Falling in Love With the Potential Prey

“Quit moping!” Martin said as nudged me; I rolled my eyes as I took another bite out of my salad, “The guys not even that hot, who gives if he didn’t call.”

It’s been a week and Bradley hadn’t called me after I had given him my phone number, I wasn’t moping though, I hadn’t even mentioned it until Martin brought it up twenty minutes ago, “Will you quit?” I told him as I stared at him seriously, “I’m not moping, but it is kind of depressing because you keep talking about it.”

“Sorry, but him even approaching you is a big deal,” he laughed as I scoffed, “I don’t mean it in a bad way or anything, you know you’re beautiful but I mean, c’mon, we’re talking about Bradley fucking Cooper here.”

“You’re right, it was pretty shocking,” I said with a light laugh, “It’s just… I don’t understand it, if he had no intentions of calling me, why even ask for my number?” I played with my finger tips, “Seriously, it’s… cruel.”

“It’s only cruel if you allow it to be,” he told me intelligently, he had a point, why should I even bother thinking about someone who I had absolutely no chance with in the first place, “Look, let’s go down to Hollywood, we can hit up Hyde and get some drinks, maybe snoop out some celebrity drama while we’re down there.”

“I am so not in the mood to do that, if we’re going to go there, we’re going to have fun and not work,” I told him in a serious tone, although I don’t know why I even bother saying that, Martin’s eyes and ears are always open for the latest scandals that were going on, “I mean it.”

He looked at me with a dumbfounded look, “You’re talking to me here, if there is something out there, I’m not going to let it slide,” he said in a ‘stating the obvious’ voice, “But I promise I won’t let it surround my night, your happiness will come first, gossip columnists honor.”

The two of us got ready at my apartment. I wore my blue with black knee high dress with black heels. I let my hair down with the ends curled; my make-up wasn’t too heavy, natural blush with light mascara and very light red lipstick.

We also invited two of our other mutual friends, Marco and Stephanie. If we were going to hit up Hyde then we might as well make it a social gathering, besides, if I had another girl with me then it wouldn’t look as if I ‘with’ Martin. It happened wherever we went, since the two of us are best friends, we’re always together.

“When we get there, I’d appreciate if you don’t mention the whole Bradley thing to the two of them,” I told Martin before we got out of my car, “You know how Marco is, he doesn’t know how to leave things be, he drags them on, like someone I know.” I laughed as I referred to him.

“Oh, whatever,” he said as his eyes rolled and we made our way inside of the lounge, finding our two friends wasn’t a difficult task, we had already made a reservation and the two of them were already waiting for us, “This is one of the things that I love about my job, we can get into all of the top clubs.”

“Quit gloating, bro,” Marco said to him as we all laughed, “You might can get in but people don’t know who you are,” He poured himself a glass of Grey Goose vodka and cranberry, “But I’m glad you can get in because otherwise I wouldn’t be here right now.”

“That’s right, bitch,” Martin said he pointed at him and we laughed some more, “How are things going down at… where are you working again?” I’m not sure if that was a sarcastic question or a genuine one, “I know you’re working with computers and stuff but I can’t remember the name.”

“Pixar,” I answered for Marco, “Seriously, you can remember the birthdays of people you don’t know, what kind of car they drive and what their life has been like, yet you can’t remember where one of your closest friend works?”

“I was being sarcastic,” Martin said with a smile, “I know where he works, I’m not an idiot; I was just trying to make him feel… unimportant.” That’s how our friendship worked always taking jabs at each other but none of them were serious on any level.

“You know, I love coming out with you two,” Stephanie said as she looked at Martin and I, “No matter where we go we’re always feet away from celebrities, thanks to you two, I know longer freak out on them anymore.”

“If you see any of them doing anything suspicious, tell me, that way I can beat her ass to the story,” Martin said as he glanced at me, “I don’t know how her and I stay friends, we’re neck and neck down at the office.”

“Yeah that’s only because she takes it easy, I bet Jewel could get ahead of you anytime, I’ve read some of her articles and they’re pretty intense,” Marco said as he raised an eyebrow, “You better watch out.”

We had some drinks and chatted about what has been going on within our lives. Marco talked to us about his job at Pixar and how much he enjoyed making those creatures come to life. Stephanie was a waitress, she had never gone to college for one reason or the other, however, she made pretty good money waiting tables. Her life was pretty fascinating because she’s always partying, been that way since high school.

