Pop Culture.
There's nothing like them L.A. girls
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Mila, my good friend, asks as we waiting around my apartment for the interviews to start for my new roommate. “They’re basically strangers.”
“I'm never home,” I reason with her, “might as well get someone that can keep the place up that way I don’t have to spend my days home cleaning constantly.”
“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” Mila huffs. I just roll my eyes as there is a knock on my door. I walk over to door, opening it to reveal a very good looking guy. Tall, handsome with blue eyes and brown hair. He looks like the many guys in my marketing classes; messy looking with the hopes of one day being a powerful marketing exec.
“You must be Devon, right?” I ask before letting him in.
“Yea, you’re Markie?” He asks. I nod as I let him pass. As he walks into the penthouse apartment, he let’s out a whistle. “Nice place you have here. This must have costed you a fortune.”
“Only a small one,” I joke. “I’ve actually been saving up for this place for four years.”
“This place is nice,” he comments again. “Why are you looking for someone to live here with you? Bills too much or something?”
“Nothing like that,” I reply. “I’m never home and I feel like this place is empty far too much. I figure someone should live here full time. I don’t like spending my days off cleaning and dusting. Rent is going to be cheap so it can eventually help a lost soul save up money to get their own apartment sooner than later.”
“You researched me, huh?”
“I didn’t have to. Your look tells me everything.” I smile. “You came here to attend UCLA and you’re majoring in marketing. You’re hoping big names like Coke or Pepsi will hire you and you’ll make millions helping the company sell their product.”
“You got all that by how I look?” He asks, clearly impressed with my superpower.
“I’m in the business of reading people,” I reply. “I wouldn’t be living here if I didn’t know how to tell the rich from the average.”
“You’re a call girl?” He quickly blurts out.
“Nothing like that.” I assure him. “I don’t sleep with guys for money. I sell clubs, products and a bunch of other things by just showing up at places. You can say, it’s marketing.”
“You use your sex appeal to sell things to clients. That’s kinda like being a call girl.” He counters.
“Sex appeal is just marketing when you think about it.” I smile. “Want the grand tour?”
“Honestly I’ve seen enough,” he replies. “I’d like the take the spot. It’s close to school and to my part time job at Mom’s Bar.”
“Well I have two other interviews today, but I’ll call you when I make my decision.” I explain to him. “Hopefully I’ll see you again, Devon.”
“You too, Markie.” He smiles before leaving the apartment.
“He’s cute.” Mila states as the door closes. “But you aren’t considering him are you?”
“Maybe,” I shrug. “He’s a lot like me when I first came to L.A.”
“But is a kindred spirit enough of a reason to let a perfect stranger into your home?” She questions. “He thinks you’re a call girl.”
“Let him think whatever he wants, we both know what we are. That’s all that matters.” I assure her. “No guy is going to get in my way of making a living for myself. I’m fine with getting paid to party with sleazebags and Richy Rich types. I’m not sleeping with them so what I do besides sell the American Dream isn’t his concern.”
“Just making sure you’re doing the right thing, Markie.” Mila smiles. “I’d hate to lose you over some newbie that starts questioning to your career choice.”
“Besides, living with me could benefit him.” I say, changing the subject slightly. “I could mold him into the perfect marketing exec.”
“You see him as a project, don’t you?”
“It could be fun, right?” I chuckle. “I’m around powerful people all the time, I know how they dress and act. I could help him get everything he wants by just giving him a makeover.”
“You’re not even going to interview the other people, are you?”
“Why bother?” I ask her. “I found the perfect roommate. He’s just like him. Nothing could go wrong with this, could it?”
**
I walk into Mom’s Bar and the DJ is playing some cover of I Shot the Sheriff. My eyes scan the place looking for Devon. When I finally find him behind the bar, I walk towards him. I sit down at the bar and another bartender comes over towards me,
“What can I get you pretty lady?”
“I want Devon,” I point to the other man in black. The bartender gives me annoyed look before walking over to Devon. Devon looks over at me, with a shocked expression, before he walks over towards me.
“How did you know I’d be here tonight?” He asks, “you’re not stalking me are you?”
“I called in asking if you worked tonight,” I reply with smile. “I wanted to tell you the good news in person. You got the spot. You’re more than welcome to move in whenever you want.” I give the keys out of my purse and hand them to him. “
“What made you pick me?” He asks, “if you don’t mind me asking.”
“We both can benefit from this arrangement,” I shrug. “I guess I’ll see you whenever?”
