The cab dropped me off at the Plaza at 7 and I was greeted at the door and led into the pre-awards bar area. I proceeded to order a vodka cocktail and sipped it awkwardly, looking around in vain for someone I recognised. Then a sweaty-looking guy with sparse, spiked hair that I just knew had to be Bob Wilson approached me.

“Hi Dana!” He shook my hand damply. “Bob Wilson.”

“Hey!” I replied, as enthusiastically as I could then quickly extracted myself from him.

“So glad you could make it!  I’ll let you mingle then maybe I can introduce you to a few people? Big fans of yours! Your kind of people, you know!”  He laughed a little too loudly.

I took a larger sip of my drink and nodded, whispering ‘asshole’ under my breath.

“Okay then!” He grinned, backing away. 

I wandered around the slowly filling bar, wondering if I should get another drink now or wait a few more minutes. I grabbed a couple of canapés from a passing waiter and checked my watch trying to calculate when I would be able to leave. Apparently the award I was presenting was about halfway through the evening.  I was just taking a bite of a mini sushi roll when I heard:

“Dana?”

I spun round and inhaled sharply choking on the piece of roll. Alice was standing in front of me, her face a picture of surprise.

“Jesus Christ!” I coughed, trying to breathe. “What are you doing here?!”

Alice frowned, her forehead crinkling cutely.

“I’m here for Ethan! He’s nominated tonight. What’s your excuse?”

I fiddled with my cocktail glass and tried to look casual.

“Ah, I’m presenting actually.”

Alice rolled her eyes.

“Don’t tell me: Most promising new writer of the year?”

I thought back to the card I have been given. “Yeah, why-“

Alice shook her head. “It just had to be… That’s Ethan’s category.”

I must have looked confused as Alice sighed and continued.

“He’s a sports journalist, Dana. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him.”

I shrugged, trying to regain my equilibrium. I felt myself beginning to blush as the shock of seeing her subsided and I took in how she looked and the scent of her perfume. She was wearing a chic chocolate brown gown that perfectly set off her eyes, and boasted a pretty revealing neckline.