Chapter 2

After Carlos left, the day went by pretty slow and I was actually alone all day until closing with absolutely no customers after him. I closed up with my manager that evening and ended up going home yet again to an empty apartment, in the dumps of the outskirts of LA. I climbed the stairs, unlocked the door and walked in. I managed to have a nice dinner for one and the rest of the evening was pampering myself with a bubble bath and a glass of wine in the tub. My senior cat, Oliver, was laying in the bathroom sink, relaxing as if he was a human like me in a tub. His tail swished on the porcelain of the sink making me giggle. The night was mellow, but I couldn't get one thing off my mind. Carlos. I didn't have a thing for him by any means, but I felt something when I thought of him. I don't know what, but I had a feeling he would be good in my life, even if he was just a friend, perhaps he could be my first friend since moving out here to LA. I lied in bed with Oliver purring beside me and stared into the darkness of my room. I was alone, and I was okay with that, at least I thought I was. I had Oliver, and that was enough for me. I had bigger dreams than to be someone's little old wife, and if that meant being alone for awhile, it was worth it. I would find someone someday, I just needed a friend, and I hoped since Carlos and instantly got along that we'd be seeing each other again.

I woke up the next morning rejuvenated and happy. It was an odd morning to say the least. I adored how I was in such a good mood just waking up, and let me say, it was rare for me to wake up so happy. Usually my waking was like a chore that had to be done, but today was different. I liked the feeling of that. I made myself breakfast as Oliver munched on the floor next to my feet. I then showered, put on an outfit, put on some makeup, and then was ready for the day. I had curled my hair so it was being wild at the time I started walking down my apartments stairs. I was going to be super early for work at this point, so I decided to treat myself to coffee. I wasn't one for mainstream coffee, but for some reason, Starbucks was calling my name this morning. I picked up a large drink and headed to work. I put on my name tag after setting up my area for the day and hung out until someone walked through the door. It only took three hours since opening for someone to come in. And who it was, was pretty shocking to say the least. Carlos. No joke, he in fact was at my work once again.

"I had a feeling I'd bump into you here." Carlos said walking in, his arms at his sides very mysterious like. I giggled as I was taking a sip of my coffee. "You're one of those girls, eh?" He asked looking at my coffee. I rolled my eyes and then put my drink down.

"You thought you'd bump into me at my work?" I asked sarcastically as he smirked. "Hm, coincidence indeed. And yes, I like coffee, not just Starbucks, thank you very much." I defended myself. He smirked and crossed his arms in front of him and leaned them on the counter. I sat quietly, unsure of what he'd say next. He looked at me for a long while before taking off on a diarrhea of the mouth ramble.

"So, the missus and I wanted to know if you would like to come to a dinner party we are having, for no real reason, this Friday?" Carlos asked me. The missus? I wondered. My eyes of course zeroed in on his left hand, and realized there in fact was a ring there. Of course there was, even though I didn't have a thing for him, it figured he was married already being as nice as he was. I smiled to his face and then shrugged.

"I don't know... I mean, I barely met you yesterday. Would your wife like to find out you're stalking me?" I asked sarcastically, trying to sound worried. He shook his head and snorted.

"Not stalking you, just coming to your work everyday after meeting you. There's a difference." Carlos winked just as sarcastic as I was, making me roll my eyes and smile wider at the ability for us to joke so freely already. "I just thought a cool girl like you, would like to hang out with some major dorks for a night." He shrugged, standing up straight again, and then acting like he was about to start walking away.

"Hey, hey, slow down there, bud." I stopped him as I reached across the counter and grabbed his bicep making him come to a stop. He smiled wide with victory. "I'd love to come to your dinner party of dorks." I told him as if I was doing him a favor in deciding to come. He nodded and then smacked his hand down on the counter giddily.

"Give me your number and I'll text you the details later! It's a little more formal just so you know. Wife likes to dress up sometimes for no reason, so a dress should be fine." Carlos informed me with a happy grin, as he handed me his phone. After typing my number out, I kept his phone in my hand.

"I'm second guessing going to this. Convince me?" I asked then tilting my head waiting for him to try to convince me. Carlos reached for his phone as I pulled it away farther from his reach. He sighed, gave me a look as if to say 'really?' and then smirked. I was second guessing, he was a stranger after all. I mean, he seemed harmless, but Ted Bundy drove a Volkswagen Beetle of all cars, so he wasn't exactly intimidating looking either. Was I really comparing this guy to Ted Bundy? Yeah. I was.

