50

4 chairs lined up, across the edge of their balcony in California, the sun setting and a sense of relaxation had settled into their bones long before their first beers, this was the one night they had left in their hotel room, before the bone shaking noise and engulfing sense that their lifestyle provided would return.

First of all Alex had chosen to sit outside on the plastic reclined deck chair, sipping slowly at his beer and watching the waves crash over the seafront from the 13th floor of their building.

Then Rian came, he claimed it was because he was sick of watching professional body builders with Zack. It was just the two for a while, quietly watching the world pass them by, not really thinking about anything accept what was happening right then and there.

Then Jack emerged from the lounge room with a beer in hand and pulled up a plastic chair beside Rian, he watched on in total silence, listening to his breathing and the waves crashing, the night air around them suffocating any stress and floating it away with the emerging stars.

Zack was the last to arrive, he had no beer, but still had turned off the TV and pulled his chair up next to Alex's and reclining it back, all the boys staring at the shoreline, watching the waves pounding onto the soft sand.

Nobody moved for a while, it began to reach 11pm and the weary day began to take a toll on them, although they were used to staying out late and parties till the sun rose the next morning. 'sometimes feeling like an old man is nicer than i thought it would be' Alex thought to himself. His grandparents usually went to be at 11pm, but right now, he didn't care about his age, or his stress and tiredness, he only care about the present.

"Space may be the final frontier" Alex began to sing softly, mumbling the words, "but it's made in a Hollywood basement" his voice was still soft as he sang the tune, "and, Cobain, can you hear the spheres" he continued. "Singing songs off station to station" Rian joined in, they sang in harmony, as the words became clearer "And Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication" they both sang.

"First born unicorn" They both sang, before they heard Zack join in, softly muttering the words, "Hard core soft porn" As all three sang in harmony, Alex stopping to take a sip of his beer, he heard Jack begin to sing as well "Dream of Californication, Dream of Californication, Dream of Californication, Dream of Californication" as all four sung together they came to the realisation that, they had come to so far, worked so hard for it, and it paid off, their voices drowned out as the chorus finished, as the end of the harmony drifted off into the chilling night air.

They began to grow tired and Zack was the first to get up, as Rian reached his hand towards Zack to signal he wanted to be helped up, Zack nodded and grabbed his hand, when Rian was up, he helped Jack get up, once all the 3 men were up, they looked at Alex puzzled before he softly spoke "Im good boys, i'll be in soon" All three stepped inside and retreated to their rooms.

Alex moved his chair the opposite way, so when he laid back, he would be looking directly into the night sky, with his beer now discarded and his thoughts blank, he gazed into the blackness and began his harmony again "Dream of Californication, Dream of Californication" as his voice faded and his eyes began to feel heavy, he moved his chair back to the right position before walking back inside and shutting the balcony door behind him.