| Chapter 2 "You can come if you want to Allissa though I don't think it will suit you." Harper was handing out backstage passes for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Allissa raged deep inside. Harper always made comments like this to her. I guess he thought she never went anywhere but to work and home, "I'd like to go thank you sir." she said taking a pass from his old hands. Harper was caught off gaurd, "Well, you're entitled to a pass." he said, "You can take one I suppose." "I've never been to an awards show. I'd love to go." she said, "Thank you. And I'll see you in the morning." she turned around and walked out of his small office in the back of the coffee shop. She grabbed her book off of the table and walked outside to her car. After work she always went to the park and sat on her same bench and read for an hour before returning home. She loved to read, and the spring air always urged her to read more. With the birds chirping and the bees buzzing, it was perfect for her. Allissa always wished she could be like the women in her books. Most were outgoing, and not shy. She wanted that in her life. She wanted adventure. Her small cottage was always welcoming when she arrived home. She was very proud of the work she had done on it. It looked exactly like the cottage from a fairy tale. An off white color, with blue shutters and flower boxes hanging out of the front windows. She loved it. The cottage was just as adorable on the inside as it was outside too. It had two bedrooms, a cute little kitchen and a dining room/living room. "hello casa." she said as she walked into her cottage. Casa was latin for cottage and it was she had named her home, "Come here Pugy!" she called for her dog. The little pug ran as fast as he little short legs would let him and straight into her arms. Pugy was Allissa's life. She didn't know what she was going to do when Pugy got old and died. She decided she'd probably die right along with him. She always talked to Pugy and imagined that he said stuff back. She wasn't crazy. She was just alone. Allissa figured she'd be alone for the rest of her life, and it hadn't really bothered her until she had met that Hayden guy at the coffee shop. Her being alone thoughts lingered on into the rest of the week until Friday came. It was the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Allissa decided she was going to be fun tonight. She had decided that other times too and had always chickened out of being fun and stayed quiet. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a black tank top. Her brown hair was down, but fixed in curles. She thought she looked good for a change, and picked up her stuff and left her cottage. She was nervous, but she was also excited. She was going to get to see all of these actors and actresses that she watched on t.v. It was loud backstage just like she had expected it to be and people were running around in frantic trying to get things ready. "Can I see your pass?" asked a big burly man with black hair. He stood taller than any man she had ever seen her life. Like a child she pulled her pass out of her jeans pocket, "Here it is." she said. "You need to wear it around your neck. That's what the chain is for." "Yes sir. Sorry." she swallowed. Her night was not starting off too well. "You may go." he said. "Thank you sir." she said and she walked past him. Allissa looked around at all of the people. She saw a couple of actors that she reconized but she didn't know their names. She just knew she had seen them in a movie. She walked to find a quieter place, and finally she found one. It was in a corner and a long table of donuts, juice, and chips were spread about. She stood there for a moment not sure if she was supposed to be there when suddenly a man came into join her. She reconized him, and when he spoke she knew it was the man from the coffee shop. "Excuse me." he said. "Sorry." He glanced at her and then continued before stopping and looking at her again, "I know you from somewhere." he said. Allissa's eyes just looked into his, "Yeah." she said. "You're the woman from the coffee shop. The one who got mad because I gave her a compliment." Hayden kind of smiled at her. Allissa wasn't sure if she should apologize or get even more angry because that's all he remembered her by, "Yes." she said simply. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Harper, my boss had passes and he let his employees have one." she replied, "So I took one, and I'm here and I dont know anyone." she sounded like a baby. "Well, I'm just presenting an award tonight. You want to hang out with me? Since you kind of know me?" "I suppose." she replied, "I'm sorry for getting angry with you the other day. It's just that...well..." she didn't dare finish her sentence. She wasn't going to tell anyone how big of a loser she knew she was. "Well, what?" he urged. "Nothing." she shrugged it off, "Yeah I'll hang out with you." Hayden smiled, "Allissa right?" "Yeah, and yours is Hayden?" He nodded, "Yeah. Come on." Unexpectedley he took her hand in his. But she didnt' dare pull away. SHe could get lost backstage. She felt safer holding his hand. The night was hot, and loud, and believe it or not Allissa had actually gotten drunk. Something she had never ever done in her life! Perhaps she was changing. She had actually had fun that night too. And people actually laughed with her...Allissa liked this. She would continue this. |