I inspected myself in the mirror. A white crop top with a silver necklace, my denim shorts and my green flannel shirt. I put my hair in pigtails so it wouldn't get in my food if we ate brekkie. I debated between my boots and joggers and ended up picking my joggers. I wasn't sure how long our date would last but I wanted to make the most of it. 

I didn't eat much at my hotel room just to make sure I was hungry. I hoped I would get hungry soon because I didn't really feel like I was. Maybe I was nervous or something.

Of course I'm nervous, I'm going on a date with a cute guy!

Dramamine. That would take care of my problem. I just popped a pill in my mouth and that was that. Just as long as I didn't fall asleep on him. Putting on a good layer of sunscreen and aloe vera to my burn, I was ready. 

It was about ten fifteen when he showed up. 

I opened the door and there he was looking like he had just woken up. "Sorry, hun, woke up a bit later than intended." He yawned. "Are we still on?"

**********

Brunch was light. We got coffee and eggs and I managed to eat about half of it. Angus downed his coffee like a Hoover and left a bit of egg on his plate. "How old are you?" he asked with another yawn.

"I'm twenty two," I said. "I'll be twenty three next month."

"Ya' don't say. I'm twenty three myself. You'll hear in the papers that I'm...nine or somethin' but it isn't true," he grinned. I laughed a little which turned into a small coughing fit. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I just...I caught a cold last month and I'm still getting over it."

"Ya' get sick a lot?"

You have no idea. "Sometimes." He sipped his coffee only to realise there was none left so he set the mug back down.

"You see any other bands live?"

"No. My first concert was you guys back in Sydney."

"Really? I'd have thought you went to shows all the time, ya' have a real knack for findin' talent." He winked. 

"I just..." I shrugged. "I don't usually go to concerts, I've never really found a band that was worth seeing live." The corner of his lips turned up.

"What about us?" I looked him straight in the eye. 

"You're worth it," I said. 

"Thanks, hun." He seemed appreciative of the compliment but suddenly very bashful too. He cleared his throat a few times. For a few minutes both of us just...sat there.

And it wasn't awkward. 

I tapped my nails against the coffee mug and Angus tapped his fingertips against the table. 

Okay, maybe it was a little awkward.

Angus stood from the table and held out his hand. "Let's get a bit of fresh air." I took his hand and felt the callouses on his fingers and the warmth of his palm. Leaving a bit of money on the table we left the restaurant and took over the town. 

**********

By the time we got to the beach it was crowded. More people were playing in the water this time and some were even surfing. I pictured myself surfing and it ended up with me in the back of an ambulance.

I laughed a little.

"What?" Angus asked grinning. I looked away from him.

"Nothing."

"What, do I have somethin' on my face? In my teeth?" He grinned widely at me and it only made me laugh harder. "Come on, what is it?"

"Nothing!" I stepped back from him which incited him to pull me back. I squealed and squirmed around as he tickled me.

I am VERY ticklish. 

"Tell me an' I'll let you go!" I couldn't speak if I wanted to from laughing so hard. I noticed some people were looking in our direction and I tried to stifle my laughter not wanting to annoy anyone. Finally I broke away from him and ran towards the ocean, throwing my joggers off still tied and hopping away while removing my socks. Angus grabbed me around the waist and lifted me off the ground. "Tell me or I'll throw you in!"

I could only laugh some more. 

"One...." 

"I was--"

"Two...."

"I just pictured myself--" Angus acted like he was about to toss me in the water but stopped to listen. "I just pictured myself surfing, is all..."

He looked into my eyes, squinting from the sun. "What's so funny about that?" I looked down at my bare feet. 

"Because I'd have an epic wipeout."

He chuckled a little and let me go. "I guess I don't see the humor in you gettin' hurt...but I don't have anythin' in my teeth?" Again he grinned at me and I giggled. 

"No." He reached down and took off his own shoes and socks. I noticed his jeans were already rolled up a little but he rolled them up a little more. I collected my things where I had dropped them and we walked into the water. Angus put an arm around me.