“I’m dying for a margarita,” I told my friends as I sipped that last bit of Grey Goose, “I’m going to hit the bar for one, anyone want to come with?” I glanced at the three of them and the only that stood up was Martin, “We’ll be right back.”

We walked to the bar coolly, “Can we get two margaritas, please?” I told the bartender as walked up to me, he smiled politely and nodded, “Thank you.”

“If this isn’t fate, I don’t know what is,” I heard Martin say to me, I turned to him and I noticed he was laughing, “Your pretty boy is about ten feet away from you.”

I turned towards the direction that he was looking at and sure enough there was Bradley standing there with a drink his hand, I turned back quickly, “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said to Martin with a shocked tone, “Alright, I just got to make sure he doesn’t see me, I’ve got my back towards him so that’s a start and you turn the other way, he’s going to recognize you.”

“I think it’s too late for that,” Martin said as he coughed and waved politely to someone behind me, I couldn’t believe this he was making him notice us, “I’m not going to be rude and not wave back, be prepared, here he comes.”

“Hey, bro, your Jewel’s friend, right?” I heard from behind, I couldn’t help but smile as I heard him say my name, it was almost impossible not to, I watched Martin nod his head, “I think she gave me the wrong number either that or she’s completely blowing me off.”

I couldn’t avoid him now, if I turned to walk away he would obviously see that it was me, “Um, I don’t think so,” I said with a polite laugh as I turn towards him, he had a smiled plastered on his face, “Hi.”

“Hey! I didn’t know it was you standing in front of me,” he said with a light laugh, “I guess we’re even on that one,” I couldn’t help but smile at that, “I tried you a few times and I didn’t get any response so I figured you just… blew me off.”

I shook my head, “I haven’t gotten any calls,” I told him honestly as I looked at him, “Are you just saying because you didn’t call?” I half joked.

“No, no, I did,” he said as he pulled out his phone, “I promise, I don’t ask girls for their number just for fun,” he laughed as he said and then he proceeded to recite my old phone number.

“Problem solved, that’s my old number,” I said as my cheeks began to blush, “I guess I said my old number out of habit, I’m sorry.”

“Or you purposely did just so you wouldn’t have to see me again,” he teased with a smile, “Either way it worked out, for me anyway, since we’re meeting again.” His blue eyes sparkled and I couldn’t help but look into them hopelessly, “You look beautiful, by the way.”

My heart skipped at beat, “Thank you, you look good too,” he wore black pants with a black button up shirt, “And I guess it did work out,” I said as I smiled at him, “Although it is a bit…”

“Serendipitous?” He finished my sentence, he took the word right out of my mouth and I quirked my eyebrow, “What?” He questioned with a light laugh.

“I wasn’t aware that actors had such a high vocabulary,” I teased as he scoffed but smiled, “I’m kidding, but yes, serendipitous is better than I could describe… whatever this is.”

“Well, I did graduate with a degree in English,” he enlightened me, I was impressed, “I’m not trying to sound cocky though, but, yes, what are the chances of the two of us running into each other twice in such a short period of time.”

“So, what brings you around here?” I asked him curiously, “I’ve been down here before and I’ve never seen or even heard of you coming down here for drinks and such.”

“Yeah, I’m not much of a night owl and I usually prefer to stay out of the frenzy but my buddy Zach wanted to come down for some drinks,” he explained as he motioned towards his friend, “So, I decided to come out.”

I glanced towards where he motioned and Zach Galifianakis was standing there, “Sweet,” I said as I focused back on Bradley, “You two are good friends then? I hear he’s a funny guy.”

“Yeah, he’s one of my best friends actually,” he told me, “He’s a character,” he leaned against the bar, “So, now that you’re not in a hurry to get back to work, can I bother you a second and get you a drink?”

“You wouldn’t be bothering me,” I said to him truthfully, “Far from it, but I just-”

“Ordered one?” He finished my sentence for me again, I laughed and nodded, “Oh, you mean the one your friend just took back to the table and gave to your other friend?”

I looked towards my table and noticed that he was indeed correct, “I guess so,” I stated as I looked at him, “In that case, yes, you can buy me a drink.”