase in his hands. “It's not mine dude, shut up” Carlos protested, winking at Sophie.

“No, purple suits you” the other guy said, still laughing as his gaze hit Ellie and Sophie. Sophie recognized who he was, squealed, and ran over to hug him. Carlos and his friend made their way over to Ellie, the dirty blond still grinning.

“Kendall, this is my friend Ellie, and you've just met her little sister, Sophie.” Kendall smiled, reaching out to shake Ellie's hand.

“Great to meet you. I've heard good things. Maybe too many good things.” he said, with a playful glare in Carlos' direction. Carlos just blushed, going off to retrieve a luggage cart.

“You too. I appreciate there not being snow here.” They both laughed, Sophie craning her little neck to peer out the windows. Indeed, there wasn't a single flake of snow on the leafy palms that lined the landscape.

“Let's get you kids to the hotel!” Kendall announced. Sophie insisted on a piggy back ride from him.

“You're so tall!” Sophie exclaimed, clapping her hands with delight when Kendall lifted her onto his shoulders.

“What time is it here?” Ellie asked Carlos with a yawn, noticing that her watch was now useless, as it was set to home time.

“It's only 6:45pm. Plenty of time to do some sightseeing.” Ellie groaned. All she wanted was a long nap, with a side of cheese pizza. “What, sick of me already?”

“No, just give me a piggy back ride. That looks so nice right now.”

“But our ride is ten feet away.” Ellie blinked and followed the point of Carlos' finger, where a limo awaited them.

“Or get me a limo ride, that works too.” Carlos grinned, kissing Ellie's cheek before loading their bags into the back.

“Ellie, look at all the pretty lights!” Sophie whispered, her eyes wide as she looked around the limo. Carlos climbed in and shut the door, and soon after, the limo rolled away from the airport. Ellie rolled down her window and her jaw dropped, her eyes wide as Sophie's. There were bright lights and palm trees as far as she could see. The sun hadn't set just yet, so there was a beautiful pink tint to the sky.

“Welcome to Hollywood, Ellie” Carlos murmured, his fingers twining with hers. The limo pulled up in front of a swanky apartment building, Sophie protesting immediately.

“This isn't The Palmwoods!” she whined, pouting at Carlos and Kendall.

“The Palmwoods isn't a real hotel, Sophie” Carlos explained, helping her out of the limo. “But this is the next best thing, I promise.” Ellie couldn't have agreed more. A majestic fountain was in front, and the building itself stretched higher than she could crane her neck to see. Then again, with this level of sleep, she didn't feel like craning my neck all that much anyway.

The four of them entered the lobby with their bags, and Ellie immediately felt under dressed. Beautiful women hurried past, all designer clothes and long hair and tan skin. They shot their pearly white smiles at Carlos and Kendall, who smiled right back. And Ellie was wearing black shorts, a Star Trek t-shirt, and a backwards hat. The hat which she'd stolen from Carlos. Her confidence dwindled - how did Carlos see anything in her compared to all this?

“Welcome back Carlos!” a pretty brunette said, running over to give him a hug. The wave of hurt was instant, until Ellie realized it was the girl who played Camille on their show. “You must be Ellie” she said, shooting a genuine smile her way and hugging her as well. “This one never shuts up about you, I swear.” Ellie blushed, glaring at Carlos. “My name's Erin.”

“Nice to meet you” Ellie replied, offering a smile. They continued up to the room, all five of them. Erin was catching Carlos up on what he'd missed while he was home. Sophie was talking animatedly to Kendall, who was answering every question like a champ. They finally stopped in front of room number 813, where the door was already open.

It wasn't like their room on the show - in fact, it was much nicer. The walls were a soft golden color to match floor tiles, which Ellie suspected had real flecks of gold in them. A hall opened up into a two level apartment. The living room area housed a massive black leather couch that could seat fifteen people, a TV bigger than any of them, and a row of curtains in the back. Mouth hanging open, Ellie turned to see a lovely kitchen area, and five doors. Kendall retreated through one of the them, and Erin said a quick goodbye.

