Everything Happens At 2:04 AM

Epilogue: String Quartet.

"I'm not mad," I rolled my eyes, grabbing his hand. "What happened?"

Caleb shot me a look. "Jake happened."

"Let me guess," I said. "Woke up late?"

"Woke up late."

"Missed the flight?"

"Missed the flight."

I looked past Caleb, spotting Jake who waved at us where he was at a distance. I ushered him over and he more than happily came to my other side, the three of us posing for a picture and definitely breaking usual protocol since neither of them had received an individual photo. "Have a good weekend?"

"I am very much hungover." He admitted. "Where's Krystal?"

"Probably inside."

"Fuck," Jake kissed my cheek. "I'm going to go catch up with her. I'll see you inside!"

When he left, Caleb and I continued our walk past interviewers, familiar faces, having short conversations before we found ourselves waiting for an interview we had been directed to. Caleb glanced at me. "You still mad?"

"I'm not mad," I said, glancing at my black and red acrylics.

Caleb took that hand, pulling me to look at him and I faltered trying to avoid his eyes and failing. Damn it.

"You look beautiful."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," I assured him.

"I believe that it's gotten me to some places," He mumbled, even having the audacity to wink. "Some might say over someone once or twice. Sometimes under."

I scoffed but Caleb's smile makes me grin back. "You look handsome," I said as he linked our fingers together. "Despite probably running on one hour of sleep."

"I can sleep on the plane. I really am sorry about running late."

"I know and you can't sleep on planes. You can barely sleep in the car on a long drive." I reminded him for the millionth time. "You know that."

"I can sleep when we get home."

"We can stay at the LA house if you want." I offered, running a hand through the straight black hair of my wig.

"No, it's fine," He waved a hand in dismissal. I was surprised to hear him over the commotion around us but when he looked at me like that, I shouldn't have been. "You haven't been home in a while. I want you there. It's rather lonely without you despite Jake visiting last week."

"Okay, yes. I want to go home but sleeping is important."

"I can sleep in New York."

"Caleb."

"I can sleep at home in New York." He assured me, as we walked up to the mini platform for our first interview.

"Octavia. And Caleb Henderson, one of Hollywood's favourite couples here on the red carpet." The familiar interviewer grinned at the two of us brightly and we exchanged kisses on the cheek as I noticed a few others on the carpet had stopped to listen in. "Great to have you both with us tonight. Now Caleb, last year you were a nominee, how are you doing at your second time here?"

"Good, good," Caleb said. "I'm glad to be a presenter this evening and it's great to be back. Chaotic as always."

"Not your scene?"

"No," He sounded at ease. "Octavia has a much better handle on award shows. Last year when I went to my first big award show with a big red carpet like this she spent, like, an hour at least before the show trying to calm me down."