"Booze." He said trying to win me over. I thought about it for a minute, acting as if I were contemplating it. That was enough to sell me. I doubted he would kill me if he had a wife and she wanted me to come to their party also. Also, I could tell Luis about my party invite, and tell him if I never came back it was because of these people who came into the store a lot apparently.

"More." I suggested, holding his phone in both hands as he eyeballed it before narrowing his gaze to my eyes.

"My single friends will be there?" He tried saying without the question effect to it. I nodded contemplating if that were enough to go off of now.

"Tempting, are they 'hot' single friends? Or single for a reason friends?" I asked him still clutching his phone. There were the ones who were single and just happened to be single at the right time. But there was also, this friend is single and has been single since he is a mouth breather who sniffs girls' hair on their necks. He sighed giving me a look, as he smiled, not at all phased by my interrogation.

"Both." He finally said and truthfully which made me trust him. I smiled and handed his phone back.

"I would've gone even if you had just said booze and nothing else." I winked playfully as I sat back comfortably. It wasn't true, I wasn't that much of a lush, but it was funny. Carlos peered at me from the corner of his eye and grinned.

"I like you more and more that I get to know you, Liz. My wife is dying to meet you." He told me confidently as he slid his phone into his pocket after making sure he saved my contact. I thought a moment, he knew record label owners and band members? He had fancy dinner parties for no reason? Who was he and how did I stumble upon him? How had I managed to leave a lasting impression on him, little lone his wife, who had never met me before?

"Really?" I asked hesitantly. Carlos nodded excitedly. I smiled to myself and thought how this is probably all just a joke. Maybe they were cruel and wanted to invite the biggest loser to their party. They did that on tv shows all the time. I hadn't experienced anything like it before, but this was Hollywood. "I don't wear heels." I blurted out in mid thought trying not to ask anymore questions regarding if this was a prank or something. Carlos contemplated a moment, unsure how to answer my random piece of information.

"Don't wear heels then?" He offered as a solution, as he squinted. I nodded and then laughed at my awkwardness I had just created, which made Carlos laugh in unison.

"Look, don't worry. Everyone there isn't as snooty and stuck up as I am making them sound. We are dorky, I guarantee you'll be comfortable." Carlos said easing my very doubts away. I sighed, as I felt reassured in my gut by his words that this wasn't to kill me or to embarrass me either.

"Alright. I'll come." I finally agreed. But as soon as I gave him my confirmation, my stomach burst into a million butterflies. I was nervous as could be realizing I had just agreed to coming to a strangers house party. My distress must've showed on my face as Carlos looked at me worriedly.

"Do you want to have lunch later, and talk about why your face is making that weird...face?" Carlos asked gesturing towards my head with a weird gesture of his hand. I smiled and shook my head, hiding my worries. I didn't want him to be worried about me coming too, I could do that enough for the both of us before I would even show up.

"Nah, I'm fine. Don't forget to text me later though." I reminded him almost as if I was physically shoving him out the door. He smiled sadly and then took the hint.

"Will do!" He said waving a single wave and exiting the building. I sighed and sat back in my stool. This was weird for me. I never cared what people thought of me, not even when I met Carlos, but now all of a sudden I cared what Carlos's wife and his friends thought of me? Why? Carlos liked me enough to brag to his wife about me to where she was 'dying to meet' me, so my nerves must've been heightened for a different reason. I didn't feel the serial killer vibe was right either. He wouldn't divulge so much information to me if he was just going to kill me when I got to his party. That would be a waste of effort.

Today was Wednesday, so that left two days till the dinner. I would have to live through the rest of today just as much as the entire day tomorrow. I figured I'd go shopping for a dress tomorrow, as I practically pled to Luis on the phone for it off the moment Carlos left the store. Luckily I never asked for time off, so he agreed finding it important if I was asking for it off. Then, I also made sure I was off early enough on Friday to get ready and actually go to the dinner, which again Luis complied with me thanks to my outstanding work attendance record.

As usual the day passed with very few people walking in and out, and even fewer for people actually buying things. I wasn't daydreaming this time so I knew everyone was getting the help they needed. At closing, I received a text from Carlos telling me his address, the time of event, and his happiness that I was coming to his party. I smiled at my phone and left the building, making sure it was locked up. My mind kept reeling as I was going to a strangers house just to have dinner with him and his friends. I felt like I was crazy and this might be a ritual sacrifice, but I felt like I could trust Carlos.

