"So, Ray threatened to fly to New York just to talk you out of making me your manager."
Lauren switched the phone to her other ear and used her free hand to scroll down the website page. Couches. She was standing in her kitchen, looking at potential couches because the lack of furniture was starting to bug her. "That was sweet of him. What'd you tell him?"
"I asked him if he'd ever met you. When has anyone ever talked you out of anything?"
Lauren smiled. "Hey what do you think of this couch?" She emailed the link. "I like that sandy-cream color."
Ally sighed in her ear. "Lauren, are you sure about this?"
"Well, no. That's why I asked for your opinion."
"I'm talking about this whole manager thing. I printed a list of management agencies that would love to represent you. Wouldn't you like to give one of those a shot? And ooh, nice couch. I wonder if I could fit that in my apartment?"
"Oh sure, steal my couch." Lauren moved on to a different website. "Stop asking me if I'm sure about the manager thing and start telling me what I should do about this ad campaign they want me for. Did Ray fill you in?"
There was a deep breath from the other end of the line. "Yeah. I've been thinking about it. I think you should do it, and not just because I think you'd look hot in a tie, though you would, but because the photos will be coming out around the time Summer‟s Dance will be generating a lot of buzz. It'll be great publicity for you, and as an added bonus, I think you'll win over any reluctant lesbian fans."
"Because I'm in a tie?"
"Hey, never doubt the seductive powers of hot women in ties," Ally said wisely.
"You know I'm trying hard not to be a lesbian poster girl, right?"
"Yes, but I think it's stupid." Ally laughed. "Hey, I get to say things like that to you now. Cool."
"Yay," Lauren said unenthusiastically.
"Look, I really think the smartest thing you can do right now is embrace the gay and lesbian community. The gay press is already showing interest in the film. And if you shy away from them they'll question why. If you embrace them they'll call you an ally. And no one seems to be questioning your sexuality anyway, even with those pictures of Normani getting into that limo with you. People were far more interested in you and Skyler."
Lauren let Ally's words sink in.
"But back to the point, you won't be the only actress in the ad campaign," Ally continued. "And half the proceeds go to charity. It's a win-win."
Lauren smiled softly. "Okay," she said. "Let Ray know I'm in for the photo shoot." She emailed another link. "What do you think of that one?"
There was silence, followed by the sound of clicking. "I think... hang on, it's loading really slowly for some reason." A laugh. "Wow, that has to be the ugliest couch ever made."
Lauren giggled. "Looks like a reject from the Beetlejuice furniture collect—" The sudden knock at the door interrupted the rest of her sentence. "I think Camila is here."
"Okay, then. Go get her, Tiger."
**********************************************
Camila took a breath and knocked. She listened for sounds, tell-tale signs of what she mighthave interrupted. But the apartment at the other side of the door was silent, and so shewaited for whatever came next.
The trip to Lauren's apartment had been uneventful and her morning equally so. She hadn't gotten enough sleep. She'd kept herself awake with thoughts she shouldn't be having and images that shouldn't have lingered. She wanted to believe that it was all normal. That befriending a famous movie and television star was bound to elicit... what? Attraction? Is that what she'd felt for the woman on the screen? Confusion felt like a more accurate word.
