***Note: This story is completely fictional. I've never met any of the real life versions of any of the people mentioned, so I can't honestly speculate on their sexualities, but the events I'm portraying all come from my mind and nowhere else.
This is the beginning of a series that follows my first series, "Vida Loca", which can also be read on the archive. This is a spin off, really. Enjoy!***
I looked around the room, amazed. Who would ever have believed that I'd end up at a party like this, surrounded by so many celebrities? How was it possible?
Of course, I knew how it had happened. I just still couldn't believe that it was reality and not a dream I was having. My life had always been so dull and so normal! How had I managed to become someone who was standing in a place like this? With Madonna just across the room? Half of the people at the party had been people I was watching on MTV (during the ten seconds a day they actually show music videos!) just a few months earlier.
One chance encounter can certainly change a person's entire life. I'd never really believed that until the day I met Ricky Martin in a men's room. That had been the very instant my life had changed for ever, though I hadn't realized it at the time.
One night of great sex. That's all it was ever supposed to be. How could one night of hot, passionate sex with a gorgeous pop star really change the entire course of a life?
But it had. Not the sex, of course, though that had been amazing. It was Ricky himself who'd changed my attitude towards my life. The morning after our incredible night together (and after a very nice round of wake-up sex), Ricky had said something to me while he was getting ready to leave to continue on his promotional tour.
"Life is short, man. I could be living in Puerto Rico still, dreaming about singing and being famous, but I'm not. I'm here. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened to me if I'd never tried, if I'd given in to doubts."
Reality check. That made me think, really. I'd always toyed with the fantasy of singing, but I'd never really done much about it. I'd always figured that those people who made it big in the music business (or at anything, really) had been born knowing that they were meant to do that, that they'd never been uncertain about what course to take, that it had been all worked out in advance somehow and there'd been no doubts.
After leaving the hotel that day, I took with me more than the memory of really great sex with a really hot guy. I went away with a new determination to make things happen in my own life, even if I wasn't certain I'd be a success.
Now, here I was. Not that I was a success yet, of course. I'd managed to get my foot in the door, that was all. I'd made a demo that had got me a meeting with a few record industry people and now I was in the midst of recording my first album, having left college behind to come to L.A.
It hadn't been an easy road, though it was going much faster than I'd expected, or had any right to deserve. Still, the process of choosing which songs to record, of writing a few of my own, and doing the actual work in the recording studio was hectic and I'd been glad when I got the invite to this party for some executive or another. It gave me a chance to relax and take a break from things.
What I hadn't expected was the magnitude of stars who were in attendance. I certainly hadn't been prepared to travel in this circle so quickly. Not, to keep myself grounded in reality, that any of them knew who the hell I was- yet!
Then, through the crowd surrounding Madonna, I spotted him. Ricky. I made my way slowly towards him, feeling a little hesitant since it had been months and he probably wouldn't remember a guy from a one night stand. He was a star, after all, he'd probably had several such nights. Mostly, though, I was amused, wondering what he'd think if he did recognize me.
"-in Malibu for the weekend," Ricky was saying to Madonna as I walked up. There was no need to worry about intruding on a private conversation, since the two were surrounded by many people, some of whom I recognized easily.
I felt a small jolt when Madonna turned her eyes towards me for a moment and looked me up and down, but she didn't linger. After all, I wasn't exactly her type, from what I'd heard. She preferred Latin men. Smart woman!
Ricky followed her gaze, as did several others. The only eyes I met, though, were Ricky's. I smiled as I saw hesitation cross his face. Obviously, I struck some chord in his mind, but he couldn't place me. He turned back to his conversation with Madonna, but every once in awhile his eyes would flicker back towards me for a moment or two. I could see from his eyes that he was still trying to place me.
Finally, I turned and made my way to the bar for another glass of champagne. If Ricky wanted to talk to me, he'd find me, I figured. I continued looking around the room, recognizing more and more stars with each turn of my head.
"Hey," I heard a voice say next to me, almost in my ear. I turned and smiled at a good looking guy with black hair and a very attractive five o'clock shadow, wearing a gray sweater and khaki pants. Very casual for a formal party, I reflected, but then most of the people in the room were dressed similarly. In fact, I was starting to feel a little too dressed up myself. He didn't look familiar, really, but in an odd way I felt I should know who he was.
"Hi," I smiled back.
"Some party, huh? I hate these things," he sighed, shaking his head.
"So why come?" I asked, raising my eyebrows questioningly as I took a sip of my drink.
"It's an obligation. Goes with the territory, like signing autographs and doing those pathetic guest shots on MTV," he grinned. "Isn't that why you're here?"
"Yeah, I guess. But I'm still new at all of this, so I haven't reached the jaded stage yet," I laughed.
"Oh, that explains why I've never seen you around. What's your name?"
"Chase Donovon. I'm working on my debut album for RCA," I explained.
"Oh? Congratulations, then. Welcome to the rat race," he smiled.
"Thanks. Um... I didn't get your name?" I said. He looked surprised, and I knew then that he definitely was someone I should have recognized.
"Oh, sorry. I'm Jordan Knight," he smiled, sticking out a hand. I shook it and smiled inwardly. Ah, the former New Kid on the Block who'd made a recent comeback! I flashed back to all the times I'd made fun of the New Kids, my sister's favorite group, as a child and suppressed a laugh when I remembered sneaking into her room to look through some of those cheap 'biography' books she had on the band for some hot pictures of the guys.
