A Soothing Sound for Sleeping All Night Long

“That’s adorable, Alex!” My hand rested lightly on his shoulder. We’d been flirting all night , he’d even managed to pull me into a photo or two. I handed him back the phone and he slid it in the back pocket of his jeans and hugged me.

“We’ll talk afterwards?” I nodded and kissed his cheek before sliding onto the stool beside the merch table.

“Could you make what you’re doing anymore obvious?” The face that matched this voce was a spitting image of Alex Gaskarth. What the hell was this shit?

“Who are you?”

“David Prentice Chapman. You must be the girl Alex called me about.” My mouth hung slightly open. I closed it and swallowed slowly before saying another word.

“Gaskarth?”

“That would be the one.”

“Did you two get separated at birth or something?” He rolled his eyes.

“I’m a year older. I was born in the states and he has all the talent. No. We weren’t”

“Nice to meet you, Dave. Alex simply exaggerates a lot. Can I buy you a drink?” I asked reaching for my over sized bag.

“No. I have to drive later. Thanks though.”

“You sure do say no a lot. Care to change that?” I asked laying my hand on his knee.

“No.”

“What an oxymoron.” I said rolling my eyes.

“Did you just call me a moron?” He asked. His face blushing a deep crimson.

“No. An oxymoron, honey. You just contradicted yourself when I asked if you wanted to say anything besides no and you replied with a no.” He stared at me a few moments before answering.

“If your not stupid then why you do you portray yourself as that way?” I shrugged and swished the clear liquid that was in my glass.

“It’s….it just helps.” He snorted.

“You’ll never find love that way.” Dave muttered.

“I just want to feel good tonight. Every night. Who said anything about love?” I said standing and grabbing my bag. He jumped down.

“Hey! Wait! Come back!” Dave yelled chasing after me. I breathed deep and pushed through the door and stepped into the warm, breezy air.

“You have a job. Go back to it.” I yelled over my shoulder stepping over the barrier that separated the beach from the boardwalk. He followed not far behind.

“Erin! Come on! I didn’t mean anything bad by it!” I sat down in the sand and kicked off my flip flops. He came over and sat down beside me. Dave’s fingers grazed over my own.

“You have a job.”

“You have a story to tell.” My head snapped to look at him. His face was illuminated by the phone he was using to find a cover that he would no doubt get.

“Dave, I have no idea what you’re talking-” He placed a finger over my lips.

“Shut up. Let it out. Start at the beginning. There has to be a reason why you’re the way you are now.”I looked out at the waves and smiled. For the first time in a very, very long time a guy wanted me to talk to him like I had sense in my head. Hear what I had to say. It was refreshing.

“It….well….I was a ambitious 18 year old Maryland native who got accepted to Berkley, my major was theater. I got here, settled down and realized all this was way harder than I had anticipated for and so the spiral began. My parents now pay the rent and I work from home whenever I want. It’s not what I want but it pays for my lifestyle.

“So all this is a mere Peter Pan Complex? I don’t regret saying what I said. You’re-”

“Not going to find love this way. How many times do I have to hear this?” I asked laying my head on my knees.

“Until you believe it.” He whispered. He was wearing a smug smile. I scoffed.

“How about you convince me that I need a better way to find love?” I asked pushing him back into the cool sand.

“Erin-” I silenced him. My mouth covering his. I settled comfortably on his lap. His lips synchronized against mine. Dave’s eyes snapped open. He pushed me away.

“No. I have to go.” He said putting me down gently in the sand and walking away. I smacked the sand angrily.

He was the most frustrating man I’d ever met.