Hollywood Hills and Suburban Thrills

My day ended as quickly as it had begun. Six o'clock rolled around quickly, as it seemed, and Noah insistently shooed me out of the diner, telling me again and again that if I stay much longer, I would be put to work and that I should get out while I could. So I did.

I was walking home—since my mother had to work for another hour—and I couldn't find it in myself to even get my iPod out to listen to. So I walked along in silence, the only sound being the wind whippy through my ears, the thought of another year missing Warped Tour dominating my train of thought. Even my little encounter with the members of The Academy Is… seemed at bay and couldn't bring my spirits up.

Despite the early hour, I decided to go to bed. There was nothing else to do around the house, so I took a quick shower and slipped into my sheets, allowing my eyes to slide close and to let Warped-laced dreams torture me through the night.

____________________________________

I awoke what seemed like minutes later to light streaming through my window at my bedside. I squinted around my room, the sunlight bright and blinding. It was eight o'clock and I assumed I had to be at work so I slid out of bed. I was almost to my bathroom when my phone beeped in my pocket.

I pulled it out to see a text message from my mom--

Come into work at noon. You're going to be working another twelve hour shift.
Mom

My nostrils flared involuntarily as I snapped my phone shut and continued to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth and rinsed my face off. Sighing, I walked to the living room and fell on the couch. It wasn't five minutes later than my cell phone rang.

I didn't even glance at the screen to see who it was; I only flipped it open and said, in a rather ill-tempered voice, "What?"

"Good morning to you too," a male voice laughed and I straightened up on the couch, my brow furrowing.

"Noah?" I asked and the voice chuckled again.

"Last I checked, my name was William," he says.

My heart skipped and I pulled the phone away from my ear to look at the screen. Sure enough, the ID said "Slim". I smacked myself on the forehead while returning the phone to the side of my head.

"Hey," I say in humiliation and he laughed quietly yet again.

"Hey."

"Uh, what's up?" I was fighting to keep the blush that was more than likely on my face from showing into my voice.

"Just getting ready for my day off at Warped," he says and I could imagine him smiling. "Where are you?"

My stomach dropped and I inwardly cringed. "I'm not at Warped Tour," I say, "my mom wouldn't let me go." It was, after all, the reason behind my not going in the first place.

There was a moment of silence on Will's part and I thought about asking if something was wrong, but before I got around to doing that, he spoke. "You didn't answer my question." My eyes bulged and I spluttered silently for a moment and he laughed quietly again. "I asked where you were, not where you weren't."

"Well, I know that," I say, trying to grasp my dignity. "But to answer your question, I am at my house."

Again, he was quiet for a moment. "Would you be interested in meeting me somewhere?"

My jaw dropped. "Uh, I don't know if that's such a good idea," I say slowly.

"Why not?" he asks, sounding bemused.

"Well, we don't exactly know each other," I practically suggest.

"Exactly," he says instantly. "This will give us a chance to get to know each other better."

Now I was curious. "Why?"

He fell silent. "Why what, princess?" he coos finally.

"Why are you so intent on getting to know me? On spending time with me?"

He sighed and I had a feeling I had struck a nerve somewhere. "Do I need a reason to spend my day off with you?"

"Well, this just leads me back to the "us not knowing each other" point." I say.
"Fine," he says dejectedly and I almost pitied him. "But the offer still stands, so if you change your mind, come by the Oak View Mall."

He didn't give me a chance to reply; he had already hung up. I sighed and let my phone drop to my lap, becoming bored once again instantly.

Now what am I going to do? I don't have to work for another-… I glanced at the clock and, of course, it had only been half an hour. …three and a half hours.

My head lolled back on the arm of the couch and I groaned aloud. Maybe I should've taken up his offer. A voice mumbles in my head and I found myself shuddering.

That's ridiculous, I told myself. We don't even know each other. That would be like agreeing to meet up with a cyber stalker or something.

I shook my head in a lame attempt to clear my thoughts. It was ridiculous, really, that a boy that I had only crossed paths with once could leave my mind teeming with second thoughts.

I got up and started pacing around the living room, eyeing my socked feet as the scuffed across the carpet. It was when I was about to turn the television back on—in hope that it would push away the nagging after thoughts—that I received another text message.

Not to be a bother, but if you were going to meet up with me at Warped Tour, how is this any different?
-Slim

That seemed to strike a nerve. He was right, after all, even though I never admitted it to him. I had been hoping, expecting, to meet up with him somewhere were I to win those backstage passes to Warped. So how was this any different?

Gripping my poise by the throat, I grabbed my jacket and walked out the front door, starting the half-hour walk toward the Oak View Mall while texting William.

So, where did you want to meet?
-Dani