The Dating Rules of a Record Label

"I'm sorry." Liam says to me...by phone...three days later.

"Wow Liam long time no talk,” I add in some laughter to water down the tension. I’m in the middle of shopping with Yumi. We’re at the skate/surf apparel store; the only type of store in town. This morning, she insisted on getting a new swimsuit. I don’t see why she needs one. You don’t really need on in England do you?

“Kaya I’m so sorry. Words can’t describe my guilt…I was drunk when I know I shouldn’t have been and…baby please forgive me?” I have a fantasy picture of Liam begging on his knees when in reality, he’s somewhere…I didn’t ask.

“Wait ten seconds,” Yumi mouths. I nod and let a dead silent hang in the air.

“Kaya?”

“You’re forgiven,” I smile. Yumi drops the swimsuit in her arms and gives me a look of horror.

“I am? Kaya, I’m so glad- I knew I hurt you and I thought-“

“Liam it’s okay; just forget it,” because I’m going to (forcefully).

“I’m glad we’re together, Kaya.” Liam says. I watch Yumi. She makes an ugly face and silently imitates what Liam said and rolls her eyes.

“Yeah…me too.”

Even though you have a drinking problem.

“Hey want to hang with me and some others tonight at a bar?” I ask. Yumi drops another swimsuit. Good thing too because it was hideous.

“…Yeah that’d be fun.”

Five minutes later I’m off the phone and Yumi starts going ballistic and waving her arms around in an over-animated way.

"Are you crazy?!" She spits.

"In what category?" I ask, "Good thing you dropped this one, it's revolting."

"You forgave him! Why on earth did you forgive that dickhead?!"

"Because he's my boyfriend. Relationships aren't perfect."

"But he almost hit you," she says behind a changing curtain. Plus since when does a person drink when they get food poisoning?"

"He's my boyfriend." I reply.

"Kaya, I'm not sure if anybody else notices this, but you're running out of excuses. ‘He's my boyfriend' is not good enough." Yumi opens the curtain to reveal herself wearing a read bikini top and black board shorts.

"Danny will fall head over heels for you." I try changing the subject.

"Hopefully...but Kaya don't change the subject!"

"Oh my goody god! Yumi just drop it okay?"

"Fine...but one more thing."

"What?" I ask as I wait for Yumi to finish changing back into her normal clothes. I sit on a round, cushiony purple chair.

"What's going to happen when you go to London and he goes to college in Los Angeles?" Yumi moves the curtain a little to look at me. I bit my lip. Is she and Dougie talking about me behind my back or something?

"Well..." I got nothing.

"That's what I thought." Yumi sniffs.

Well excuse me! I don't need relationship advice from someone who just dates around for no good reason!

***

The bar-or pub as Yumi says- is packed. Half of its inhabitants are single men out looking for something to "tap" and the other half are probably locals looking for a good time or engaged men enjoying their last days as "free man" at a bachelor's party.

Tom and his girlfriend are sitting next to me on my right. Liam is squeezed in next to me blocking me from gossiping with Yumi whom is sitting next to her "beloved" Danny. On the other side of the booth, Harry is quietly flirting with his latest hookup (a French girl who speaks very little English) and Dougie is sort of parallel and facing me. Our feet kept on running into each other under the table. And every time I feel his shoe touch mine, I blush and tense up. Dougie just acts like nothing happened. He doesn't acknowledge me at all.
And I know I shouldn’t care but I do.

I'm not supposed to feel that way. And I'm trying not to show any eye contact with Dougie either. I think it be best if I don't look at him. That way, I won't make a fool out of myself by saying something uber stupid.

Our table is going through this weird conversation which I happily decline to take part of.
"Nah dude sex in the snow is way better than sex in the rain." Dougie announces proudly.

Hmmm...what would be better? Snow or rain???

"Oh how would you know Dougie? You never had a go in the snow nor the rain." Tom laughs.

Snow or rain??? I can't decide! I bite my straw and fiddle with a sugar packet.

"How do YOU know?" Dougie smiles. I arch an eyebrow at him.

Topic: DOUGIE'S SEX LIFE. I do not want to hear it! La la la! Someone plug my ears!

"Well I mean, isn't it obvious?" Danny takes a swig of his drink, "I'm not really sure if uh...your little Dougie is best in action."

OH MY GOD! He did NOT just say that!!!

"Danny!" Yumi laughs. I lean back in my seat, trying to control my snickering as I shake my head. Danny laughs over his comeback and Dougie smiles at me, clearly enjoying my shock.

"Harry what do you think?" Tom asks. Mr. Serious Lyricist is still Mr. Serious Lyricist I see.

Harry is so enamored by the French girl's beauty that when he answers, he doesn't look up. He continues to look in his current lover's eyes. "Je ne veux pas 'snow'"

He uses this slow, deep romantic voice. The French girl flutters her eyelashes and giggles.

"So it's rain then?" I ask.

"Non, J'aime Emiline. Je veux Emiline." Harry acts all romantic. The French girl sighs. Harry reminds me of that cartoon skunk who tried always getting with the feisty cat who looked like a skunk.

I exchange glances with Dougie and silently laugh.

