Stars in her Eyes (Casket & Celeb)

Jack Herring leaned heavily against the bar he was tending. The place was empty except for the old guy who was always in here sipping his bloody mary. Jack stared out the window at Hollywood boulevard as people walked by and he imagined them on the way to some big acting job that he hadn't gotten hired for. He'd moved out west almost 17 years ago after a failed relationship with the only woman he'd ever actually loved. Unfortunately she'd turned out to be clinically psychotic, which is why he'd terminated their relationship and in doing so given himself permission to pursue his dreams of acting in Hollywood.

He'd been slightly successful at first, landing himself a few commercials and even a short lived stint on a soap opera, but shortly there after the roles had dried up and he'd had to take this job bar tending to pay the bills. It wasn't all that bad, he was well liked and a few semi famous people even frequented the bar on Saturday nights.

But this was Sunday morning and they were always dead slow. It was usually during these slow times that he'd start reminiscing about the woman he'd left and what his life might be like if he'd stayed with her. Of course nostalgia never seems to invoke the reality of a situation and the truth was that he would have most likely been miserable if he would have stayed with her.

It was just then that the bell on the front door chimed and a customer walked in. At first the light from outside was so bright he couldn't make out anything more than a curvy silhouette of a sexy girl but as the door swung shut he got a better look. She obviously wasn't 21 but there was something familiar about her pretty face, so Jack decided he would humor her for a brief interuption in this otherwise boring day.

"Hello there beautiful, what can I do for you?" He asked with his usual handsome grin flashing at the young girl.

Holding a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it in blue ink, Imogen stared up at the bar in front of her. Throwing the paper in to the trash can next to the lamp post, she pulled out her mirror and fixed her hair. Checking her face, her lips were bright with red lipstick and her eyes stood out with the eyeliner she had applied. The seventeen year old entered the building, she could see clearly what was in front of her, unlike the two men inside who were blinded by the bright sunshine.

Going to the bar, the woman had a white dress on which clung to her shoulders and chest but hung freely there after, giving her plenty of leg room to walk comfortable. Behind her, was a suitcase being rolled on it's wheels.

"Can I have a beer please" she said, her voice sounding rather depressed and those blue eyes looking like they had lost some sparkle. "Hollywood is not what it seems" Sighing, she rested an elbow on the bar and placed her head in her hand to support it.

Going through her bag which was hanging over her shoulder, Imogen pulled out some cash and slid it across the smooth surface of the bar. "There."

"Preaching to the choir, Beautiful." Jack said shooting the sexy little thing a smile. She looked absolutely stunning in that little white sun dress and there was something about those eyes that made him pine for the past but he couldn't quite place it.

Jack looked down the bar at the old man, who was also staring at the hot young girl. He knew she wasn't 21 but it was the middle of a Sunday and who would know if he indulged this pretty young thing and gave her a beer. He turned to the coolers and pulled out a low calorie beer, setting it up on the bar and popping the top. He slid the beer down to her and then pushed her money back toward her. "On the house, I know for a fact how tough this town can be. It chews folks up and spits them out. So what's your name Beautiful? What brings you to Hollyweird?" He asked as his elbows came to rest on the bar and he looked deeply into her pretty eyes.

When the beer was slid towards her, she caught it in the palm of her hand and wrapped her fingers around to secure it. Lifting it up to her lips, she didn't show any sign of hating it and had clearly drunk before. Sipping a few sips, she lowered it and smiled as the money was pushed back towards her. "Aww thanks."

"My name? Why would you want to know that?" With one leg crossed over the other, her foot that was in the air slowly rocked back and forth. "It kills the mystery about me doesn't it?" Enjoying her beer some more, she did answer why she was in Hollywood.

"I'm just a young girl out here with a dream. After I have this drink I am going to look for a place to stay." Nodding to her suitcase which was standing beside her. "Do you know any good motels?"

"Sure, I know a few places, but they aren't very nice, most of them are pay-by-the-hour, if you know what I mean." Jack said as he took the white rag and slowly started to polish the bar. He'd seen plenty of pretty young girls trying to make it out here in Hollywood and sure most of them ended up working in either waitress positions or god forbid, one of those very skeezy motels he'd just mentioned, but there was something about this one that made him want to help her not make those particular mistakes.

"....But I've got a spare bedroom in my apartment that I'd be willing to rent and it's in a better neighborhood, you wouldn't have to listen to a bunch of old perverts through the walls anyway. " Jack said as he leaned over and placed his elbows on the bar.