Picture Perfect?

10 days later ;
DEVLIN'S POV:
"Holy hell , I didn't know this many people would fit in here ! I feel like a sardine !" Jake grouses as we attempt to make our way through the crowd .
"Yeah , kinda like going to one of y'all's shows ." I chuckle at him .
I have gotten a MAJOR break ! Several of my photos have been included in a rather important exhibit here in LA , and all of the guys, ( and the girls , too ,) have shown up to support me . Or , to be correct , are in the process of showing up . Jinxx and Alice are the last to arrive , walking toward us as Jake is complaining . And , for some reason , Jinxx is chuckling to himself as they reach us .
"What's so funny ,man ?" Ash inquires , and Jinxx just shakes his head .
"He's been doing that since before we left the house ." Alice says . "He was screwing around with the TV while I was doing my makeup , and the next thing I know , he's on the floor rolling . All he's said is that he saw something that reminded him of a conversation he had recently ."
I do a face - palm and mutter , "I don't even have to ask ." Because I don't . I saw on the TV program guide that "Porky's" was on this evening .
Jinxx walks over and gives me a squeeze , saying , "Hon , we have ALL been in that place . More often than I really care to think about , to be totally honest . But , you are the only one I know who has ever felt the need to arm yourself because of it ."
CC starts laughing hysterically , while the others just look puzzled .
"You two are never going to let me hear the end of that , are you ?" , I mumble into my hand .
"Doubtful . Highly doubtful ." Jinxx smirks at me .
As quickly as he started laughing , CC's expression becomes serious .
"I just hope that your logic holds up , y'know ." he says to me .
"Yeah , me , too ."

We finally make it to the area where my pictures are being displayed . I only have three in the exhibit , but that's pretty good for my first major show . Two of them are pictures I took at a wildlife sanctuary for a calendar shoot . One is a picture of a pair of baby lynxes , and the other shows a wolf carrying one of her pups in her mouth . The third picture is actually a crowd shot I took at the band's last LA show , and I almost think that they're more proud of that one than I am .
As we're standing here listening to people commenting on the photos , both mine and other people's , I spot someone that I've been looking for since we arrived .
"Hey ,guys , I see someone I need to talk to . I'll be back in a few , OK ?"
"Don't get lost , OK ? I don't want to have to send out a search party when it's time to leave ." Ash tells me . My car is in the shop right now , so he's my ride home .
I move as quickly as I can through the crowd , and finally catch up to the tall , thin , Spanish man I've been wanting to speak to for days .
Hey , Esteban !" I say as he turns toward me , There's something I'd like to have a word with you about ."
"Good evening , chica !" , he says . I was going to seek you out this evening for the very same reason . But ,of course , ladies first ."
"I'd just like to know what the HELL you were thinking when you threatened to blackball Tanya if she went to a family funeral with her boyfriend ? That was a total dick move !"
"Is that what she told you ?"
"That's what he told me when I asked him why she didn't go ." I say .
"Well then , you may be interested in what I wished to speak to you about ." he responds . " I was going to inquire as to whether you might have an explanation as to why she bowed out of the shoot to 'attend' this funeral , but was then spotted partying in Palm Springs ?"
"Excuse the FUCK out of me ? How sure are you of that ?" I shout , drawing some odd looks from people nearby .
"I've seen pictures , my dear girl .With time - stamps . So apparently our charming friend is not only extremely unprofessional , but very deceptive to her young man ."
By the time he finishes , I'm mumbling every swear word I know under my breath , including some that my grandad taught us in Italian , and creating some combos I've never thought of before .
"Devlin , dear , I didn't think you would be this disgruntled ." Esteban says , " After all , it wasn't your shoot she disrupted ."
"That is not my fucking problem with it , Esteban ! Ash is a terrific guy , he's one of the nicest people I know , and he deserves a hell of a lot better than to be treated like shit by my useless lying skank of a soon - to - be - ex roommate !"
At this point , he says something that totally stops me cold ;
"Listening to your little speech would incline someone to believe that you have more feelings for this fellow than Tanya does, dear girl ."
So THIS is what an epiphany feels like !
Oh , shit ! This cannot be happening ! I'm fully aware that Ashley has no interest in me other than friendship and I don't intend to screw that up .
Gee thanks so much , Esteban ! Why couldn't you just let me ignore myself in peace ?
"You may want to fill him in ,Devlin ." Esteban tells me . "I saw the pictures last night , so I have no doubt that someone will have them on the internet anytime now , if they aren't already there . If you're as fond of him as you seem to be , you might not want him to receive the news in that manner ."
I let out a big breath and say , "Yeah you're right . I'd rather stand in front of a firing squad ,but I really don't have much choice .Thanks for telling me , and I'm sorry I yelled at you ."
"Perfectly understandable , given the mis - information that you'd been given . That would indeed have been a 'dick move' on my part , as you so eloquently put it . I am fully aware that I have a reputation for temperament , but I'm not completely unfeeling ."
He then kisses my cheek and says " Also , if you wouldn't mind , please tell the lovely Tanya that she will never work another of my shoots again "
"That makes two of us !" I reply , as I turn to make my way back to Ash and the others .
Crap ! I am so not looking forward to this !

Notes