Ha ha look! He's giving Emiline the sexy eyes!

HA!

"Okay...anyways," I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. It's hot in here. And my back is sticking to the cheap leather on the seat. I'm wearing a tank top and whenever I move my back, I feel that sticky feeling. "Wow we're squished in here." I mumble.

"You need room, babe?" Liam asks, "Here, Danny scoot over the seat more."

"Sure." Danny moves around to the other side of the booth.

Yumi quickly looks at me. I catch her drift once I see the annoyance in her eyes.

Oops...I accidentally made Danny leave Yumi.

...Yes well nobody is perfect.

"Oh no Danny you don't have to move." I offer.

"But don't you need room?" Liam interrupts.

Liam shut up. Just shut up.

"Oh I'm good." Danny smiles. Yumi shoots me a glare.

What? Well I'm sorry Liam is being a good boy! He's been so clingy ever since we arrived at the pub. He ordered my drink (that I didn't want), payed for it, and kissed my cheek at least three times in five minutes. Is this boy like bi-polar or something and I didn't know of it? First he's distant and now he's trying to glue himself to me.

Men are weird.

I put a hand to my neck, wanting to play with my necklace. But all I touch is skin. I look down to my neck. "Uh-oh."
"What?" Liam asks.

"I left my necklace down at the beach."

"Do you remember where you put it out there?" Giovanna asks.

I think about where I left my necklace. We were at the beach today. And Yumi and I were sitting on these two lawn chairs when an old guy walked by in a thong...and I took off my necklace because it was pinching my skin.

"Yeah I know where it is." I say. Liam scoots out of the booth to let me out.

"Need help looking for it?" He asks me.

"Nah I'm good. You finish your conversation with Tom." I smile and kiss his cheek when he was aiming for my lips. I catch Yumi roll her eyes and exchange glances with Dougie.

"Stop talking about me Yumi!" I laugh and being to leave.

"I'm going to get us another drink." I hear Liam say.

Ten minutes later, I'm alone on the beach, searching for my necklace. It's a blue seashell pendant. Liam gave it to me for my birthday. I reach the lawn chairs where I left the necklace. Man I feel blind right now. It's dark yet the moon is bright making everything look blue. Blue necklace. Blue surroundings. You get the picture. I get on my hands and knees, feeling stupid because I'm patting the sand.

As I look for my necklace, I think things over. My relationship with Liam. My secret crush on Dougie. If "Liam and Kaya" went down the crap hole would I go after Dougie? Does Dougie even like me?

Gosh with all my questions I think I need a fortune teller.

"AHA! I found you!" I shout picking up my necklace. I hold it in my hand. I bet if some random stranger came by, they would think me weird. After all, I am talking to a seashell.

I walk back to the pub, purposely scuffing the sand as I walk. It feels good.

"Or maybe I should just be single?" I ask myself. I think about it for a moment. I hear seagulls looking for a late night dinner and the waves crashing against rocks.

Eh...I shouldn't think like that.

Liam's a great guy. Yes our relationship is rocky but we still care for each other a lot. He would never hurt me intentionally and I would never hurt him

***

"Hey ho a biddy dido do! It's a sailor's ship I see!" An old drunk man sings to me. I just entered the pub when I was greeted so happily. I laugh. The poor man was drunk! Yet very happy.

"Go to that ship then!" I laugh and nod at the exhausted bar tender who was trying to calm the drunk grandpa down. The old man reminds me of my grand-daddy. But my grand-daddy is naturally crazy. I don't see how Nana puts up with him.

"Hey ho a biddy dido do..." I hum to myself. I laugh and head back to my table.

"Oops." I say as I dropped my necklace. I bend down to pick it up.

As I look up, I see something and my mood and the air of things change rapidly. Faster than superman. I re-adjust my vision. Perhaps I'm seeing wrong. I stand up.

.......

Nope. I'm definitely seeing right.

Liam's making out with some chick. He's kissing her, arms wrapped around her waste...

This is not happening.

The girl giggles. Liam smiles. He's leaning against the bar.

My heart sinks. My stomach rises to my throat. My legs feel like jelly. I suddenly feel like I'm burning up yet I get the shivers.

I watch him kiss her like in a movie. I'm sitting in the audience, wanting to scream at the actor for doing such wrong. And the scene is in slow motion.

I hate it so much it's almost sickening.

I take a breath so I wouldn't faint and look towards my table. McFLY is taken aback. Harry is even paying attention. I look at Dougie. He's frowning. Yumi's jaw is dropped. I'm embarrassed that they're watching my "boyfriend" make out with someone other than me.

And Liam's not drunk.

Well this leaves me with only one thing to do...

I run a hand through my hair and walk up to Liam.

"Liam?" I say calmly. Liam stops sucking his slutty lover's face and sees me. His eyes get wide.

"Kaya!"

You know that feeling where your heart shatters into a million pieces? Yeah...mix that with rage and you'll know how I'm feeling. It's so bad that my mind is fuzzy and I have to do some serious vomiting.

"Do me a favor and stay the fuck away me." I say quietly. I drop my necklace in his beer glass, and quickly make my way towards the exit, tears ready to fall at any second.