The same events that happened every evening happened that same night and I awoke the next day with a little pep in my step. Oliver must've sensed my good mood and kept rubbing his furry head along my ankles as I sat at the kitchen table. I then showered. I stood in my towel as I was drying off and wiped the mirror with my hand. I watched my every move. The lack of definition in my collarbones, the no visual representation of my bicep muscles, or the presence of a double chin which I hated seeing in photos. These were what held me back from loving myself fully, every single moment of the day, and those were just the parts I could see that weren't being covered by the towel. I liked how I looked, ninety five percent of the time, but I however didn't like my appearance at the same time.

No one will love me if I look like this, I thought. I shook that thought out of my head physically, as I took a deep breath, clearing my mind, needing to move forward with my day. I wore a hi-low flowing black sheer tank top with a mini jean jacket over top with blue skinny jeans and black gladiator sandals. I left my hair straight and hurried out the door leaving Oliver with his partially eaten bowl of food. I walked down my apartment steps to find my car being towed.

"No!" I exclaimed seeing the man climb back into his running truck from loading my car onto his truck. My feet couldn't hurry enough to catch up with the man who was now taking my car away. I had lived here for years, parked there everyday, and just now, on today of all days, was being towed away. I grunted with frustration. I didn't think I would have the money to get my car out and buy a dress, too. I stood watching my car go into the distance and out of the parking lot of my complex, as I then pulled out my phone. I tried calling everyone I knew, which wasn't many, but no one answered me whatsoever. I walked slowly to the steps of my apartment and sat down with my head in my hands when it hit me. I hadn't tried one person I knew. Despite my better judgement, I automatically dialed his number.

"Hey!" A cheery Carlos answered his phone. I sat a moment and then sighed.

"Carlos..." I started as he then started to rip into me.

"We already have you down for coming Liz. You can't back out now. No way no how." He started talking as fast a rabbit's foot could move thinking I was cancelling on him.

"Carlos! I'm coming, it's just there's a bit of a problem." I said with a tinge of guilt building up in me because I felt as if I was asking a lot of him for just meeting a few days ago. We hadn't even met up outside my workplace yet, and I was calling him up like this.

"What's the problem? You okay?" He asked sounding slightly concerned on the other end.

"Yes, I'm fine. Well, sorta. I came out of my apartment just when someone was towing my car away. I tried calling everyone I knew, in case you were busy with party plans, but I need to get my car out of the lot and I don't have a ride. I was going to pick up a dress for your party and that's when I saw them driving away, and I'm sorry if you are too busy, I can just wait till someone calls me back and-" I started rambling just as much as he had been before, but he stopped me much like I had stopped him on his rambling earlier as well.

"Nah, that's perfectly okay. What are friends for, ya know?" He chuckled, easing my worry of bothering him. "Text me your address and I'll head out now. Ya know what?" He asked out loud even though I was pretty sure he was just thinking out loud to me now. "I'll also be your best girlfriend for the day and help you pick out a dress." Carlos said happily as I heard him grabbing what sounded like keys in the background. He was going to help me? Why? Did he do this with everyone? Did he help his wife do this sort of thing? I wasn't getting into some multiple partner sort of situation I hoped. It was great for others if they were into it, just not my lifestyle choice.

"Oh, you don't have to. That's okay really. I don't want to bother you from your day." I told him, backtracking in my words as I was hoping he wouldn't actually come with me.

"Too late. Text me your address, Kay bye!" He said happily before hanging up. I breathed a heavy sigh and texted him my address. It was going to happen I guess whether I wanted it to or not. I would just have to see how this played out. I sat on the stairs, thinking about life when about twenty minutes later, a fancy brand née white Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled into the parking lot. It was the fanciest car this side of LA had probably ever seen, I worried suddenly for him being in this neighborhood in something so expensive. Carlos hopped out with sunglasses over his eyes and a smile on his face.

"Hey there! You called a deluxe taxi service?" He asked jokingly walking out from behind his open driver's door. I smiled at his humor and stood up. I started towards him then.

"Thank you so much, Carlos. You have no idea how much this means to me." I told him genuinely grateful for his kindness right about now. I couldn't confidently say, had the roles been reversed, that I would've done the same for him. Not this early on at least. He shrugged it off.