“You’re not going to stay?” He asks, “I can make you a mean Long Island Iced Tea.”
“I’ve got to go to work,” I tell him. “But, I’ll hold you to that drink, okay?” I slip off the barstool and leave the bar. I look behind me before leaving and I see Devon watching me. I wave goodbye for exiting the building.
**
Devon
“Who the hell was that?” Max asks as I watch Markie walk out of the bar. “She’s hot.”
“Remember that interview I went on today about becoming some chick’s roommate?” I ask as I turn to look at him. He simply just nods his head. “Well that’s her. I can finally move off of your couch.” I dangle the keys in front of his face.
“Where does she live?” He questions. “How nice is the apartment?”
“Really nice,” I tell him. “She lives a couple blocks from here.”
“She rich?”
“Doesn’t act like she is,” I shrug. “She won’t admit it, but I think she’s a call girl.”
“She’s gorgeous but not call girl gorgeous, bro.” Max laughs. “She probably mooches off her Dad or some Sugar Daddy.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I laugh. “I’ve finally got a bedroom and I don’t have to hear your victims at night.”
“You could always join in,” he winks causing me to roll my eyes.
“I’ll pass.” I chuckle. “Anyway, I’m going to move my shit tomorrow. By the time, I get off work it’ll be too late.”
“You crashing there tonight?”
“Oh hell yea,” I laugh. “I might actually get a good-night sleep.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Dev.” Max sincerely says. “L.A girls are nothing but trouble.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assure him. “She’s just going to be a roommate. Besides she already informed me that she’s rarely home. Nothing can go wrong with this. It’s like living on my own.”
“Still watch yourself,” he states, “she could go psycho on you and try to change you despite the arrangement.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Girls out here are all about image, bro.” He replies. “Image is everything. Remember that. That little piece of information can help you a great amount out here. It’ll help you weed out the fakes from the real. Trust me.”
“Thanks Max,” I say. “But I’ve got this. No need to be like a big brother to me. I can look out for myself.”
“Just tryin’ to help you.” He shrugs. “I’ll always have you back, Devon. No matter if you’re living with me or not. I’ve seen good boys like you get torn into shreds because of L.A girls. I’d hate to see that happen to you. Don’t become a slave to pop culture and trends. It’s an illusion.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t plan on it.” I assure him. “I want to get into marketing to become the illusion, not fall slave to it...”
“I'm never home,” I reason with her, “might as well get someone that can keep the place up that way I don’t have to spend my days home cleaning constantly.”
“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” Mila huffs. I just roll my eyes as there is a knock on my door. I walk over to door, opening it to reveal a very good looking guy. Tall, handsome with blue eyes and brown hair. He looks like the many guys in my marketing classes; messy looking with the hopes of one day being a powerful marketing exec.
“You must be Devon, right?” I ask before letting him in.
“Yea, you’re Markie?” He asks. I nod as I let him pass. As he walks into the penthouse apartment, he let’s out a whistle. “Nice place you have here. This must have costed you a fortune.”
“Only a small one,” I joke. “I’ve actually been saving up for this place for four years.”
“This place is nice,” he comments again. “Why are you looking for someone to live here with you? Bills too much or something?”
“Nothing like that,” I reply. “I’m never home and I feel like this place is empty far too much. I figure someone should live here full time. I don’t like spending my days off cleaning and dusting. Rent is going to be cheap so it can eventually help a lost soul save up money to get their own apartment sooner than later.”
“You researched me, huh?”
“I didn’t have to. Your look tells me everything.” I smile. “You came here to attend UCLA and you’re majoring in marketing. You’re hoping big names like Coke or Pepsi will hire you and you’ll make millions helping the company sell their product.”
“You got all that by how I look?” He asks, clearly impressed with my superpower.
“I’m in the business of reading people,” I reply. “I wouldn’t be living here if I didn’t know how to tell the rich from the average.”
“You’re a call girl?” He quickly blurts out.
“Nothing like that.” I assure him. “I don’t sleep with guys for money. I sell clubs, products and a bunch of other things by just showing up at places. You can say, it’s marketing.”
“You use your sex appeal to sell things to clients. That’s kinda like being a call girl.” He counters.
“Sex appeal is just marketing when you think about it.” I smile. “Want the grand tour?”
“Honestly I’ve seen enough,” he replies. “I’d like the take the spot. It’s close to school and to my part time job at Mom’s Bar.”
“Well I have two other interviews today, but I’ll call you when I make my decision.” I explain to him. “Hopefully I’ll see you again, Devon.”
