San Francisco, Lovely

“New York City.”

“Uh huh.”

“Center of the universe.”

Venna, the blonde, removed her right hand from her magazine and placed it way above her head. “Preach!”

“Times are shitty.” Sami Dukes, the brunette, smacked her bubblegum against her chapped lips. “But I’m pretty sure it can’t get worse.” She cleared her throat and easily breathed out a note. “It’s a comfort to know, when you’re singing to hit the road blues, that anywhere you could possible go after New York would be...?”

The blonde girl set down her magazine and turned in her uncomfortable coach seat, “A pleasure cruise?”

Sami smirked and chuckled lightly under her breath as she rolled her head towards the window and noticing down below the Big Apple turning into what seemed to be the Little Apple now. New York was great; New York was kind, sometimes even too kind. Then again, New York was terrible; New York was ignorant, sometimes even too ignorant. A pleasure cruise wasn’t exactly, actually, it wasn’t at all the fleeing venture to be in anywhere but the NYC.

“All our shit is going to be there when we land, right?” Venna Piers questioned. “Because if it’s not someone’s seriously going to get a punch in the face.”

“Yes, Vee. The movers left two days ago. They should be there unpacking when we arrive.”

“And exactly how long is this plane ride going to be?”

“Do I look like MapQuest to you?” Sami snapped, but then quickly shook her head and cleared her throat. “In about six hours or so. Listen to music and fall asleep.”

Venna turned and nodded, curling up her tiny body in her set. Her eyes fluttered closed and her music screeched through the tiny earbuds in her ears that you could make out every word of the song.

“Make sure you take your pills.” Her last words of the trip were.

Sami rolled her gray-blue eyes and started to search through her messenger bag. Between her skinny, pale fingers she held an orange little cylinder bottle with a white cap. This is fucking stupid, Sami thought. Her acceptance towards her disorder had not set in, even if it had been almost six years. With a quick twist the cap with off and with two shakes into the palm of her hand, two lemon chiffon coloured round pills lied.

Again, this is stupid and pointless.

With a sigh, Sami Dukes placed each pill on her tongue. The pills dissolved slowly with a terrible after tasted that made you want to vomit all over the place. She knew that Venna would have her head on a platter if she relapsed again, for the fourth time. Sami blamed it on the atmosphere of New York, the atmosphere of school and, what she considered the main trigger, was her parents and Cameron Lambardi.

San Francisco was always the place to be in Sami’s mind: down by the bay area, perhaps, an apartment with a view of the Pacific Ocean, and catching a cable car instead of hailing for a taxi cab. Los Angeles was not an option because it was far too similar to New York: overpopulated, arrogant people, money-oriented... It was all too much. Too much clutter, too much drama, too much everything.

Ladies and Gentlemen: We have just landed at the San Francisco International Airport and we are now taxiing to Terminal 3. Welcome to San Francisco, California!

Had it really been six hours already? Sami’s thoughts were too focused on the negative that time must have flown by with what seemed to be in seconds to her. Then she had noticed her eyes were blurred and her iPod had died.

“Thank God.” Venna mumbled and pushed herself up in her seat. She twisted and leaned her neck from side to side causing it to make a loud cracking sound. Sami cringed. “That was the longest plane ride of life. When we get off this plane, we need to serious Starbucks therapy. Tell me again why we took Economy instead of First Class?”

Sami reached up into the compartment above her head and gathered her belongings. “Because it was cheaper, a lot cheaper. Besides we need to forget our so-called Gossip Girl life and more on to something more... Realistic.”

“Our Gossip Girl life was realistic. Of course I was the Blair Waldorf and you were the Serena van der Woodsen.” Venna said as they stepped off the plane. Sami just rolled her eyes not wanting to think of Manhattan. “And then Cameron was like your Nate Archibald, of course when they were dating and all. It was too perfect.”

“That’s my point, Vee. It was too perfect.”

“What’s the problem with that life being too perfect? We had everything, Dukes!”

Sami sighed, shuffled through the maze of tourists and citizens. “I never wanted everything, you know that. I never liked the flashy clothes and the expensive purse.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Don’t get me wrong it was nice, it really was but I just did it to blend in. You and Micah only know the real me and it sucked hiding that from everyone else including my parents.”

