Starry Eyes

TWO WEEKS

“I’m never leaving this place.” Michelle whistles as we walk through the townhome my dad is renting for us for the production of the movie. “Seriously Nik, leave me here. This is my new happy place.”

The place is gorgeous. It has dark red accent walls to compliment the very old and distressed exposed brick walls. The interior is designed in a gothic style. It would make any vampire comfortable and at home. I always thought my apartment was gorgeous, but this place takes the cake. And the views from the balcony looks over the iconic Bourbon Street. Michelle is right, this might just be my new happy place as well. And to make everything even better, the courtyard as a soaking pool and a hot tub. This place can’t get any better.

“Okay, I think I might just move here.” I chuckle as I drop my bags down in front of the stairs. “Screw L.A at this point. NOLA is where it’s at.”

“If you move here, I’m becoming your roommate.” Michelle says, placing her bags by mine. “You will not be able to get rid of me. I’ll be like a very annoying cockroach.”

“So you’ll be just like how you are now?” I smirk earning a playful glare from Michelle as well as a certain little finger as she walks into the kitchen.

“You’re a bitch, Nik.”

“And you’re just realizing this now.” I chuckle. “Okay, I’m going to put my shit away. I call the master bedroom.” I tell her before grabbing my backs and dragging them up to the second floor.

I walk into the room and my jaw jobs. This is a gothic girl’s paradise. Dark red walls accenting more exposed brick and a four cast iron poster bed sitting in the middle of the room. The bed is adorned with twinkle lights wrapped around the four posts and red velvet comforter. There are accents of black everywhere. A smile appears on my lips as I walk over to the huge full length mirror leaning up against the wall next to a window with a crushed red velvet window seat. I pull back the blinds and see Bourbon Street below.

“This is truly paradise.” I say just as I fell my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I pull out the phone and see Douglas’ name and picture popping up. “Please tell me you landed.” I say bypassing any other greeting.

“Colson and I are just settling into our apartment.” He replies. “Why you miss me?”

“Of course.” I chuckle. “As much as I love listen to you talk, I rather actually see you and be able to hold you. And you do owe me a second date, by the way.”

“How about tonight?” He asks. “I’m sure we can find trouble here. What part of New Orleans are you guys in?”

“Dad got us a place right on Bourbon Street.” I reply. “Where are you and Colson?”

“Somewhere in the French Quarter, not sure.”

“I’m going to text you our address and you’re going to meet me outside my place at 7 tonight and we’re just going to roam Bourbon Street and do little pub crawl. How does that sound?”

“That sounds amazing.” I can envision his smile. “See you tonight?”

“See you tonight…” I say before hanging up. But the smile on my face doesn’t leave my lips.

“Lover Boy call?” I hear Michelle ask. I turn around and see her leaning up against the door frame. “I’ve never seen you this happy over a guy. I’m glad you finally found him.”

“Me too.” My smile grows. “And we’re finally in the same time zone again. I seriously can’t wait to see what these next couple months brings us. It can only get better right?”

“If it doesn’t, I’ll be happy to kick his ass for you.” Michelle laughs. “And let’s go cause some trouble, Lee. No more chick flick moments…”

**

“God I missed you.” I say as I snake my arms around Douglas’ neck and pull him into a short kiss. “Don’t ever leave me again.”

“I’m yours for the next couple months.” He chuckles as his arms find themselves around my waist. “And I missed you too. Facetime wasn’t good enough anymore. I needed to be able to touch you again.”

“We sound so hopeless, don’t we?” I chuckle. “We’ve been on one date and we sound like Romeo and Juliet almost; hopelessly in love.”

“You do know I did in fact played Romeo, right?” He laughs before kissing my lips again. “But when it’s right, it’s right. And this feels very right…”

“Come on then Romeo, let’s give this town hell.” I pull away from Douglas and grab his hand. “Let’s get lost in this city.” He just smiles as he allows me to guide him wherever I want...