“You too, Markie.” He smiles before leaving the apartment.
“He’s cute.” Mila states as the door closes. “But you aren’t considering him are you?”
“Maybe,” I shrug. “He’s a lot like me when I first came to L.A.”
“But is a kindred spirit enough of a reason to let a perfect stranger into your home?” She questions. “He thinks you’re a call girl.”
“Let him think whatever he wants, we both know what we are. That’s all that matters.” I assure her. “No guy is going to get in my way of making a living for myself. I’m fine with getting paid to party with sleazebags and Richy Rich types. I’m not sleeping with them so what I do besides sell the American Dream isn’t his concern.”
“Just making sure you’re doing the right thing, Markie.” Mila smiles. “I’d hate to lose you over some newbie that starts questioning to your career choice.”
“Besides, living with me could benefit him.” I say, changing the subject slightly. “I could mold him into the perfect marketing exec.”
“You see him as a project, don’t you?”
“It could be fun, right?” I chuckle. “I’m around powerful people all the time, I know how they dress and act. I could help him get everything he wants by just giving him a makeover.”
“You’re not even going to interview the other people, are you?”
“Why bother?” I ask her. “I found the perfect roommate. He’s just like him. Nothing could go wrong with this, could it?”
**
I walk into Mom’s Bar and the DJ is playing some cover of I Shot the Sheriff. My eyes scan the place looking for Devon. When I finally find him behind the bar, I walk towards him. I sit down at the bar and another bartender comes over towards me,
“What can I get you pretty lady?”
“I want Devon,” I point to the other man in black. The bartender gives me annoyed look before walking over to Devon. Devon looks over at me, with a shocked expression, before he walks over towards me.
“How did you know I’d be here tonight?” He asks, “you’re not stalking me are you?”
“I called in asking if you worked tonight,” I reply with smile. “I wanted to tell you the good news in person. You got the spot. You’re more than welcome to move in whenever you want.” I give the keys out of my purse and hand them to him. “
“What made you pick me?” He asks, “if you don’t mind me asking.”
“We both can benefit from this arrangement,” I shrug. “I guess I’ll see you whenever?”
“You’re not going to stay?” He asks, “I can make you a mean Long Island Iced Tea.”
“I’ve got to go to work,” I tell him. “But, I’ll hold you to that drink, okay?” I slip off the barstool and leave the bar. I look behind me before leaving and I see Devon watching me. I wave goodbye for exiting the building.
**
Devon
“Who the hell was that?” Max asks as I watch Markie walk out of the bar. “She’s hot.”
“Remember that interview I went on today about becoming some chick’s roommate?” I ask as I turn to look at him. He simply just nods his head. “Well that’s her. I can finally move off of your couch.” I dangle the keys in front of his face.
“Where does she live?” He questions. “How nice is the apartment?”
“Really nice,” I tell him. “She lives a couple blocks from here.”
“She rich?”
“Doesn’t act like she is,” I shrug. “She won’t admit it, but I think she’s a call girl.”
“She’s gorgeous but not call girl gorgeous, bro.” Max laughs. “She probably mooches off her Dad or some Sugar Daddy.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I laugh. “I’ve finally got a bedroom and I don’t have to hear your victims at night.”
“You could always join in,” he winks causing me to roll my eyes.
“I’ll pass.” I chuckle. “Anyway, I’m going to move my shit tomorrow. By the time, I get off work it’ll be too late.”
“You crashing there tonight?”
“Oh hell yea,” I laugh. “I might actually get a good-night sleep.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Dev.” Max sincerely says. “L.A girls are nothing but trouble.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assure him. “She’s just going to be a roommate. Besides she already informed me that she’s rarely home. Nothing can go wrong with this. It’s like living on my own.”
“Still watch yourself,” he states, “she could go psycho on you and try to change you despite the arrangement.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Girls out here are all about image, bro.” He replies. “Image is everything. Remember that. That little piece of information can help you a great amount out here. It’ll help you weed out the fakes from the real. Trust me.”
“Thanks Max,” I say. “But I’ve got this. No need to be like a big brother to me. I can look out for myself.”
“Just tryin’ to help you.” He shrugs. “I’ll always have you back, Devon. No matter if you’re living with me or not. I’ve seen good boys like you get torn into shreds because of L.A girls. I’d hate to see that happen to you. Don’t become a slave to pop culture and trends. It’s an illusion.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t plan on it.” I assure him. “I want to get into marketing to become the illusion, not fall slave to it...”