Into the Wild...Boyz

“Hey, cool. My fish are still alive”, said Darcie as she added a pinch of food to the 20 gallon tank in front of her.

“Yeah they’re still kickin’ now where’s my shot glass?” asked Savannah from the couch. She was doing her best to try to stay awake while Darcie had escaped to her bedroom and unpacked a little bit.

“If you’re falling asleep, sleep.”

Savannah yawned. “That didn’t answer my question.”

Darcie chuckled. “I’ll go grab it.” Darcie went back down the hall into her bedroom to retrieve Savannah’s shot glass. “Are you going home any time soon?” she asked from the room.

“As tired as I am? Hell no. In fact, shouldn’t you be sleeping too?”

“I feel pretty good for being slightly jetlagged”, said Darcie as she returned with a small, brown paper bag and handed it to Savannah. “It’s not much but it’s pretty cool. Something rare for your collection.”

Savannah smiled as she sat up and took the bag and dug into it. She pulled out a very colorful, hand painted shot glass. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome”, Darcie replied and flopped onto the couch next to Savannah. “So let’s talk about what happened at the airport. Were you planning a not so secret rendezvous or what?”

“Dear Lord no”, replied Savannah. Her nose wrinkled, she was completely put off by the idea of her and Johnny and the phrase “secret rendezvous” alluded to in the same sentence.

“Wow. Didn’t mean to creep you out if I did.”

“It’s not like that at all. We’re just friends and I guess Jeff’s been giving him hell about it because I’ve been cutting in on their time. Can’t a guy and chick be friends?”

“That’s a good question. I would think so but eventually you’d have to have The Talk.”

“The Talk?”

“Yeah the one where you either profess your feelings for one another or one of you does and gets shot down and there goes the friendship, ya know?”

“Geez, I don’t even want to think that far ahead. We’ve just been having a good time, that’s all. Anyway, so what was it like being on the road for two weeks with your crush?”

“This isn’t junior high, Savannah, and Steve-O isn’t my crush.”

“Ha! But you knew exactly who I was talking about, didn’t ya?” Savannah gave her best friend a knowing smile.

“Wipe that smile off of your face or I’ll do it for you.”

“Testy, testy. You sure you don’t need some sleep before we get into this conversation?”

“There’s nothing to converse about.” Savannah nodded her head as Darcie paused. “I mean, I barely know him and besides, I’m not his type. He likes girls who’d jump his bones in a heartbeat for who he is, ya know? And he drinks. A lot. And smokes like a chimney. Weed and cigarettes. Which I can’t complain about too much because I smoke on occasion.”

“Both plants”, added Savannah.

“On occasion”, emphasized Darcie.

“And how do you know you’re not his type? What does that even mean anyway?”

“I saw something before I left for Argentina that I wish I hadn’t. I saw Steve leaving the broom closet, of all places, at work with some blond bimbo that came to interview him and Chris.”

“Maybe they were looking for a mop or something.”

“That’s not funny, Savannah. I’m so mad at myself. If it weren’t for this stupid heart on my sleeve this shit wouldn’t bother me at all, ya know? Casey was right, he can be very charming and he was nothing but nice to me when we were working. He even apologized for our little make out session in the back of your car. It’s frustrating as hell to me.” Darcie ran her fingers through her red hair. “Then he says we should hang out some time. Said he might call me.”

“Well maybe he just wants to get to know you better. Making out with someone the day you meet them really isn’t the way, know what I mean?”

“Yeah I get that. So what do I do, Savannah?”

“Just be you. That’s the best thing you can be.”

“God, you sound like a Hallmark card. What the hell have you been doing since I’ve been gone?”

“Works been sort of slow for Casey so I spent the last two weeks watching a lot of day time talk shows”, replied Savannah, almost proudly that she’d caught some new knowledge and Darcie just shook her head but smiled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That Monday it was back to work for Darcie. She was sitting on the floor in Jeff’s office due to the fact that practically the whole production team was called in there for an impromptu meeting. She was scribbling furiously on her notepad as Jeff rattled off commands.

“I need someone to make sure that we’re secure for Bob Burnquist’s place. Darcie, that’ll be you. Uh, call David Hasselhoff’s people as well and make sure we have him too. Last time I checked we were good but double check to make sure. Who’s getting Manny from the airport?”

“I will”, said Dimitry.

“Okay good”, said Jeff. “He’ll be touching down in an hour. Don’t make him wait.”

“Should I leave now then?”

