Did You Have Your Fun?

Chapter One, Back Home Then?

"I don't want to go home" I say with a joking pout on my lips to my mom as she packs her bag. When she told me we were going to LA for a few weeks in the summer I knew it couldn't last for ever, but with the sun, the sand, the guys... I didn't want to leave.
"Me niether" she smiles, folding another shirt before dropping it in her suitcase. "But hey, Ally, you know we've still got today, tonight me and your dad were thinking of going to that Italian place we keep walking by. So the car is there if you want to use it, or you can join us. Your choice"
"I'll get back to you on that one" I smile. It was only 3pm, we usually didn't eat till late so I still had so much free time to use up. "I'm going to change" I was still in a pair of comfy shorts and a very oversized Wolf Alice shirt I had put on after I had showered since being in the pool all morning had put so much chlorine in my hair it felt like straw.

I stand up from her bed where I had lazily thrown myself a few minuites earlier. I rush into my room to the walk in wardrobe where my things are still hung up, part of my protest about leaving. I grab a pair of high waisted black denim shorts which had a small tear in the left leg, and my crushed red velvet off the shoulder top. Quickly throwing them all on I tie my hair up in a messy ponytail and chuck on my worn Dr Martain boots, staple outfit for me. I quickly grab my purse, my John Lennon style sun glasses, my phone and my packet of cigarettes I had hidden well from my family this whole trip. I stuck both into my purse along with some money before making my way out.

"I'll see you late mom" I shout as I rush down the stairs to the front door.
"Be careful" I hear her reply before I close the door behind me, turning to face the street as the sun blares into my eyes. Why did I have to leave all this behind?

Walking down the street is one of the very simple things I'm going to miss about LA, the people you see as you walk by. I was on the sidewalk right before the beach, there were stalls to my left, sand to my right and people everywhere. I walk past a guy, pink Mohawk on the top of his head, piercings running down his ear, the biggest smile on his face. A girl on a skateboard glides past me gracefully, her light brown hair whipping behind her. A man running a stall shouts to me how I should come try on the hats he's selling because "this snapback would look cute on you". The smell of hot-dogs, someone frying burgers on a grill near by, someone with a candyfloss cart nearby roles up the next persons cone, pink sugar swirling around like a hurricane. I can't wipe this smile of my face, I want to stay here forever.

"Hey, velvet girl" a voice shouts to my left. I look over, lowering the sunglasses that cover my eyes so I can see him a little better. A well built guy gives me a smirk, dresses in a black vest top and black shorts, a snapback turned backwards on his head showing just the tiniest bit of brown hair. He smirks again, beckoning me over. He didn't seem to belong to any of the stands so the chance of him asking me to buy something didn't seem very high, I walked over, too intrigued to walk away.
"Can I help you" I smirk back, placing my glasses over my eyes so he couldn't tell how much I was looking at the ground out of nervousness.
"You tell me." he says in a cocky tone before changing his smirk to a full smile. "What are you doing tonight?"
"I... um..." I stutter, not knowing what to say since this was not what I expected. I could feel my cheeks going bright red as I struggled to form an actual sentence.
"There's a gig" he says after a second, stopping me from mumbling more and looking like a complete idiot. "Tonight, at the board walk. Free entry with one of these" he smile, handing me a flyer. I giggle a tiny bit out of pure embarrassment. I look at his hand where he's holding a whole stack of flyers and I feel my face go bright red. He's just here to hand them out. Not to ask me out.
I finally manage to form the word, "Cool" and beginning to turn away to carry on my walk. I sigh deeply, trying to cool myself down as I can feel my cheeks still burning up. I can't believe I thought he was asking me out. Way to go on your last day Ally, this is all you will remember when you think about this day for the next ten years. I fold the leaflet in half as I walk down the sidewalk, as far as I can go so the guy is out of sight.

After walking for ages I come across a couple of steps leading down to the beach. It's definitely more secluded then before, no stalls in sight, barely any people on the beach apart from a couple of girls sunbathing and about 4 guys playing football on the beach. I breath again, finally feeling a bit more normal. A rush of sea air blows my face as I inhale it deeply. Living in Colorado I rarely get to go to the beach so whenever I get the chance, I take it all in as much as possible. I sit down at the top of the steps, taking off my boots so I can play with the sand under my feet. Pulling a cigarette out of my purse I light it up, inhaling deeply and holding it as I watch the waves lap up the beach. I breath out, the smoke flying around my, twisting and turning before fading away. I pull out my phone, resting my cigarette lazily between two fingers while I check my messages.

Received yesterday at 3:41pm
Jake: Al's you know I'm sorry. Just message me back please.

Received yesterday at 5:54pm
Jake: Ally?

Received today at 10:25am
Jake: I know your back tomorrow Ally. I just hope we can meet up. I want to sort us out.

