Page 7 of Hot Mess

When they finally declared me ready, I thought I was going to have to help, or wait while they got dressed.

“Don’t you need to get ready?”

“Oh no, we’re already dressed.” Kiki danced around in a little circle. She wore a pink dress with a black belt, and white plastic knee-high boots. Her long red hair was brushed back and held into place with an Alice band. That was when I realized they were all wearing the same dress that barely covered their tushies but in different colors.

I clapped my hands, excited to recognize them as cartoon superheroes from a show I had once watched before Mom got all bent out of shape over the weird monkey bad guy.

We all traipsed downstairs in a line. Gabe waited for us in the living room. He was dressed as some guy from the latest dinosaur movie. He had a stuffed toy dinosaur in his pocket so that people could make the connection.

“The car is already here. Let’s go,” Gabe clapped his hands at us to keep us moving along.

“Have fun, kids,” Uncle Dave called out as we left.

4

NICK

“Iheard Nick Sadler is really here,” the woman in front of me gushed. “Have you seen him?”

“Cool.” I shook my head; I wasn’t about to confess that I was.

“You should totally go find him and show him your costume. It’s really good,” she continued.

“Thanks.” It had better be good. I took it from the set.

“He might even be able to give you some tips on how to really make it look authentic, especially if you are going to keep going with the cosplay. I bet you could make money showing up to parties dressed as Mithrandes.”

“Yeah, I heard about people having Lions of Medea-themed parties and bringing in character actors. That sounds like fun.” Fun for someone else, not me.

“Oh, is that, shoot, what's his name? He’s a director,” she leaned in and whispered as she tried to keep her pointing fingers out of general view. “Or is he a producer? I can’t believe how many actual celebrities are here.”

It looked like she was pointing in Jeff Dunleavy’s direction. He was a director. He was going to owe me, only he would never know.

“That guy?” I shook my head. “I think I saw him in that slasher film, Howl. The big death scene. Everyone thought he was going to be a big actor but never made another movie. You know a one-hit-wonder, but in the acting world.”

“Oh, I think you’re right. I love that movie. I’m going to go tell him how much I appreciated his death scene. You really should go find Nick that would make a great picture, the two of you together.”

Isaac stepped up as she was leaving, a beer in each hand.

“Who was that?”

“The Bride of Frankenstein,” I said as I accepted the drink and popped the tab.

“Not the costume, the person. Did she really tell you to go have a picture taken with yourself?”

I nodded.

“Interesting, considering you are already here,” Isaac smirked.

“So, I’ve heard.” I took a sip and looked out over the party. Bride had been right, there was an interesting mix of celebs mingling with people I didn’t even think were in the industry. “What’s the deal tonight?”

Isaac was also scanning the party. He never turned down a networking opportunity, even when he was supposed to be having fun. For him networking and plotting the next collaboration was fun.

“Don’t get drunk. Don’t get caught in a compromising position with anyone, especially anyone underage. And there are some kidlings here pretending to be adults. I swear staring in a sitcom does not mean you are any more grown up than any other senior at Hollywood High. I wish the industry would stop putting these kids at the same events I’m at.”

“Afraid you’ll hit on someone underage?”

Isaac shuddered. “No. I just don’t think kids belong at adult parties and clubs. Actors or not. So, make sure you ask to see IDs, or birthdates or something.”

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