“Of course not, we’re in the middle of a meeting.” Jeff rolled his eyes but everyone knew he was joking. “Uh….I think that’s it. But I feel like I’m forgetting something. Oh, we might just go down to Mexico too if we get ahead of schedule so that means we’ll work through the weekend.” There was a collective groan from the crew. “Don’t be a bunch of babies about it. It’s Mexico. It’s like a vacation with a little bit of work involved. Now get the hell out of my office.” The crew started to leave.

“Darcie, wanna ride with me to the airport?” asked Dimitry.

“Which loosely translates to do you want to drive to the airport”, said Rick.

“I hate lunch hour rush hour”, said Dimitry, in his own defense.

“I thought I told you all to get the hell out”, said Jeff. “But that’s a great idea, Dimitry. Take Darcie with you. Make it happen and hurry.”

“Um, okay”, replied Darcie as she got up and left Jeff’s office with Dimitry. They were making their
way back to Darcie’s little cubicle so she could ditch her notepad and they could leave.

“You have a driver’s license, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay good. You’ll like Manny, he’s cool as shit.”

“What’s his role in the company?” She hastily tossed the notepad over her cubicle wall and they started heading for the door.

“He’s our predator expert.”

“Predator expert?”

“Yeah. Every nature show needs one and Manny’s ours. I think our snake guy’s scheduled for this week too but I’m not sure.”

“Snakes?” Darcie audibly gulped. She could handle furry, she could handle slimey but she was scared to death of slithery. Dimitry noticed her skittishness right off the bat and couldn’t help but smile.

“I’ll do you a favor and keep your secret”, said Dimitry as they reached the parking lot.
Darcie paled a little bit. “What secret is that?”

“The secret that you don’t like snakes”, he replied as they got to his car and he unlocked the driver’s side door for her then handed her the keys. “You have to understand something about this place”, he advised as he made it around to the passenger side. “We have a tendency to exploit people’s fears to our advantage and just for shits and giggles too.”

“I’ll definitely make a note of that for sure”, said Darcie as they both go in the car and headed to the airport.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I don’t wanna, you can’t make me, and you’re not Mom!” exclaimed Savannah defiantly as she stood in front of Casey’s desk with her hands on her hips. Casey took one look at her and burst out laughing at the fit her little sister was having.

“You’re lucky I’m not Mom. I wouldn’t have raised such a nerdy little girl.”
Savannah gasped, “You bitch.”

“Look, Savannah, I already said you would. And this is a good thing. I don’t see why you’re so upset.”

“No one dares to set you up on blind dates”, Savannah mumbled and threw herself into the chair in front of Casey’s desk.

“That’s because I don’t have to be set up.” Casey gestured to herself. “This sells itself.” Savannah rolled her eyes at her. “I think you need to broaden your horizons.”

What Casey really meant was that she wanted Savannah to spend time with someone other than Johnny for a change. Casey was sure their relationship was strictly platonic but she didn’t want her little sister getting in over her head with the guy. She liked Johnny just fine but he was going through a separation and she had a feeling he was probably just as lonely as Savannah.

“My horizons are broad enough and I don’t need a hook up.”

“No one said you had to hook up with the guy. It’s just dinner.”

Savannah sighed heavily. “When and where?”

“His house, tonight. About 7 o’clock.”

“Are you kidding me? That doesn’t give me much time to go home and change, you know? What’s this guy like anyway?”

“Just wear what you have on now.” Casey gestured to the pencil skirt and baby blue silk shirt Savannah wore. “And he’s an entrepreneur, of sorts. He has his own clothing line, he’s self-made.
You guys will get along great I know it.”

Savannah grumbled, “I hate you, you know that?”

Casey laughed at her. “No you don’t. You love me because I’m your sister.” Savannah got up from her chair. “Oh yeah, before you go.” Casey reached over and picked up a manila envelope from the basket on her desk. “Take this over to Dickhouse for me. It goes to Jeff.” She held out the envelope to Savannah and shook it at her so she snatched it out of Casey’s hand. “It’s on the way and drop the attitude, will you? Call me later and tell me how the date went.”

“Oh you can bet on that.” Savannah picked up her purse and started to leave.

“I love you, Chipmunk.” Casey smiled.

“Yeah love you too”, Savannah said, half-heartedly and slammed Casey’s door behind her. Savannah wasn’t happy at all about Casey setting her up on a blind date. Did it ever occur to Casey that Savannah probably had plans already? Granted they were with Johnny, they were always with him lately but they were still plans. Savannah silently stewed as she got into her car and tossed the manila envelope onto the passenger seat then screeched out of the parking lot of Casey’s office.