"Hey, Portia," Katie said, walking into her dressing room, where she was apparently just sitting and staring in the mirror. Did they pay her to do that? Katie sort of wished she could be paid just to look at herself.
Portia turned around on her swivel stool, folding her hands in her lap. "Oh, hi, Katie!" She grinned.
Earlier that day, Katie had taken Portia to her grandmother's nursing home. Portia had said that she felt like she lived in a panopticon, being watched and scrutinized constantly without a break, since she'd become famous. She'd helped Katie with her mother and grandmother for the past week, so Katie had wanted to do something to help her. None of the old people at the nursing home knew or cared who Portia was, since they'd never heard of her (and also they were all very old and it was jello night), and there were no phones allowed, so nobody could record her. Portia had finally been able to do whatever she wanted without the fear of being judged, and that happened to be dancing the way she wanted to. She wasn't particularly good at dancing, but Katie had immensely enjoyed seeing her happy, and her excitement was contagious. Katie had ended up dancing the same way, and she had to admit, it was really fun.
Katie set down the binder of information for the story she was almost done producing on the desk that Portia was sitting at. "I just wanted to apologize again for ignoring you this week," she said. "It wasn't cool of me to disregard your needs and even the words you were saying."
"It's alright," Portia said, "Honestly, it was refreshing. I'm used to everyone hanging on my every word." She put her fingertips together, leaning backward on her stool as if it were a normal chair with a back. Katie had always wondered how she kept her posture so good. "Anyways, you've already made up for it regardless. I haven't been able to dance like that in... I wanna say five years? How old am I?"
Katie knew the answer to the question, but she held her tongue. "I'm glad you had a good time," she said and smiled.
Looking at Portia, she understood why she sat and looked in the mirror for hours every day. Portia was really pretty, and the way she did her makeup, which Katie could tell was very deliberate and well thought out, accentuated her features and made her more beautiful. There was definitely a reason why she was their more popular news anchor, and it wasn't because of her age. She was really good at her job, too, probably better than Chuck was (not that anyone would ever say that to Chuck), but something about her also just captivated anyone who looked at her and kept the attention on her for however long she wanted it.
Katie realized that she hadn't said anything in a while, and had, in fact, been staring at Portia. She looked away quickly, trying to seem nonchalant. It did not work. She cleared her throat awkwardly.
Portia glanced at her and smiled. "Katie, you're, like, surprisingly cool," she remarked.
Katie laughed nervously. "You're cool, too. Not in a surprising way, though. I always knew you were, like, the coolest person alive, so. Um."
She probably would have kept rambling forever if Portia hadn't stopped her. "Are you always this strange and awkward?" She asked, seeming slightly concerned about Katie.
Katie shook her head. "Mostly only when I'm nervous," she said, consciously stopping herself from continuing. She was really nervous right now, and she didn't know why. She hoped that Portia wouldn't ask that next.
Portia laughed, turning away from the mirror in her swivel chair, which Katie had never seen her do, not even when talking to her ex-fiance. She reached out toward Katie and took her hands, pulling her closer to her. "Katie," she said, looking into her eyes a bit scarily. "When I was with you in the nursing home, I felt more like myself than I have in a long time. Maybe ever."
Kate laughed awkwardly, unable to look away or blink or really even breathe properly. What was going on?
Before she realized what was happening, Portia was kissing her, and she was kissing back.
After a few moments, she pulled away, giggling and a little lightheaded. "Wow, um." She jumped as Portia's phone buzzed with a notification. The screen turned on and revealed the time. "Oh, crap I've gotta go prep production. I, um...Thank you," she finished awkwardly and rushed away.
Portia shook her head and chuckled, turning back to look in the mirror.