The Lucky Lottery Ticket

The day on which I was supposed to meet Gary Turner was approaching me with significantly large steps.

I liked Gary, yes, but I wasn’t that much into him. I watched a couple of his movies, true, but I wouldn’t consider myself a super fan. I wouldn’t scream if I saw him, I wouldn’t miss my train if I spotted him at the station. And, more importantly, if I had a boyfriend, I wouldn’t cheat on him for Gary, if I got the chance.

And yet, I participated in the lottery that he organized. It aimed to divert his fans’ interest from himself to a cause that he was fighting for: saving marine wildlife. The person who donated to the Dolphin Rescue and Research Center in Maui, New Zealand, and got their ticket chosen, could win a day of exclusivity with him.

I planned to become a celebrity myself and was at the stage of trying to break through several glass ceilings. I graduated with a fashion design degree and wanted to create an important brand. The shop I started on Etsy was quite in vogue, which meant I had real sales. If by chance I was chosen to meet Gary, and I posted our selfie on Instagram, it would definitely raise interest and attract new fans. After all, who wouldn’t buy clothes or accessories from a buddy of Gary Turner?

Besides, if I had to choose between being an environmentally ignorant or conscious designer, I would select the latter one. I cared about planet Earth, and I cared about others, even though I wasn’t always kind.

I was brought up by stern, easily irritable parents and I inherited their attitude. I lacked patience, and on my tough days, I mistreated others, for which I would later apologize. I often felt that I wasn’t a great person, so I tried to make up for it by donating money to various causes.

After donating to the Dolphin Rescue and Research Center, and attaching the bill to the lottery sign-up form, I focused on my newest collection. I completely forgot about Gary, until the day when I received a phone call from Tom, his manager. He told me that I was chosen, and I couldn’t believe it. I was convinced it was a friend’s friend making fun of me.

But then I received a thank you letter with the detailed program of our meeting and requirements I was supposed to meet. I had to medical examinations, which made a lot of sense. I wouldn’t be able to do snorkeling if a doctor didn’t confirm my health status. Gladly, I got a green light and was allowed to meet Gary.

The place of the encounter was, of course, the Dolphin Rescue and Research Center. I lived in Australia, so I had often traveled to New Zealand. I haven’t had a holiday for a long time, so I decided to book a cruise a bit earlier. I took a lot of photos, and after arriving, I spent two days roaming around fashion shops, looking at clothes, jewelry, and shoes. I wasn’t that much of a shopaholic. I went there to get inspired and see what other people buy.

When walking made me tired, I retreated to a beautiful cafe at the seaside, where I ate a strawberry sorbet, sketching in my notebook and listening to music. It made me feel like a carefree teenager, even though I was almost 26 years old - and quite serious about what I wanted to do in life. Business went well, which couldn’t be said about my non-existent love life. I was too busy to actively seek someone, and in my environment, there were more women than men. I seldom spotted anyone I liked, and if I did, it quickly turned out that they were either taken or straight.

Nobody for me.

“Luke, you are going to meet Gary Turner in person! He might be the one!” My best friend Melinda told me before I arrived in New Zealand. I merely laughed at the remark. I wasn’t the protagonist of a fanfiction. I didn’t intend to drop what I was just to become what I thought he might like.

Yet, I chose my looks really carefully. I strived to look as handsome as possible, so that the abyss between our social statuses wouldn’t be so instantly visible. At the same time, I remained faithful to my brand - everything I wore was of my own design.

When I arrived at the center on the day of the meeting, Gary, his manager Tom and two bodyguards were already there. I didn’t apologize for making them wait, as I wasn’t late. I didn’t doubt for a moment that Gary would look as attractive as in the movies. Or even more attractive, because he would be real.

I was right. He was so much better in real life than on screen. He was tall —he might have been 180 cm or more. His hairstyle was neat and short with a stylized fringe that gave his sexiness an additional boost. He was wearing a periwinkle light-blue shirt, beige shorts and sports shoes. He was a long-distance runner, which was probably the reason why he seemed so attractive. I have read somewhere that runners have increased levels of testosterone.

“Hi, there!” Gary took his hands out of his pockets to greet me. “I’m Gary Turner.”

“Luke Harrison,” When I was shaking his hand, he stepped forward and gave me a manly hug. He smelled light and fresh: I could sense sea notes, jasmine and lime in his perfume. “Nice to meet you.”

“My pleasure, Luke,” he flashed me a bright and irresistible smile. I looked around and realized that there were no visitors.

“Where did everyone go?”

“If everyone else could talk to me today, it wouldn’t be such an exclusive encounter, would it?” He raised an eyebrow. “Today, it’s only the two of us and the staff.”

“I’m honored,” I grinned at him. I didn’t feel intimidated by his presence at all. I’ve met many handsome men in my life, and he was just another one.