CHAPTER 44: ACTRESS NEXT DOOR!!

"Today is that time of the year. The time of the year I hate the most. The time of the year I truly dread the most."

Edward sighed, the words heavy in his thoughts as he adjusted the stiff collar of his waiter uniform.

The Estate Meetup.

He stood in the foyer of his home, now overrun by perfectly trimmed hedges of social niceties and fake laughter. His mother’s idea of "community engagement" was his idea of hell.

"Awnnnnnn, is that Eddy?"

Before he could react, a large blonde woman draped in a pearl necklace stormed toward him with open arms. She wrapped him in a hug that nearly crushed his lungs.

"You’re suffocating me!!" Edward gasped, lightly tapping her shoulder in surrender.

"Oh, my bad, Eddy," the woman said with a bubbly laugh, finally letting go.

Edward straightened his tie and cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you too, Aunt Pepper."

"Pepper!" someone else called out.

"Jennifer!"

Pepper and Edward’s mom, Jennifer, exchanged a hug, laughing like old friends reunited at a high school reunion.

"Let me guess—this was your idea?" Pepper pointed toward Edward, who was already halfway through retreating into the kitchen.

"Who else!" Jennifer said, shrugging as the two of them laughed again.

"Urghhhh!!" Edward groaned, ducking his head and picking up a tray as he weaved around groups of chatty guests. "Thank you." "Thank you." "Thank you." The same polite gratitude echoed from every direction as he served hors d’oeuvres like a well-trained background character.

"Hey! Over here!!"

Edward turned toward the voice waving at him from the corner. When he saw who it was, he nearly dropped his tray.

"Sabrina!!!"

He dropped the tray entirely, the clatter causing several guests to glance his way.

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, scrambling to collect the fallen crackers. He looked up at the girl smiling at him—shoulder-length curls, piercing eyes, same playful smirk. It had been a while.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"First of all, I didn’t know you were a waiter, Edward," Sabrina said, giggling into her hand.

"I’m just helping my mom serve, but the real question is what you’re doing here," Edward said, setting the now-empty tray aside and sliding into the seat next to her.

"I live here," she said casually, flashing a grin.

"Huh? I’ve never seen you around," Edward said, furrowing his brow.

"We just moved in last week, but we officially settled down yesterday. Then your mom invited us for the Estate Meetup so we could get familiar with our neighbors." She popped a cracker into her mouth like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Wanna catch up?" she asked.

"I kind of got something going on, as you can see." Edward gestured to his vest and black bowtie like a prisoner’s shackle.

"You’ve literally served everyone here already. Edward, you’re not doing much." She pointed to his now-empty tray.

"Fine."

The two snuck out of the house and took a quiet stroll around the estate, away from the noise and formality.

"My mom got a new job and a good deal on a house in this estate," Sabrina began, walking beside him with her hands folded behind her back. "Our old place was in another town and was literally falling apart. So yeah, we came here. Didn’t even know you lived in this estate till your mom introduced herself to us."

"Last time we saw each other was at the supermarket," Edward said, slightly awkward.

"Yeah—where you took my number and never called!!" Sabrina said, punching him playfully in the arm.

"No, it isn’t like that, I—" he began, but she interrupted.

"Forgot? Don’t worry about it. Wanna know why?" she said, stopping in her tracks.

"Why?" Edward asked, puzzled.

"Cause now you can’t escape me." She smiled, the words dancing off her lips like a tease.

"Is that meant to be a bad thing?" Edward smiled back.

"Oh, yeah. Have you decided on a school?" she asked.

"Nah, maybe I’ll come to yours," she replied with a grin.

"That wouldn’t be bad. It’d be just like middle school—before you moved away," Edward said, growing nostalgic.

"Do you still talk to any of our middle school friends?" Sabrina asked.

"Nah, I lost touch," Edward admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Usual Eddy!" Sabrina teased, nudging him again.

"Hey!" he laughed as they continued walking.

Then Edward’s phone buzzed. He answered it and nodded as his mother spoke frantically.

"We gotta head back," Edward told Sabrina.

"So soon? Urghhh." She sighed in disappointment, clearly enjoying the moment.

They made their way back to the house. As they walked through the front door, Aunt Pepper leaned in, practically bursting with excitement.

"Eddy, Eddy, a famous actress came for the Estate Meetup." She whispered this with the drama of a spy revealing state secrets.

"Who?" Edward asked.

"Summer Celestèe," Aunt Pepper whispered into his ear.

