Dex's POV(III)

"Penny!" I called, rather seductively. I always had to get a bit... persuasive around Penny to get her to do something.

I don't even know how Penny got to be my manager. She started when I was seventeen, my previous manager recently died in a car accident. I never liked her from the beginning, but she was the daughter of the owner of the record company I usually dealed with. I couldn't fire her, or else she would go crying to her daddy and they would cut off everything from me. Penny was really quite young, only 27.

Penny opened the doors to my room energetically, holding a stack of papers. She quickly laid them down on the settee, then crossed the room over to me.

"What is it, Dex?"

"Penny," I grabbed her and gave her a nice long hug. She hugged me back, and as I pulled away, I knew she was so enchanted she would do anything for me. "Penny," I repeated, "I have an idea,"

"What?" she asked, dazed, "Oh, that. What is it?"

"I think we should have a contest." This was the point where it became all or nothing. I was sure Penny would think it was an atrocious idea, so I held her close as I talked. "If we have a singing contest, I think she would come, and all our problems would be solved,"

"I don't know..." I could see her eyes becoming a bit more focused, a tad more alert. I had to do something!

I leaned in and kissed the top of her forehead. Her breathing became more relaxed, and she swayed a little.

"Could you set that up for me?" I asked. She nodded, hanging on to me. I gently propelled her out of the room, and she walked off, stumbling a little. Good work, buddy! I mentally high-fived myself. I knew I could always fall back on my charm when something didn't work out.

I leaned on the settee, leafing through the papers she forgot to bring with her. They were filled with info on the girl, "Eve Valencia". I looked at the pictures with interest. One was of her at school (from the school's security cameras), one was from her house (facebook), and one was a headshot (I don't know WHERE she got that).

At school, I could tell she dressed sloppily, but what amused me so much was that I could see a handsome guy staring at her, lovesick, forever frozen on the page. I laughed. Wouldn't that guy be happy to know I saw THAT?! I chuckled. I made a mental note to check up on that guy later.

Her headshot was absolutely magnificent, striking me into silent amazement. At the concert she wore makeup, which really took away from her natural beauty. I felt that it made her look a bit more artificial. In the headshot, though, she looked dreamy, with her big blue eyes and a gorgeous expression on her face. She looked like a movie star.

I imagined myself, once again, by her side, us holding hands. In my fantasy, I leaned in and kissed her, her wavy brown hair tickling my face. I laughed and held her face in my hands, kissing her once more...

This was weird. Why was I thinking about her so much? The question surged through me, hurting my head with the possibilities. I came, slowly, to the realization that I liked her, maybe even loved her. But how was that possible? How could I like, or love, someone I don't even know?

That can't be right. It must be... infatuation! That's right, I quickly assured myself. It was simply not possible. There was not one freakin' chance I was in love with her.

Little did I know Eve felt the same way.