I was at Bernie and Lou’s apartment in Hollywood watching Lou’s latest edit of a music video. His signed Tori Black picture was framed and hanging on the wall above his computer monitor.

"She helps keep me motivated,” he said.

“Holy shit!” Bernie screamed from his bedroom next door. “Are you serious?’ He continued. “That’s amazing. I can’t wait. Thank you a million times over.” We heard him fumble about before racing into Lou’s room, beaming. “Guys, I just booked a pilot!”

“No way,” said Lou.

“That’s huge,” I said.

“A fucking pilot!” cheered Bernie.

“What’s the show?”

“Medical drama. Say hello to resident hunk, Josh Goodman, M.D.”

“Congratulations, doctor,” said Lou.

“Lets celebrate!”

We headed east to the Dresden, a bar made famous by Jon Favreau in the movie Swingers—they still had an original one sheet hanging up to commemorate it. We sipped classic cocktails as the house band played lounge hits. From there we continued on to the decidedly more divey Drawing Room, complete with torn red leather booths and an old timey juke box. After some beers and a couple rounds of darts we hoofed it down to Sunset Blvd toward the historic Akbar—known for its cheap drinks and welcoming dance floor. We got a round of tequila shots and Corona chasers, thoroughly primed to cut loose.

I didn’t have any intentions of finding a hook up, but, naturally, I couldn’t help but make eyes at the first woman who caught my attention. She was wearing a loose-fitting white T-shirt that hung off her right shoulder, American traditional tattoos on her arms, and a golden brown Carhartt beanie covering what looked to be emerald shoulder length locks—my god, she had green hair. She was leaning against the mirrored wall of the dance floor, talking to her shorter brunette friend in a black leather jacket. For a moment, I imagined the two of us sharing a whirlwind romance, but I didn’t act on anything. I was there to have a good time with my friends.

Lou somehow convinced someone to take off their jacket and create a limbo bar. One by one everyone on the dance floor went under, beanie babe included. This was the spark that got her and her friend off the wall and enmeshed within our group. All of us carried on, her and I keeping our distance but catching each other's gaze more than a few times, enough to be consistent, enough to take as a sign. Almost on accident, we bumped into each other. No longer strangers, we danced face to face. The music faded around us creating a bubble where we could hear each other perfectly.

“I like your moves,” she said.

“I like your hat,” I said. “What’s your name?”

“Laura,” she said, reaching for my hands and pulling them to her hips.

“My name’s Logan.”

The music picked back up and we got closer, our eyes fixed in a comfortable stare of adoration. I squeezed her hips and leaned in, our lips locking, bodies melting together. A small moment of bliss.

We slowly peeled away. “Let’s get some air,” she said.

We stepped outside to cool down, and Laura lit a cigarette while telling me about herself. “I’m twenty-five and teach Spanish for a living,” she said, taking a drag.

“You’re fluent in Spanish?” I asked.

“Born and raised in Buenos Aires,” she said.

“That’s amazing. I never would’ve guessed.”

“Most people wouldn’t. My family moved to the states when I was twelve, so I’ve had plenty of time to assimilate,” she said, dragging out the s’s with a wink.

“I can see,” I said. “So did teaching bring you to L.A.?”

“No, no, teaching is just a job for me,” she said. “I came here to follow a dream, like everybody else in this city.”

“Present company included,” I said. “So, what’s your dream?”

“Oh, it’s silly.”

“I like silly.”

Laura smiled, staring at me, getting a read on my face. She scraped her cigarette in a crisscross pattern along the brick wall of the bar, embers momentarily popping until only a black X remained. “How about I tell you over a drink at your place?”

“My place,” I said, thinking about my current situation. I hadn’t had sex with a civilian in almost three years. “My place…could work,” I said, stammering. “But I’ll be totally honest, I do porn for a living and haven’t had sex with anyone outside the industry for like a long time, and—well, we’re all tested every two weeks and all that, so it’s not like I’m reckless, it’s just that I generally don’t use condoms, which now that I say out loud does sound pretty bad. Uh, all this to say, I don’t own any condoms.”

Laura stared. “That’s a little forward, isn’t it? Assuming we were going to fuck.”

“I know that came out super weird.”

“We just met.”

“You’re totally right. I’m sorry. That was a jerk move.”

She laughed. “I’m just kidding,” she said. “Hey, I’d rather you tell me now instead of waiting until we’re already there. It’s a shame, though, I’ve never had sex with a porn star before.”

“I’m sorry if that was a weird thing for me to admit, but I just want to be transparent, you know?”

“It’s not too weird,” she said. “I have a couple friends who cam and stuff. I think it’s actually kind of cute how nervous you were. Why don’t I give you my number, you take me out sometime, and we’ll try this again?”

“It’s a date,” I said, taking out my phone and putting her number in.

At the same time, I got a text from Lou that read, “We’re about to roll. Where you at?”

I replied, “Outside, good whenever.”

“So, Logan,” said Laura. “Is that your real name?”

“No, just a stage name,” I said. “My real name is Jacob.”

“Jacob,” she said. “I like that better. It’s nice to meet you, Jacob.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Laura.”

It feels almost unreal to admit, but I couldn’t remember the last time I introduced myself as Jacob. I was relieved to finally do it again. It was about time I started using my real name.

A minute later the guys appeared, shirts damp and skin glistening, ready to keep the party moving. Laura and I shared a parting hug and another kiss before she slipped back into the bar.

There was a peaceful stillness in the air. In that moment I had no worries of the past, no fears of the future. For the first time in a while I felt hopeful about life moving forward. I wanted to hold on to that feeling for as long as I could, to live with it forever.

The three of us then went on our way and disappeared into the night.