Angel: The Party
by Ben: The Vampire Hunter
b_church@yahoo.com
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Angel and Cordelia belong to Joss Whedon. Pretty much everyone else
is mine.
"Well if you need funding I can hook you up. Both me and my
wife are rich."
"Wait a minute Tom," Joe said. "You're a stuntman, and your
wife runs an antique shop. How are you rich?"
"Uh, well it's inherited really."
"Well for folks with inherited money you guys are sure down to
earth."
"We try. But seriously. Sita's already funding a Vampire
flick, I doubt she'd have a huge problem helping with another one."
"She is?"
"Yeah, it's based on a book a friend of her's wrote."
"Huh. They need any actors for it?"
"I bet we could set up an audition or two."
"How about more?"
"Hey Joe," Micky said, walking up. "Are you still making
yourself our guardian protector?"
"Are you being insolent Freshman?"
Micky smiled. His freshman year at UCLA had just started. Joe
and the others were sophomores. Using his meager connections he'd
obtained during the previous year and summer, Joe had managed to get
him invited to this party.
"You'll never guess who I spotted over by the bar." Micky said.
"Miss Sunnydale High herself."
"Cordelia?" Joe said, taken aback. "What's she doing in L.A.?"
"What was I thinking?" she thought. "What WAS I thinking,
coming here, thinking I could just, start a career, just like that?
I mean, Joe hasn't really been in anything and he's been out here a
year." Suddenly she perked up. "I wonder if he's here-"
"Well, well well," a voice behind him spoke up. "Look who's
caught the acting bug!"
"Speak of the devil," Cordy thought. "Joe! Hi!" She smiled
brightly.
"Well," Joe greeted. "You've mastered the `bright and cheery
smile` part of this business."
"How are you guys? Is anyone else here?"
"Okay, see, there's still more to learn, you never start a
conversation by asking about someone else. But, that's never been a
problem with you. Things not going the way you thought?"
Cordelia was taken aback. "You gonna answer my question?"
"Oh, yeah, sorry, I'm just surprised to see you." He took a
deep breath. "Okay, here comes the recap. I've had to write this
in many a letter. All right, none of us have been doing anything big,
Ben was in the ensamble of Hair, Dustin had a lead role. Ben
recently got a callback for Riff Raff in Rocky Horror, we've all done
a hundred auditions and parties, Ben and Micky are here too, Dustin and
Fitz are at another party, and in between auditions and parties, we
somehow find time to study."
"Wow."
"Yeah, pretty dull. So, you. What's up with you? And be
honest."
"I've suddenly discovered that while I was the big thing in
Sunnydale, here, girls like me are a dime a dozen."
"Ouch."
"Yeah."
"Well listen, have you considered modeling? I mean, you've
definately got the look."
"Oh please, modeling, you think I could?"
"Sure. And about the acting, don't give up. It can be
discouraging at first, I know."
"I just don't know if I have any talent."
"Cordy, talent is only a fourth of what you need out here.
Just look at Keanu Reeves."
He was rewarded with a smile. "And changing the topic to
connections, which is what these parties are all about, there's a guy
I think you should meet. He's only a stuntman, but his wife is helping
fund a movie, and I'm sure he must have connections by now." He looked
around for his friend. "Hey Tom! Come here for a minute!"
"Cordelia?"
Joe turned from where he'd been listening to the conversation
between Tom and Cordy. She'd went from slightly vulnerable newcomer to
the Cordelia he'd known in high school in an eyeblink. "And she was
worried about not having talent."
His eyes narrowed at the sight before him. Cordy didn't seem
worried, she was talking to the man relaxedly. Joe knew that the
vampire wasn't evil anymore, but it was hard to let go of the anger,
the knowledge that this man had killed the girl he loved.
And now he was in L.A.
"Sigh."
Ben didn't fancy himself a hugely observant person. But he
gradually became aware of being stared at. He covertly looked around,
suddenly aware of what he'd successfully forgotten about until now.
That he was in a room full of strangers, with his friends out of sight.
He thought he saw one of the women in the crowd suddenly look
away, but he wasn't sure. But as soon as he turned his back, the
feeling of being watched returned.
"Don't look now me boyo," Joe said, coming up behind him. "But
methinks ye're bein' checked out."
Ben started. "God don't do that Joe."
"Sorry. So, the girl. Go talk to her."
"Uh,"
"Look Introvert Boy, she's hot. And best of all, she's
interested."
"Uh,"
"Go. Talk. To. Her." He looked back. "Oops, decisions been
taken out of your hands."
Ben turned, to see the girl approaching. He swallowed, and
turned to Joe. Only to see him disapear into the crowd. "Damn you
Joe," he thought. "Damn you and the demon that spawned you." He
resolutely thrust his shyness away.
"Hi." she said. "I'm Brigid."
"Ben." he introduced himself.
"So I hear you met Oliver."
Angel turned, and saw the last person he'd wanted to see.
"Joe."
"Look I've got classes tomorrow, and I've gotta go soon. But
I had to say this. I can't ever forget what you did. But I can
accept that it wasn't really you that did it. It may take some time,
but...I can forgive you. I wanted you to know that."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Angel watched him go. What was it that Doyle had said? He
needed to not disconnect from people? He sighed. Maybe he was right.
Maybe.
The End
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