"Wait, wait—like the Summer Celestèe? Like Valencèe model, actress, and entrepreneur Summer Celestèe?" Edward repeated, nearly hyperventilating.

"You seem to know a lot about this Summer Celestèe," Sabrina said, side-eyeing him.

"Why wouldn’t I? She’s starred in all my favorite films. Vanguard, Rise and Fall, The Wild, Similar, Hell’s Rules, Fallen, Roots, Outer, and The Adulterous Swi—"

"Okay, okay, we get it—you’re a fan." Sabrina cut him off, amused.

"Edward, come here. Come meet her!" Jennifer called from across the room.

Standing beside her was a woman in a flower-patterned dress, a wide-brimmed sunhat shading her features. Blonde hair flowed down her back like melted gold.

"I take it you’re Edward?" Summer said with a smile. "Your mom told me you’re a huge fan of my works."

Edward stood frozen, staring like he’d seen a ghost.

"Uhhh, is he mute?" Summer asked, tilting her head.

She’s really in front of me. Like not on a screen. Not in a magazine. She’s really in front of me. Edward’s thoughts raced as he grinned like a child meeting Santa.

"Edward?" she said again, poking his arm.

She knows my name!!!! he screamed inside his head.

Snapping out of it, he nodded quickly. "Yes, my name is Edward."

"Your mom told me you’re a talented editor. Is that true?" Summer asked.

"Ye-, yea it’s true!" Edward said quickly, glancing at his mom. "Damn, thank you, Mom, for putting me on."

"Okay." Summer pulled out her phone. "Tell me your digits."

Wait. Summer Celestèe is collecting my number.

"I’ve been looking for an editor who can help with my social media videos. If you’re looking for a summer job, this is the perfect one," she added, walking toward another part of the house.

Edward stood still, processing. A smile spread across his face.

"Woah, fanboy, chill," Sabrina said, laughing at his expression.

"You won’t get it, Sabrina. You won’t get it." Edward was practically glowing.

"Yeah, I guess I don’t. But Eddy, we need to talk. Meet me at my house tomorrow by four p.m.," she said as she and her mom started to leave.

"I don’t even know your house!!" Edward shouted after her.

The meetup eventually ended.

Later, Edward and Jennifer stood by the sink washing dishes.

"Meeting Summer Celestèe, huh?" Jennifer said, bumping Edward’s shoulder from across the sink.

"You really were mute," she laughed.

"Alright, alright—I was geeked. By the way, why was she even here?" Edward asked.

"Oh, she lives here now."

"Eh."

"Ehhhhhhhhhhh!!" Edward shouted, nearly dropping a plate.

"Her agency sent her to our town to oversee their new branch, so she was looking for a quiet rich estate—and she decided on here," Jennifer explained, drying off the plates.

"Woah. That’s insane. My favorite actress living next door..." Edward shook his head in disbelief. "So, are you going to take the job she offered?" Jennifer asked.

"Mom, I have summer class, remember?" Edward reminded her.

"That ends this week," Jennifer countered.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah..." he trailed off, realizing.

"So, you’re gonna take the job, right?" she asked again.

"I guess I will—why am I saying I guess? It’s Summer Celestèe. I will," he said with finality.

That night, Edward climbed into bed, mentally replaying the day. "Today was a long day... need to catch some sleep."

Just as he was about to drift off, his phone rang.

"Who’s calling at this time?" he muttered, answering it.

"Hello," he said, tiredly.

"Hey, it’s—"

"Summer!!" Edward shouted, rolling off the bed and hitting the floor with a thud, his phone still on the mattress.

"Hey, hey... you still there?" Summer’s voice came through the speaker, slightly concerned.

"Yeah, yeah," Edward said, scrambling back up.

"Good. So, have you made up your mind on the editing job? Say yes, please—I don’t have the strength to start looking for a new editor," she said with a slight whine in her voice.

"No, no, don’t beg—I’ll do it!" Edward replied.

"Yessss. You’ll start tomorrow," Summer said, clearly relieved.

"Erm, about that—I kind of have summer classes..." Edward said, looking aside.

"Wait, wait... so it isn’t possible?" she asked, her tone dipping slightly.

"No, no. My summer classes end this week. So, I’ll be free to start work then," Edward clarified.

"Oh, I guess I can wait. So by Saturday—you’ll be ready to work?" Summer asked.

"Yeah, I would," Edward said, grinning ear to ear.

"Good. I guess I’ll see you on Saturday." And with that, she hung up.

Edward launched himself back onto his bed, pumping both fists in the air.

"Yessssss!!"