The Hollywood Waitress

Chapter 16

Poppy was such a star.

I mean let's face it, a friend who magically turns up at your doorstep holding a polythene Starbuck's tray in one hand, and two guest passes to a Universal Studios tour (buffet lunch included!) in the other is definitely a keeper in my book.

Add to that, (and unlike half my Kansas ''friends', 'and family,) she didn't seize every opportunity to dig in her perfectly polished Kurt Geiger's, with a look of disdain at the state of me (albeit a very hungover, aching from doing it all night me) either.

Yep, it was safe to say she ticked all the ''BFF'' boxes.

And in true Poppy fashion, she was soon ordering me to put on my 501's, (the same 501's Jason had not long taken off me...!) because the tour was due to start at 10am sharp.

'I'm so excited!' I said, secretly bathing in my post – coital bliss as we waited at the gate.

As always, she remained as cool as a cucumber, totally unfazed by the magical kingdom that was Hollywood. 'You better brace yourself sex kitten,' she gave me a knowing smile which sometimes made me wonder if she was some kind of a white witch or something, ' We have a loooong day ahead.'

'Consider me braced!' I said, feeling slightly worried whether or not I could actually handle what she had in store for us. After all, Jason had only left my apartment ten minutes before her arrival, give or take, and my limbs were killing me.

Grabbing me by the arm, she pulled me in the direction of a familiar faced guy. 'This is Jimmy Fallon, our tour guide for today.'

Shocked by Poppy's nonchalance, the words just fell out of my mouth, 'No way! As in thee Jimmy Fallon?'

He laughed, 'That'll be me! Comedian, Presenter, and all round seller, doer at your service.'

Wow. He was still quite funny even in the flesh - although I did think the camera made him look a lot older in comparison to his real life self.

'I didn't know you did tours?' I blurted out, immediately regretting my words as Poppy shot me one of her 'keep schtum' looks.

He shrugged. 'I guess you could say it keeps me humble.'

Thankfully he didn't take offence, but the nervous laughter that came out of Poppy shortly afterwards acted as a red flag for me to keep my mouth shut. Luckily the limelight was soon off us as we were joined by a large crowd of visitors, some even more awe – struck than me!

There must have been about twenty of us eagerly following Jimmy's lead as we arrived at the Fast and Furious (supercharged!) set.

As a massive ''Fast Fan'' since I'd seen the first movie, I was completely blown away!

Some of the cars that were featured in the film were angled in road rage positions; fake fire emanating out of some of them – and then of course there was Paul Walker's statue. . .

Unlike most of my friends who were crazy for Bieber - I was a devout Paul Walker fan, strange really as he was pretty ancient in comparison to my twenty year old ass but there I was standing in the middle of what seemed to be a shrine to him.

A cold shiver went through me, as I swallowed back tears, looking at all the sympathy cards and plaques people had left for him and his family.

'Come on Chick,' said Poppy sympathetically, who, by the way, had been fully briefed on my geriatric crush, 'we're going to the Jaws set next!'

She knew that would cheer me up, anything resembling Steven Spielberg and I was there with bells on!

By the time I had gotten over how seriously mahoosive and life - like Jaws was and with the theme tune now embedded into my brain, my stomach had started to growl and the world around me was beginning to spin.

That'll be the Bad Ass Bohemians, I thought . . . not forgetting the all night sex sesh the night before.

Lucky for me it was lunch time, not so lucky for Poppy, who was complaining that she wanted to visit The Simpson's set first. But Jimmy was hell bent (and clearly a stickler for timetables) and all poor Poppy could do was slouch behind him like a spoilt teenager.

'That Jimmy dude is not so cool in real life is he?' said Poppy, stuffing a spring roll into her mouth.

'Haven't been paying much attention really' I replied, comforted by the sensation of greasy noodles sliding down my throat, my hangover dissipating with every mouthful.

Bringing the straw to her greasy lips, she sucked the Pepsi up like a vacuum, 'Whys that?' She smiled knowingly,

'Nothing' I replied demurely

'LIAR!'

'What exactly are you accusing me of Poppy?'

Arching a perfectly plucked eyebrow, she looked at me with those Mila Kunis Green eyes of hers. 'You've been up to something naughty, I can tell. You have this really annoying post - sex mania thing going on today, it's utterly puke inducing.'

'So a girl can only be happy is if she's had great sex with a guy, is that what you're saying?'

'Duh . . . '

Hmmm . . . she had a point.

'Question is' she continued, circling the straw over the top of her Pepsi bottle with slow deliberation, 'who's the lucky guy?'

'A lady never tells.'

'Well, I know who it wasn't that's for sure.'

'What do you mean?'

'It's simple really; it's all about the process of elimination' she replied, counting down the possibilities with her fingers, 'it can't be Mark because he's like a hundred . . . and it definitely wasn't Scott because - he's been too ''busy'' with Josie – '

'What did you say?'

Clearly agitated that I had interrupted her before she got to her third possibility, she stared at me with a blank expression.

'Scott's been busy with Josie? Why? Are those two like dating or something?' I asked, feeling a weird heat rise to my face.

'No . . . I don't know' she replied defensively

'Come on . . .' I said, plastering a fake smile, ''fake'' being the operative word. 'tell me the goss!'

'There isn't any.'

She wasn't very convincing and I didn't know what to be more concerned about, the fact that my best friend was clearly hiding something from me, or that I could feel my insides knotting up at just the thought of Scott hooking up with Josie.

'They've only been on like two dates . . . I don't think it is serious or anything.' she admitted, 'why do you care, anyway?'

'I don't! It's just that Josie's so – '

I paused, remembering how close Poppy and Josie had become in the last few months.

'She's so blonde!' I continued, throwing myself even deeper into the shit storm, 'and anyway, I thought Scott preferred brunettes?'

'Jeez, Jen, it's not always about YOU.' She snapped, sucking some more Pepsi through the straw. 'You know the saddest thing about this whole situation is that you don't even want the guy but you don't want anyone else to have him either . . . classic Flynn, classic.'

'That's not true' I replied, trying my best to juggle (forced) enthusiasm and heart pain all at once. 'I'm over the moon for them, really I am!'

'Yeah? Try telling that to your face.'