Was it getting hot out here?

"Watch out for sharks," Angus said as we waded three feet out. "They'll bite an' they won't ask questions." I cupped a bit of water and splashed him. "Watch out for four foot tall guitarists. They'll pull you under." 

"Good thing you're five feet then, right?" I asked.

"Uh, five foot two," he corrected matter-of-factly. "You're lucky this time, ya' know. I heard all the four footers migrated to Australia for the summer. Once you get home you're in trouble."

"It's your home too."

He paused a minute and looked at me. "Well...I'll be tourin' America for the summer here, I probably won't be back until...." He looked at the sky and shrugged. "December maybe. For Christmas." We walked a little farther in silence. 

I...I didn't want to say goodbye....

I had only just met him and I wanted to stay with him. But he lived a different life than me. He traveled all the time and I preferred to stay at home. He was used to surrounding himself with crowds of people and I kept my own company. Not to mention he probably already had a girlfriend or ten. He was handsome enough.

Neither of us were wearing a watch at the moment so we could only guess from the shadows what time it was. 

"Tea time?" Angus suggested.

**********

We ate dinner back at the band's hotel. They were serving Italian foods and I wanted the entire menu but settled for lasagna. Angus and I ended up sharing one serving because the portion sizes were huge. After talking a bit and splitting the cheque Angus invited me up to his room for a bit. 

My heart did the splits and I accepted. 

Once we got there I saw how much more colorful his room was than mine. Blue walls with plush white carpet, snow white sheets and purple striped curtains. There was a guitar lying on his bed and the case was open on the floor. His couch was facing a tiny television and a coffee table with an old mug sitting there for who knows how long. There were papers scattered and a pencil. Angus started clearing things away. "I really should have started packin' since we leave tomorrow." My mood dimmed. He looked over at me and told me I could use the bathroom.

His bathroom was clean. Just a bit of toothpaste in the sink. After freshening up I came out to see most of the things put away. Angus took his turn and I had a quick look around. Some papers were left out of drawings of various cartoon characters. I recognised Marvin, Bullwinkle, and Astro. Some were from shows I hadn't seen. I sat on his couch to look at them when Angus came out. "Found those, did you?"

I stood up and he held up a hand. Sitting next to me he grabbed a pencil and a clean sheet of paper. "They're very good," I said. 

"Thank you," he muttered focusing on his work. It always amazed me how people could draw with no reference and barely use their rubbers. In minutes he was done. It was a crude drawing of him in his uniform. "How's that handsome devil?" he said grinning.

I smiled. "He's cute."

"Cute? He's about to ravish a whole harem of beautiful women! I think he's a little more rugged than cute!"

"Okay, okay," I laughed. "He's a ripe smokestack."

Angus almost choked on his laughter and set the paper on the coffee table to put his hands over his face. "What?"

My heart was beating so fast, I made him laugh again!

We eventually calmed down and Angus went to the kitchen to make tea. I could feel the effects of the Dramamine I had taken and the hot Cali sun. Angus noticed as he set the mugs down. "Tired?"

I was worried he might sent me back to my own hotel and sat up a little straighter. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" he asked looking a little concerned. I nodded. He drank a bit of tea and crossed his legs. He asked me about home again and when I explained in detail how tough taking care of kids was he wanted to hear all the juicy stories. I told him about the times Rosemary ripped out chunks of Charlotte's hair and how I threw them away so she wouldn't get in trouble. He laughed. 

I asked him about his old schools and he explained how he chose to leave at fifteen. I think he made the right choice. He probably figured school wasn't doing him any favors and he made his own career. 

Like I wanted to do. 

Angus' couch faced a window with the curtains open. The Strip was the main view but just beyond it was the beach where we had just been. The sun was going down leaving the city in a glow of orange and yellow. Angus had gotten up to turn the fan on and I leaned back on the couch. When he returned I could have sworn he sat a little closer than he had been before....close enough to put his arm around me. 

I yawned again for the last time that night.