"You're my friend, I'd do anything for a friend. You'll soon realize that." He said confidently with what looked like a wink under his sunglasses. He had his smile on his face for a moment until he started to frown and glance around my apartment complex. "You live here?" He asked in disbelief. I nodded in response feeling self conscious of my home, looking around us also at the trash and grime everywhere of the neighborhood. "By yourself?" He asked again, as one of my neighbors came out of his first floor apartment in only his boxers, his gut hanging out, and a lit joint in hand. He had a racist tattoo across his chest which did not say a pleasant phrase on it. I never spoke to my neighbors so I had no idea who they were. I tried to avoid them at all cost. Obviously, I was right to. I turned to look at Carlos as he made a face of either disgust or astonishment.

"As your friend, I'm telling you to move." He said quickly and quietly. I rolled my eyes knowing this would not be the last of this conversation.

"My car first, please? Then you can give me a lecture of personal safety of the home environment." I said trying to lighten the mood. He nodded towards his Jeep as we both got in. This vehicle was probably the first thing I had ever rode in that probably cost more than my annual income. We headed off after Carlos asked which towing company it had been that took my car, and then Carlos started conversation.

"So, did you always want to work at a record shop in Northern LA?" He asked as if it was an easy subject for me. I sighed squinting from the sunlight. The AC was on and the music was turned down low so we could converse comfortably.

"No, not exactly." I said looking out the window at the passing cars on the freeway.

"What did you want then?" He asked curious. I sighed as I figured I might as well inform him of my biggest dream.

"You know those campaigns that companies or foundations have for certain causes, and they always have a 'face' of the company or organization? Usually Hollywood Starlets?" I asked him, leaning my head back on his passenger seat head rest as I looked at him. He nodded glancing my way for a second before focusing back on the road in front of us.

"I wanted, since I was young, to start my own campaign of sorts. I wanted to have my own foundation that created awareness, telling girls it's okay to be themselves. Whether that meant they looked like me, or if they are thin, are white, black, Latina, Asian, short and plump, tall and skinny. I wanted them to know they could be themselves in a society that pressured them into being anything other than their true selves. That if they were gay, straight, quiet, outgoing, dressed like a goth but loved boy bands, dressed like a hipster but listened to classical music only. I want girls to be themselves. That's what I wanted to spread around for our future. Even if it wasn't just girls, too. Like teach the guys of future generations that it was okay to be themselves too. But instead of actors, actresses, or musicians being the 'face' of the campaign, I would be the face in all my curvy glory, along side everyday kids. Disabled, capable, tall, short, working class, and people from all around the world and different social groups. Like a cheerleader, then the valedictorian, then the girl in the string section of high school band, or the metal head who wears plaid everyday like we're in the nineties still. To spread the message that change isn't always necessary to be seen, to be heard. That being unique or special, was a given as there's no one else quite like you in the world." I said the last sentence quietly as I looked out the window. I couldn't bare the thought of an unhappy future because ours on this planet was destined to be pretty unhappy as it was.

"Wow....." He said making feel as If I was five inches tall in a huge world full of giants because I had no idea what the tone of his voice implied. I felt my heart race as I hadn't spoken about my foundation to anyone since I moved out here. I hadn't yet figured out how to run a foundation or start one up, and I had been here for a few years in LA. "That's amazing. You want that?" Carlos finally asked, sounding as if he was breathless or impressed. I nodded and then looked at him again nervous to see him looking at me and then back to the road ahead, glancing between those two views. "Liz, my friend, you're one special person, you know that, right?" He asked looking as if he had been spoken to by a truly inspirational figure, and marveled at the sight of me beside him. I raised an eyebrow, which just so happened to have two eyebrow piercings in it, as he smiled.

"Really? You think I'm that special?" I asked him not believing him in the slightest. He nodded as he focussed on the road.

"You're different, and confident. That's never really in the same package. You're everything you just said you wanted to spread around to young kids. You're the prime living, breathing example of that campaign." He told me sounding passionate about his words, which really made me feel close to him. He really was trying to be my friend. It was strange, but this short exchanged brought him and me very close to one another. I couldn't hardly believe it. Maybe he was destined to be my friend. He truly was just as great of a person as he made me out to be. He made me feel special which is something I hadn't gotten since I moved to LA.

"That's everything I ever hoped for someone to say to me in my lifetime." I whispered shyly, watching him as he turned the wheel of his Jeep, as we pulled into the towing company's lot.