*****One Week Later*** The night wore on and Natalie grew impatient. Across from her sat Matt, hitting not so subtly on a pert blonde whose greatest achievement was maybe getting plastic curgery to enlarge her fake breasts. Already not in the mood to come to yet another Hollywood swing and pretend she was enjoying herself, Matt had encouraged her to come and he’d entertain her yet he had barely glanced at her when his eyes landed on the blonde whose name she didn’t catch. Boredom filled her brain with the smallest of details, right down to the slight wrinkles on the girl’s skirt. Downing her drink, she glanced around the room, trying to spot a person she wouldn’t mind talking to and wouldn’t aggravate the hell out of her. Seeing none, she waved over one of the busboys and ordered another drink. She watched sullenly as one of the actors from the film she had recently finsihed making headed her way and tried to force a smile for him, hoping he didn’t take it as a means to flirt. For the whole six months of shooting, he had tried to attract her into going out on a ‘casual date’ as he had put it and she insistently refused, not wanting to get involved with someone as shallow as he. “ Which one’s your brother?” Startled as the deep voice murmured quietly into her ear from behind, she looked up and broke into a relieved grin when she saw AJ. “ What are you doing here?” She asked as she stood to greet him with a hug. “ What are you doing alone?” He inquired in answer to her, wrapping her in a hug and attracting the attention of the press people in the room. “ I don’t wanna be here.” She stated simply as he took a seat next to her on the sofa and glanced at Matthew and the disreputable blonde. “ Ok, good answer. Well, in answer to yours, we had a couple of days off after this thing and then we’re off overseas.” The busboy brought her drink and asked AJ if he wanted anything. “ Yeah, a martini, please.” The waiter disappeared again as AJ turned back to Natalie. “ You look bored as shit, Natalie.” “ No kidding, I didn’t wanna come, remember? That guy over there promised to keep me company and now he’s making googly eyes at that girl,” She complained, rolling her eyes. “ Yeah, well, I can see why.” AJ said, smirking at Natalie’s repulsed look. “ So are you gonna introduce me or should I just guess which one this is?” Nat fumed as she called over to her brother. “ Which one this is?” AJ repeated in an undertone to her, quizzical as Matt finally noticed him. “ Uh, this is Candice,” Matt acquainted and the girl smiled, leaning forward to shake Nat’s hand and gave AJ a polite smile. Matt shot a pointed look at Natalie who managed to roll her eyes again. “ This is my friend...AJ, meet my brother Matt.” AJ offered a small wave and a smirk at Matt who didn’t look like he had taken to AJ very much, and ‘Candice.’ “ HI,” He added for the benefit of the awkward silence. “ Oh, thanks.” He looked up when his drink was brought to him and quickly took a sip. “ So, Matt, what brings you here?” “ I hadn’t seen my sister for awhile so I just thought...” He trailed off when AJ shook his head, indicating that wasn’t what he meant. “ What brings you to tonight? Here.” Matt looked at AJ for a second before shrugging. “ Thought it’d be fun.” AJ nodded and gave up any other form of conversation. “ You wanna go say hi to the guys?” “ Sure,” She got off the couch, drink in hand. “ I’ll see you back at the house?” She asked Matt. “ Yeah, I’ll get a ride from-” “ Well, you could take Nat’s ride and then she could just bum a ride with me.” AJ suggested, grasping his drink and slipping his arm through Natalie’s as they headed to where AJ had left the rest of the guys. “ Jeez, Natalie, you are one strange person.” AJ commented once out of earshot. “ Me? Why?” “ Babe, you haven’t seen your brother in, what, three years? And you bring him to where you are the most subdued and awkward?” “ Awkward?” She cried indignantly. AJ chuckled and shook his head. “ Besides, he insisted on coming!” She added hastily. “ Did he? Looks like he’s enjoying himself with the chick.” They caught sight of the rest of the guys and their dates and cut the conversation short so she could say hello...