“For arguments sake, they were too involved in your life anyway.” Venna laughed lightly.

Sami smiled and nodded. She watched the baggage carousels go around until their luggage came into view.

Venna continued, “But I do understand what you mean about leaving that life behind and starting something new. We couldn’t live in that life forever. Hell, I think our whole life would have spiralled down a deep, dark rabbit hole were it would rain Patrón and hundred dollar bills. I’d rather die than—“ Sami shot Venna a dark look through her brown eyes. “Nevermind...”

“Let’s just get out of here. I’m getting a headache from all the noise.”

The sun was warm as it soaked into the skin of the two girls. Taxi cabs were lined up outside of the airport along with buses and a few limousines. The girls looked around spotting a free taxi and shoved their belongings into the trunk.

“Bay Area, please.” Venna demanded. And with a tip of the driver’s hat, he sped off onto the highway. The city flew by them through the window. The sight of Union Square reminded Sami of Times Square, but seemed at lot more friendly and harmless.

Venna placed her hands against the window and her face less than a centimetre away. “We are so going shopping, ASAP!” Sami raised her eyebrows. “Of course when we’re settled and all that shit.”

Sami laughed; taking out her professional camera and immediately began to snap pictures of the scenery. From the front seat, the grandpa looking driver chuckled and lowered his 1950s blues music.

“Newcomers?” He asked. The girls nodded. “Breaking away from a previous life?” Another nodded. “Been there, done that. Best time of my life exploring the world and meeting new people. That’s when I met my darling Suzie. Almost forty years later and she still gives me those school boy butterflies.”

“That’s so cute!” Venna gushed.

“I met her here, down by the bridge to be exact. Her childhood wasn’t what you kids call ‘rad’.” He laughed. “It was the opposite, but it was something about her demised feature that gravitated me to her. Oh, she was smashing once I broke her away from her chains.”

Venna slapped the back of her hand against Sami’s arm. “He’s one of those good guys, Sami! I think the world ran out of them once the 80s and 90s hit. There are zero guys out there that give a damn anymore. All they care about is themselves, the stupid guy code, alcohol, and most importantly... themselves!”

“Trust me, they are out there. You just have to keep your eyes open and not be blinded by those who dress pretty than girls and moisturize their face five times a day.” The cab came to a sudden halt as Sami and Venna covered their mouths to contain their laughter. “I hope you find what you girls are looking for in life.” Sami leaned forward, smiling and handed the man the cab fare. However, he pushed the money away. “It’s on me. Don’t see many people like you two wanting to make a change in their life. Be careful out there.”

The girls smiled at each other, Sami slipped the money back in her pocket but left a ten dollar bill on the seat as a tip for his advice. The building in front of them was tall, so tall that you would have to roll back onto your ankles to see the top. The apartment building looked at if it had been renovated quite a few times.

“You can stand and gaze at the building some other time. Let’s go, let’s go!” Venna grabbed Sami’s hand and began to drag her into the building. The familiar movers had already begun to move their belongings into the apartment as they approached the lobby. “Okay, I’ll take our bags upstairs. You go get some boxes.”

Sami agreed, walking back outside to the U-Haul truck and picked up one of the few boxes left in the truck minus some furniture items. The box must have weighed nearly twenty-five pounds due to the fact that Sami’s knees started to buckle as she reached the stairs to the front entrance.

“What the hell did Venna pack in here?” She muttered, mentally scolding her best friend in her head. “Jesus Christ.”

“Whoa, there!” Suddenly the boxed seemed lighter. “Need a hand?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” The other took a hold of the box, removing it from Sami’s gripped. Sami breathed out a shallow laugh and shook her head seeing her Savoir walking into the building with the box. “I never knew watching someone carry a box into an apartment building was so funny.”

“It’s not that.” She started, walking into the lobby. “I just think that this scene that’s going on right here is super cliché.”

“Cliché?”

Sami rolled her eyes. “Oh don’t pretend that you don’t see this as cliché too. Come on, a young man like you just so happened to waltz by seeing a young lady in need of a hand. He helps her and then some sparks fly and they live happily ever after with lots of grandchild.”

