Trevor watched as Danny sat at the other end of the table eating his lunch. He was once again talking on his phone, and Trevor knew exactly who he was talking to. Glancing around he saw the cafeteria was practically deserted. He wasn’t surprised, he knew the crew was already setting up for the next scene.

Normally, Trevor would have eaten his lunch in his trailer, but for some crazy reason, he had taken to eating with the crew. More importantly, anywhere near Danny.

The day after dropping Maggie off at her – was probably a murder scene once – apartment, he realized Danny talked to Maggie on the phone almost every day at lunch.

But the little rat still swears they aren’t sleeping together.

Was Trevor stalking Maggie? No. He was just making sure she wasn’t in anyway going to be near him. Yup, that was exactly what he kept telling himself.

As Danny continued his conversation, Trevor could feel himself getting antsy. He pulled out his phone and checked his email once again. There was no new information on her car. He made a mental note to call Bruce, his car guy, once they wrapped for the day.

When he left Maggie’s apartment he’d called Bruce, and had her car towed. Later that night, after Bruce finally had a chance to examine her car, he found out her car had more problems than it was worth to fix it. Bruce suggested to use the car as scrap and get a new one. But Trevor couldn’t allow that. Something inside of him wouldn’t authorize it, knowing Maggie couldn’t afford a new car. In the end, he told Bruce to fix it no matter what the cost was. He was going to pay for it.

That was a fun conversation. It ended with Trevor threatening Bruce if he ever told Maggie just how bad her car was and how much it would really cost to repair it, he’d ruin him. So, they came up with a plan of what Bruce was actually allowed to tell Maggie.

There were just some minor issues and it would only cost five hundred dollars. Trevor wanted to pat himself on the back for coming up with such a good plan. Even if Bruce had his doubts. At first, Bruce argued that the time it would take to fix the car would give away the fact that the whole process would be more than a five-hounded dollar job.

In the end, though, they agreed to tell Maggie the shop was busy and that she should be able to get it back in a week or two. And, Bruce was under strict instructions to email Trevor with updates along the way.

Trevor wasn’t surprised to find out Maggie had refused the loaner car. She was just that stubborn.

Stupid stubborn woman.

Whatever. He didn’t care, he didn’t even know why he was going through all this trouble to fix her car anyway.

He closed his eyes and groaned. Yes, he did. He knew when Maggie first turned to face him, the tears he saw in her eyes tore him apart. Every night since then whenever he closed his eyes it was all he could see.

“Are you planning anything for it?” he heard Danny ask. “Wait! It’s the night of the fundraiser? Then you have to come, we can really celebrate.”

Trevor continued to watch, trying to piece together what was being said on the other line.

“You only turn twenty-seven once. What better way than to celebrate by going to the hottest party of the year?” Danny argued.

Turn twenty-seven once? Was it Maggie’s birthday?

“We can make a big to do of it. Does Lexi know it’s your birthday?” Danny laughed at the answer given over the phone. “I don’t blame you. She’d probably go crazy and do something extravagant for you.”

Trevor felt himself nod. He knew that’s exactly what Lexi would do. She was someone who seemed to thrive on special occasions like birthdays, or Groundhog’s Day.

“Damn straight, I’m telling her. As soon as I’m off the call with you, I’m texting her. Be prepared for the hurricane that is Lexi when she finds out you didn’t tell her about your birthday.”

Trevor grinned. He’d love to see someone else, especially Lexi get on Maggie’s case.

“No Maggie, you and Lexi are both coming to the fundraiser. Especially now that it’s on your birthday.” Danny took a bite of his food. “Fine, we will table the subject for now. How’s your car doing, any new updates on when you will get it back?”

Trevor looked at this phone again. There better not be any updates that he didn’t know about. Especially if he was the one footing the bill.

“That sucks, Mags. So, you haven’t been doing anything? Not even auditions?”

She could be going on auditions if she wasn’t so stubborn about the loaner car!

“At least it’s not that expensive, right? It could be more than the five-hundred.” Danny looked down at his watch before speaking, “Hey, Mags, I got to go. Good luck with Lexi tonight.”

After hanging up the phone, Danny grabbed his plate of trash and made his way to the garbage. Quickly, Trevor did the same.

“Watch it,” Trevor said purposely bumping into Danny.

“You bumped into me,” Danny remarked.

“Whatever, just watch where you’re going.” Trevor grabbed a bottle of water that was on the table next to them. “Interesting conversation you just had,” he said before taking a gulp of his drink.

“Were you eavesdropping?”

“Kinda can’t help it when you talk loud enough for people to mistake you for using a bullhorn.”

“You’re ridiculous.” Danny moved past him to start walking towards the next scene.

Trevor quickly followed. “Is Maggie’s birthday coming up?”

Danny stopped. “Why do you even care?”

“I don’t,” Trevor said, willing his body to believe it. “It sounded like it was on the night of the fundraiser. So, she won’t be coming now, right?”

Danny narrowed his eyes. “What is your problem with her? Yeah, she walked in on you, but it’s not like she did it on purpose. Why do you have it out for her?”

“She threw a drink in my face and verbally assaulted me.”

“So, what?” Danny countered. “If it was that big of a deal to you then why did you take her home when her car broke down?”

Good question. He was still trying to figure that out for himself. Along with paying for her car to be repaired without her knowledge. Oh, and let’s not forget his new-found hobby of stalking the fat chick that for all intents and purposes should make him run for the hills.