Received today at 10:30am
Jake: I know technically there is no "us" right now. But I want to fix that. I've missed you. I know you said when you left you wanted some space and I've tried to give you it but its been almost a month now.

Received today at 2:01pm
Trish: Jake asked me to text you. I'm typing now to try and get him to stop complaining at me. You take your time thinking about this, he shouldn't rush you, especially after how much of a dick he's been. Hope LA is still awesome! Enjoy it, you deserve a good time! Love you A x

I should have known he would do this. I shouldn't have told him when I was coming back, then maybe I wouldn't have this pressure to go see him.

Jake and I had met at my friend Trish's house party last year, we got on amazingly. I instantly felt this connection with him, like I had never felt before. He asked for my number that night and I agreed, we texted day in and day out for a week, making plans to meet, before he just stopped talking. When I asked him why he wasn't replying he finally said, "I think we shouldn't see each other". From then on I thought we would just be friends until he asked me out one day. He took me on a long walk where we just talked for hours, suddenly all the things I felt before came rushing back, reminding me of how much I liked him. He kissed me that day. It wasn't my first kiss, but it was the first time I'd felt nervous, as he leaned in my heart was leaping out of my chest. We dated for around a month before our first break up. He said he wasn't ready for a relationship. It hurt like hell. I felt like I'd fallen for him, and it hit me hard. That's why when he messaged me a week later saying he messed up, I forgave him.

Four times we've been broken up now, all for stupid reasons which never last and we somehow end up back together. Before I left for LA we had a fight. He said our relationship couldn't last if I was away for practically a whole month. I was honest, I said if "our relationship can't hold together for three weeks then its not work having" and that's how I left things. If that's how he truly felt about our relationship then was it even worth having?

I lock my phone, knowing Trish will be fine if I don't reply, but knowing that Jake will text me again soon. The temptation to throw my phone is so strong buy I know I would regret it in the end. Instead I just open my purse and throw it back it. It collides with the paper flyer I was given, scrunching it. I pull it out, flattening it out across my knee so I can read it properly, careful not to get any ash from my cigarette onto the paper.

LIVE MUSIC - ONE NIGHT ONLY
STARTS 7PM TONIGHT
THE BOARDWALK
FREE ENTRY FLYER

FOLLOW THE LIGHTS...

I look at the image at the bottom of the boardwalk which I passed earlier on my walk. No sign of who will be playing, no sign of the type of music, nothing. Probably some dub step crap and a shitty DJ would be my guess. I roll my eyes as I take another drag from my cigarette.

I'm about to shove the flyer back in my purse when my attention turns to a football that rolls right next to me feet. I look at it for a second before looking up to see the group of guys just a little way down the beach laughing as they blame some guy called Riker for having a bad aim. I laugh as a guy with long brown hair and a bit of a beard pulls him into a headlock, messing with his light blonde hair. I look back down at the ball, knowing I need to throw it back at some point when I realise one of the guys is running towards me. I try my hardest not to stare but he has my full attentions.

As he gets closer I see that he's relatively tall, quite a bit taller then me. Light sandy blonde shaggy hair that falls over his face, some of it whipping behind him as he runs closer towards me. He's only wearing a pair of red shorts showing off his defined 6 pack. He's right next to me before I've even taken it all in.

"Sorry about that" he apologises with a goofy grin on his lips. I finally snap my attention back and look up at him, his chocolate brown eyes connect with mine for a second before I look away.
"It's okay" I try and say calmly as I quickly fumble to grab the ball from my feet, the flyer from my knee falling onto the ground.
"Let me get that" he rushes closer to me, leaning down beside me as he grabs the flyer, looking at it for a second before looking up, the smile on his face even bigger and even goofier then before, I can't resist smiling back.

"Trade?" I say, finally breaking the silence that had fallen as we just sat there smiling at each other.
"Of course" he laughs, shaking his head, breaking the trance. His long hair flying around as he shakes his head, falling over his face. I quickly stub out my cigarette on the step before holding up his football which he slowly takes from me before handing me the flyer. He smiles again before getting up from his kneeling position and turning to walk away.

"You should come by the way" he quickly adds, turning around again to look at me.
"What?" I ask, stupidly confused forgetting the flyer in my hand.
"The gig. Tonight. The band, I'm... I've heard their good" he says, smirking to himself.
"I'll try and make it" I smile before looking down at the sand, kicking it from side to side.
"I'll keep an eye out for you" he says, as if suddenly gaining in confidence. He smirks again before holding up the ball and turning around to head back. In a sudden rush of adrenaline I decide that if he can gain some confidence then so can I.
"What's your name?" I spurt out, maybe not as confident as I had hoped. He turns around abruptly, although the smile is still on his face. "I mean, just so I know who I'm looking out for?" I say, trying to be smooth, trying to salvage anything I can from this situation.
"I'm Austin"
"Ally" I reply, despite knowing he never asked.
"I'll see you later... Ally" the sides of his lips rising as he says my name.