Chapter 1

Popcorn, check! Iced tea, check! Comfy slippers, sweats, and blanket...check! Sprawled out with my feet hanging over my couch's feet, blanket wrapped around my body like a cocoon. It was Friday late at night, I had been at work all day standing on my feet showing customers what made them look best, accentuating their features the way they requested. It was fun everyday don't get her wrong, but only for about the first four hours of the day. The first one one went pretty fast because it was the morning shift and for the majority of that time she saw no one and could pretend that she was sleeping standing up. For the second and third hour she was taking turns between doing makeup on herself and clients, filling up walk up appointments and demonstrating products. Makeup was always fun for her; it was part of her passion. She loved creating pieces that spoke to her with her fingers, paint, clay; instead it was in the form of eye shadow palettes. Celia was just as amused with the eye shadow and other products, it allowed her to take some tricks home, learn how to blend things out just right. Then there were the things that drove her crazy, that usually occurred during the last hour and a half signifying the end of her day. Firstly it seemed like all the disgruntled customers came in last, all upset or in a rush; looking for their right color or upset because they were duped by the celebrity they bought from. Then there were the gentlemen who all came looking for items that their girlfriends' had begged for; who surprisingly when in the aisle with herself or coworkers forget all about their love when there's a group of women helping them. And finally her manager, the craziest, sleaziest man in the world she ever met. Not only was she the youngest sales associate on the floor but she was also the shortest, a fact that was obviously clear to her when Jean would leer down at her with his teeth almost showing.

It was absolutely clear to not only Celia but also to her several coworkers that if Jean was not her manager and just an everyday man it would be consequential to not keep her distance. And that's what she did; everyday of the week almost for four to five hours of the day. Keeping herself busy with clients or products, anything new that needed to be articulated to the staff Celia made sure she got any if not all information from Niamh, her closest friend/coworker. Celia caught herself smiling at her recollection of Niamh's words,

"Girl he was staring at you like he was parched and you were the only water around!" She screeched out in laughter over her friend's discomfort. "He doesn't even try to hide himself. I mean oh my god if someone ever stared at me like that I'd bolt in the other direction!"

"I just can't afford to go somewhere else right now, besides what is he gonna do; as long as I'm not near him everything is going to be a'okay."

"I'll tell you what you need to do Celia: first things first, you need to have a growth spurt, I need you to grow about four to five inches, next I'm gonna need you to put on… wait for it… your big girl panties on!" She said this extending her right arm up in a fist as if she were a cheerleader, getting her ready for a game. Celia rolled her eyes at this.

"Listen I already let him down, you think I've been working here for the last year and Jean hasn't come onto me once? Nope, he tried probably around March or April during the nice part of Spring. He thought the scenery and setting would I guess get me in the romantic mood." As she said this she shrugged her shoulder in a comically quizzical gesture.

Celia always told Niamh that she just wasn't in the mood to entertain anyone at this point in time in her life; and that part was true! She just couldn't entertain anyone, and she always knew this ever since she was in high school. Don't get her wrong she had plenty of crushes, plenty of fantasies but never was anything ever something serious to pursue. Celia could probably count on one hand how many partners she had in her lifetime so far. And the truth of the matter was that she was attracted to something very specific; something that she rarely if ever interacted with which was the unfortunate part. Truthfully she didn't even know what she was looking for, she had only ever liked someone in the instance that in that moment she knew that's what she wanted. Celia always told Niamh that she was going to figure out what exactly made her tick.

"One of these days you are going to have to figure out what you're looking for, I can't tell you; and you and I obviously know that you aren't the type to have someone else tell you that they're what you're looking for. Cels I just want my baby chick to be happy you're young but not forever right. And what's going to happen when you don't have me to watch out for you or to keep you company, I'm not going to be off the market forever; in fact I'm toeing the line right now." Celia's eyes widened incredulously and a smirk threatened to spill onto her lips.

"You wouldn't dare; you're trying to tell me that you would leave me for someone else out there?" Feigning hurt she clutched her chest.

" Of course I would! AND I believe you should skidaddle outta here without me. It won't be the end of us darling, we can still see each other over the weekend." Niamh said somberly for just a split second before the both of them were cracking up. And now in her living room on her couch she had the conversation replaying in her mind and thinking about again, what she was looking for. And the opening scene for her now, new favorite show came on; she regained her focus with her popcorn that was sitting in her lap, she had just watched the first episode of season two last Friday. Tonight she decided that she would go back and binge watch all the previous episodes of the Mandalorian. Pedro Pascal's character had quickly become a favorite, almost like all his other characters; and you knew it was him the first time you heard the armored character speak knowing that voice instantaneously. His words were always commanding or sensual sounding with his accent. His character the Mandalorian had just walked into the bar stalking towards a group of struggling men/alien individuals. And just like you anticipated he was harassed by some of the locals and an altercation had begun with the Mandalorian claiming as the victor. The music was almost as if it was designed to play whenever he strutted after he defeated his opponent or even just making an entrance and it had the intended effect. It caught her attention as he started speaking his lines.

"I can give you Calimari flan but I can only pay half," Celia had startled awake to the Mandalorian speaking with Greef Karga. She tried her hardest to stay awake and alert; the most she is able to do is move the bowl of half eaten popcorn to the coffee table in order to keep it from spilling. Fighting to at least finish the episode Celia felt her eyes drift downward as she snuggled closer to her blankets pulling them up to her nose.

Hi all!

I am going to try to update the story every Saturday. PM me if you have any ideas, questions, requests and I will be sure to get back to you. I'm going to post the first two chapters and them every Saturday thereafter.

Sincerely,

Aspirations.