Taking a Chance

It feels as if the balls of your feet are on fire as you walk into the fourth dress shop, glancing at the price tags until you reach the section that's in your budget. Paying ridiculous prices for clothes had never been your thing, especially when you would probably only wear the outfit once after the original occasion. You marvel at the many dresses of varying styles and colours; strapless, backless, low-cut, pinks and blues, purples and silvers. You try on a few and look at yourself in the mirror, wishing that Michelle was there to give you her expert opinion. One of the dress stores you had ventured into earlier and quickly retreated out of springs back in your mind, there was that one dress you regretted putting back on the rack. Compared to what you see all around you that dress had been perfect. That dress had been exactly what you were looking for and stupidly, you hadn't realised it.
You apologise to the sale's assistant and leave, heading back to that store for that perfect dress. You pray silently, hoping that they still have it.

Friday Evening

Walking into the venue had been an overwhelming experience with the media sticking their cameras into your face. The meal had been good, better than you had expected and the waiters regularly circulated around the room with glasses of champagne. The whole event had been orchestrated to raise money for the children's hospital.

Donations were welcome, but the real money was to be made during the auction. Three of your nature photographs had been sold at reasonable prices before the auction had even started, the proceeds going straight to the charity, minus your commission.
You are surrounded by people who are there to help make a difference, fashion-models, artists, A-list celebrities, politicians and anyone else who could bid at auction or offer an object to be sold.

You are sitting quite comfortably at the bar, thankful to find ten minutes alone away from the chaotic auction room. A reporter had asked you for a few words on the night since you are a local businesswoman and had auctioned a few pieces of your work. It had been nice to be noticed like that, to see your name with a quote in the local newspaper, but you were equally as happy to see the reporter run after someone else.
Everyone has been really kind to you, a few of the more in-the-light celebrities commending you for your work and wished you had auctioned more pieces. The response is overwhelming and sitting at a bar on your own helps you recollect your thoughts.

"Susie?" A familiar voice says to your right. You swivel round on the bar stool and give him a warm smile."Jesus, I can't believe you are here"

You laugh as he hugs you tight, just like old times. You can't quite believe that the famous actor,

Jeremy Renner is standing next to you, but what really gets you is that he recognised you.

"I thought I recognised you earlier. How have you been?" He asks, hopping up onto the vacant bar stool.

"I've been doing really great" You say, buzzing. It's been so long."How about you now that you are this big Hollywood star?"

"Hollywood star? Try workaholic." He laughs and orders you both drinks, champagne for you and a scotch on the rocks for himself.

"It can't be that bad" you reply, your eyes following the next blown up picture-canvas to be auctioned.

"It's intense. Anyway, your photographs are amazing." He says."I bought the sunset on the beach. It's going right over my fire at the cabin"

You remember the two bidders in the auction room who were bidding against each other, quite viciously.

"You bought it?" You ask, surprised.

"The second I saw it I figured it had to be mine and then I saw your bio in the auction book. I needed to come say hi"

"Thank you. This money goes to a worthy cause. I'm actually overwhelmed how much of a success tonight has been." You say as you turn off the alarm on your phone. You have work tomorrow and the thought of not staying until the after party makes you wish you worked a regular nine-to-five job.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Unfortunately some of us have work to go to"

Jeremy laughs and grabs a napkin from behind the bar. You wonder what he's writing and then he hands it to you.

"My number."He says "Maybe we could go for a coffee and talk about old times"

"That sounds good" You jump down from the bar stool and tuck the napkin safely into your handbag. He almost laughs when you lose your balance.

"Come on, I'll hail you a cab"

Jeremy closes the rear door and waves to you as the cab pulls away. You wave back and consider taking off your heels, but you are sure the driver wouldn't appreciate having smelly feet with him for the rest of the night. You fish out your keys and let yourself into your modernised condo, ready to just collapse into bed. It's been an exhausting week, but you aren't able to look forward to your days off just yet. Tomorrow is going to be an even longer day.