“So uh, this is home” Carlos reported, gesturing around the enormous apartment. Ellie's eyes were still bugging out. “I mean, we didn't always have this. But the show is going so well that the network gave us this place like, a month ago. It gets a little weird being together almost all the time, but we keep each other in check.” Ellie nodded. Sophie sprawled out on the couch, asleep already.

“Is that where Sophie and I are sleeping, on the couch?” Ellie teased. Carlos shrugged, laying a blanket over Sophie's sleeping frame.

“I mean, the fifth room is for guests, but I'm not gonna stop you from sleeping on the couch if you want. It's super comfy. I crash on it all the time.” Ellie nodded, setting her bag on the couch. Carlos then grabbed her hand, tugging her in the direction of what she could only assume was his room. “It's that, or this.”

“Your room is a mess.” Carlos looked somewhat offended. “What! It's still a nice room!” He bit his lip and made an effort to make his bed and stuff some clothes in his closet. “Oh my god, Carlos, I really don't mind.”

“Oh, good. It's not the mess that's the best part anyhow.” Carlos pulled Ellie over to the curtains across from his bed, and drew them aside. Ellie gasped. All of Hollywood stretched out before them, looking like something right out of a movie. The past few months felt like they had been out of a movie - unreal, imaginary, and too good to be true. “And that's why I picked this room.” Carlos' arm wrapped around Ellie's waist, and she curled into him. His lips pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, and she smiled at his careful touch.

“I keep thinking that this is all a dream, and I'm gonna wake up, I just have to open my eyes.” Ellie squeezed her eyes shut tightly and heard Carlos' laugh, felt the rumble in his chest. He turned her around, his lips pressing to the corner of her mouth, breath warm on her cheek. Her heart was going crazy, but she felt so content. And for always having to care for others, it was so new to feel that someone might care for her, too.

“Open your eyes.” Ellie did so, Carlos' hand rising to cup her cheek. “This is real, okay?” He kissed her, slow but passionate, and there were the fireworks she'd asked him for. “We are real. I don't know that I love you yet, Ellie, but I'm 100% sure that I will, if you let me. I hope you let me, anyway.” Everything felt like slow motion, the sparkle of Hollywood blurred behind them. Ellie smiled, placing her hands on Carlos' chest.

“I don't think that I could stop you, Carlos, not even if I wanted to. Not that I want to. I think sometimes, you just kind of know, when a person is good for you.” Ellie kissed him this time, throwing away the two date rule she'd given him. “And I can tell that we're good for each other.”

“I agree. So there's a movie premiere,” Carlos began, between kissing Ellie, breathing, and walking them to his bed. “Tomorrow” they breathed, his hands tangled in her hair. “Your hair is so soft, by the way” another kiss, they fell onto his bed, she burst into giggles. “And I want you to go with me, as my date.” She rolled over to him, and they kissed until there was a knock at the door.

“Well I'm not going to some movie premiere with some guy who isn't even my boyfriend.” Ellie retorted, going for the door before Carlos yanked her back to him, the light in his soft brown eyes fiery now.

“Fine - if you were my girlfriend, then would you go with me?” Ellie ran a hand through his short black hair, leaning down to kiss him again. There was another knock, sharper this time.

“I guess I would. If I had a nice dress. But I'm not your girlfriend, that's the real problem here.” Ellie went to open the door again, Carlos stood with her and took both her hands in his.

“So then, Ellie, will you be my girlfriend?” Ellie sighed, allowing her eyes to connect with his. She'd never had a boyfriend before. She hadn't even met any guys that she felt were actually worth being with. Except for Carlos.

“Yes. But you have to wear a bowtie tomorrow. A pink one.” Carlos grinned and they kissed, again, their mouths moving together even as the door burst open.

“See Carlos, I told you we need 'do not disturb' signs!” Ellie snapped to look at the crowd in the doorway, three guys and Sophie behind them in a fit of giggles.