The curled haired male with pink Ray Bans over his eyes set the box down on the ground and stared at Sami with a blank expression. “It was just a box. It wasn’t like you were being kidnapped or anything. I’m just a guy walking into the building he lives in after visiting his parents and sees a newcomer with a heavy box. Now, if you ask me—“

“No one is asking you anything.”

“I’d say that I was just being a kind person. But take the situation as you wish.” He removed the sunglasses and clipped them onto his shirt. “Now where am I taking this box too?”

“Um, room 607.”

“Perfect, more stairs.” Sarcasm dripped from every word he spoke.

“Why not take the elevator?”

“It’s broken until further notice. Could you hold these?” Sami made an ‘o’ shape with her mouth and followed him up the four flight of stairs, taking the bright yellow flyers from his hand. “So, where are you from?”

“Does it matter?”

“Not really. I’m just making conversation with a person who releases this pissy vibe, like she’s angry at the world or something.” He turned, pushing open the door with his hip and walked into a brightly lit hallway.

She continued to follow, staring at the back of his head then at the flyers. “What are these flyers for?”

“Answer for an answer.” He smirked.

“New York.”

“Figures.” He mumbled. Sami raised her eyebrow and bit her tongue to keep her from saying something nasty. “They are for a party that my roommate and I are having tonight. You see, seventy-five percent of this building is consumed with students or graduates, so every Friday night we through a themed party. Tonight’s theme is Glow Stick.”

Baffled, Sami replied, “Glow Stick?”

“Yeah, like, they are vibrant and all so you have to dress in neon colours in order to gain access.” He told her. “607, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m on top of you.”

Sami giggled and smirked. “That’s what she said.”

“I didn’t mean it like that! I meant that my apartment is above yours.”

“Uh huh. I’m sure that’s what you meant.”

“Sami!” Venna’s voice screeched. “We have, like, an amazing room! It has the most perfect view of the ocean, and—There is a person who is not a mover carrying our shit.”

“Correct! Gold star for you!” He laughed and set the box down in the foyer of the apartment. Venna raised her eyebrow and backed away slightly. “Sorry. Anyways, I gotta go see if my roommate didn’t burn down the apartment and stick these flyers under doors. Here’s a flyer for you two.”

“A flyer for what?” Vee asked, snatching the flyer from Sami’s hands.

“Some party.”

“Oh my God, we are so in!”

“Maybe!” Sami snatched the paper back and crumbled it up. “We have to unpack and stuff.”

“So what? Packing can wait, partying is now.” Venna whined and stole another flyer.

“I don’t know, Vee...”

“Is she always this lame?” The male non-mover asked.

Venna shook her head and leaned closer to him. “No. I think she’s just jet-legged. I’ll persuade her into it. She always caves in.”

“Prefect!” He laughed. “I’ll see you two at nine or whenever.”

“Okay!” Venna yelled and waved exactly at the same moment Sami yelled out, “Maybe!”

The curly haired, brown eyes, pink sunglasses male turned the counter with a wave and a smirk. Sami slammed the door shut and ran her fingers through her hair. “This is all too cliché for my liking.”

“Oh come on Sami, he was just being friendly. Besides, it sounds like fun. And there’s going to be guys there! Lots and lots of guys who might not be losers trying to have sex with you.” The blonde exclaimed with her hands in the air. “Things are changing for the better already, Dukes. Let’s just break off the chains and throw them away along with our past.”

Sami Dukes sighed with a light smile touching her lips. Venna opened the curtains and gazed at the beautiful view. “It’s our time now.” She elbowed the slightly taller brunette in the ribs. “You know you wanna.”

“Alright, alright. One drink, that’s all.”

Venna laughed and skipped over to the plastic-wrapped couch, “When’s the last time you had one drink?”

“Um,” Sami tapped her index finger against her lips. “Communion.”

“You stole that from Remember Me!”

With a smirk and a subtle hair flip, Sami started walked into the small hallways towards the bedrooms. “It still applies!”

Little did Sami Dukes know, this ‘brand new life’ was like peeling an orange; the juice squirts into your eye and you're blind.