"Nice to meet you. Now I recognize you," I smiled. He was very good looking, that was certain. And, from the looks of things, he had a great body. He hadn't broken eye contact, either, and had let his hand linger in mine a second longer than was called for. All good signs, I reflected.
"So, you sing? Or are you a musician?" Jordan asked.
"I sing. I think I'm being described as a Backstreet Boy meets Elton John. Something like that, anyway. I don't know, I just sing. Hopefully someone out there will want to listen," I grinned.
"I'm sure you'll have all the pre-teen girls swarming the stores for your CDs. Ready for that?" Jordan smiled, his eyes taking in my looks. I fit the description of a blonde California surfer boy, though I'd never even been on a surf board. For a second I didn't answer him, I was too busy looking back into his eyes and realizing just how sexy they were.
"I guess. Maybe you could give me some pointers on how to deal with it?" I suggested, giving him an opening I hoped he'd take.
"I'd love to. We'll have to get together and talk about it some night," Jordan said, taking a gulp from his drink without taking his eyes from mine.
"Sounds great. If you're not too busy, of course," I replied. Before Jordan could answer, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around. It was Ricky.
"Excuse me. Can I talk to you for a moment?" Ricky asked. I felt a slight flutter in my stomach, having those eyes looking directly into mine once again and being close enough to smell the warm, soft scent of his body so close to mine.
"Sure. I'll catch up to you in a little while, Jordan," I called over my shoulder, smiling. Jordan nodded, but I noticed a slight look of disappointment in his eyes.
I followed Ricky to an empty table in a corner of the room and sat down in the chair he pulled out for me. He sat next to me and looked at me with open surprise.
"Chase?"
"You remember my name," I smiled, surprised myself. "How've you been?"
"Fine. And of course I remember your name. That was an incredible night. But what.." Ricky stopped and looked a little at a loss for words.
"What the hell am I doing here?" I laughed, supplying him with the right phrase. "I was invited, don't worry. I haven't tracked you down to stalk you or anything like that."
Ricky grinned and shook his head. "Of course you haven't. So what are you doing here, though?"
"I'm recording with RCA."
"That's great! Congratulations," Ricky said. "Wow. This really is a surprise. I didn't think I'd ever see you again, unless maybe I got booked at that mall sometime."
"Look, Ricky, if you're worried that I think we're going to have a relationship going on just because of that night, don't." I came to the point, seeing the worry in his eyes.
"Oh, I wasn't thinking that!" Ricky said quickly.
"Yes, you were. You thought you'd never see me again, and now suddenly here I am. I know exactly what you're thinking, because I'd be thinking the same thing. But don't worry about it. Like you said, it was a great night. Maybe we can do it again sometime. But it doesn't have to be anything more than that. I'm certainly not ready for anything serious. Especially now that I'm bound to have groupies!" I joked.
Ricky laughed and I could see the relief in his face. "Yeah, I'm sure you'll have plenty of those. Especially if they knew what you were like in the bedroom."
"Thanks."
"So, I guess I'll be seeing you around then? I've got a date tonight or we could have-"
"Don't worry about it. I think I've got a date tonight, too," I said, searching the crowd for Jordan. There he was, right where we'd left him, and looking in our direction, too.
"Well, have fun then. And I'll definitely be seeing you around," Ricky stood up and winked before shaking my hand formally.
"Yeah. I'll look forward to that," I said honestly. I watched Ricky walk away, mingling in with the crowd. I was flattered that he'd remembered me at all and very pleased with the thought of continuing a casual relationship with him now that we were co-workers of sorts.
"Hey. Mind if I sit down?" Jordan asked. I jumped a little, surprised to find him standing next to me.
"Not at all!" I said, indicating Ricky's vacated chair.
"So, you and Ricky old friends or something?" Jordan asked as he sat down. I noticed that he sat on the edge of the chair so that his legs were almost touching mine and our faces were close together.
"We met a few months ago," I said, giving no further explanation.
"So I have no chance with you, then?" Jordan asked softly. I smiled, happy to have my suspicions confirmed.
"Ricky's just a friend. In fact, he's got a date tonight." I said, meeting Jordan's eyes.
"So I do have a chance with you?" I looked at Jordan and suddenly found myself laughing. He looked surprised and leaned back a little in his chair.
"Does that mean no?"
"No! I'm sorry, Jordan. It's not that. I just had this image of my sister's face if she ever found out that her favorite New Kid, the one she was going to marry, was trying to pick up her brother!"
"Imagine her face if her favorite New Kid succeed at picking up her brother," Jordan smiled. "Is he? Succeeding, I mean."
"Oh, most definitely, I'd say," I smiled and touched his hand gently under the table.
"Should we get out of here?" Jordan asked, his warm breath on my face, smelling faintly of mint.
"Unless you want to put on a floor show," I said.
"Why should we make everyone that jealous?" Jordan laughed. "Come on, let's go."
As I followed him across the room towards the exit, my mind was filled with many things. One, as I'd said, was that I was about to make one of my sister's teen dreams come true- for me! Mostly, though, I was thinking how much I was going to love my attempt at pop stardom, and all the perks that came with it.
**** To be continued. I hope all of you who've been writing me about continuing Vida Loca won't be too disappointed with the new direction I've taken the story in. Ricky will still feature in this series, he just won't be the focus. There are lots of hot guys in the music biz, though, so why limit ourselves?
Please send ANY suggestions about the story (including any stars you'd like to see in the following parts!) to chase_donovon@yahoo.com. Thanks!!