“I was trying to bank in the good karma. Trust me, I fucking regret every fucking moment of it.” Liar. “Did you know she has this thing that she swears is a cat? Fuckin’ thing is not a cat.”

Danny’s eyes widened. “You went into her apartment?”

Oh shit! Obviously, Maggie had left that detail out. Maybe if he ignored the question he could get out of this hole he just dug himself into.

Thankfully, his phone started to ring. Looking at the caller ID he saw Bruce’s Auto Repair. “I have to take this.”

Trevor answered the phone and he ran off through the lot, leaving Danny there still gaping.

Universe, why do you hate me? Maggie thought before she spoke her next words. “Jeez Lexi, yes, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was having a birthday soon. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.” Maggie tried to calm down her hysterical friend on the other line.

“Didn’t think it was a big deal? Are you crazy? Of course, it’s a big deal, it’s your birthday!” Lexi nearly screamed over the line.

“Birthdays aren’t that big of a deal to me. I only ever celebrated them with my Grammie.” Maggie felt something inside of her break. She absolutely loved birthdays. However, when she was younger she realized her birthdays were just an excuse for her mother to throw some elaborate party that only benefited her. There had been more birthdays then not where her mother had “thrown her a party” but usually forget to get a cake. Maggie always ended up somewhere in the corner or told to make herself scarce.

When Maggie was sixteen her Grammie finally caught on to what her mother was doing, and instead of showing up to her mother’s “planned party” her and Grammie would celebrate instead.

In actuality, Maggie loved birthdays, really truly loved them. But not this year. This would be the first year without her grandmother and she didn’t feel much like celebrating. Besides, who would want to celebrate their birthday by themselves anyway?

“Lexi, it’s really no big deal. I just recently found out the fundraiser was on my birthday, and I only told Danny so he’d understand why I couldn’t go.” In hindsight, it was a horrible idea to tell him. When she found out the fundraiser was on her birthday she had hoped in telling Danny he would understand why she couldn’t go.

She still couldn’t afford a dress. Even now more than ever with the five-hundred dollar bill from the repair shop. Thank the universe it wasn’t more than that. The five-hundred bill was already putting a huge dent in her pocket. But, there was nothing she could do about it. She had to have a car. How was she going to get to auditions? What about a callback, or even to film, if she didn’t have her car?

“Well, that was dumb! Of course, he was still going to want you to go. Who else gets to celebrate their birthday while rubbing elbows with Hollywood elitists?”

“I know that now!”

“No need to worry, my sweet. Danny invited me to go as well so we can really celebrate your birthday, together.”

“He asked you as his date?” Maggie smiled. She knew, deep down in her soul, there was something between Lexi and Danny. More on Danny’s side than Lexi’s, but she had a feeling, Lexi did her best to hide her feelings, rather than embrace them.

“Sure did,” she said. “I think he had a sinking feeling that if I didn’t go with you, you wouldn’t have agreed to go.”

“I still haven’t agreed to go,” Maggie grumbled. Didn’t these people understand she couldn’t afford it?

“Well, what in the world is stopping you? For real, chica, this is gonna be your night to shine.”

Anger coursed through her. All she wanted to do was spend a quiet evening in, watching old horror movies. The ones her and Grammie used to watch all the time. She didn’t want to be dragged out when all she wanted was to sit at home and cry about losing the only person that ever really loved her. “I just don’t want to go. Okay?” she said.

“That’s not a good enough excuse there, missy.”

“I can’t afford it!” she yelled. “I can’t afford a new dress, and the only dress I have is the one I wore at my grandmother’s funeral. I don’t have the money to get my hair and makeup done! And, everyone keeps pushing me to go, I just can’t okay?” She was panting when she finished her sentence.

“Oh, that’s it?” Lexi asked, nonchalantly.

Maggie felt like she missed something in translation. What the hell did she mean, “that’s it”? Did everyone in LA have a Hollywood premiere dress, hairstylist and makeup artist at the ready? If Maggie wasn’t feeling embarrassed and confused enough she started to hear Lexi laugh on the other end of the line.

“Maggie, love, I’ve got you covered. You’ve got some a-m-a-zing hips. I have dresses that would make you look hotter than any Hollywood starlet. Plus, if you haven’t quite realized I love makeup and hair!”

Maggie didn’t know what to say.

“I’m so excited!” Lexi shouted. “Not only do we get to celebrate your birthday we now get to hang out the whole day! Ohh- I know! We can do a mini spa day in honor of your birthday. I have millions of nail polishes and thousands of face masks! Oh my god, Oh my god!”

Maggie could picture Lexi dancing around. The girl was completely predictable when it came to that. Taking a deep breath Maggie tried to calm herself. She really had no excuses now, her dress dilemma had been taken care of, heck even her hair and makeup.

“Fine, Lexi, I’ll go.”

“Yay!” Lexi screeched into the phone.

After hanging up the phone with Lexi, Maggie sat on her couch and relaxed for a few minutes. Looking at her phone she went to her pictures and scrolled to her favorites folder. There in front of her were tons of pictures of her and her grandmother.

“Am I really going to do this, Grammie?” she asked looking at a picture of the two of them.

She wasn’t expecting a reply, but Pocket felt the need to answer her anyway with a loud screech.

“Man, Pocket, Trevor was right. You’re so not a cat.” She laughed. “Cat’s don’t make that kind of noise.”

She started to pet Pocket behind the ears when a thought came to her.

“Oh shit! Trevor was going to be there.”