"Talk to him, Roxy."
"What?" Cecelia caught me off guard, probably because I couldn't take my eyes off this young man sitting at the bar, looking as distant as I must have to the outside world. But this wasn't any ordinary bar. This bar was under a canopy that had twinkling lights running up and down the ceiling. It was centered right on the shore line of Huntington Beach, California. The ocean, clear as day, rolled in and receded in the background. Tons of youthful adults cluttered around the stools and mingled as music played in the background. I was in my dream destination, I was living in the moment I had been fantasizing about for a year now, and all I could do was stare at this guy.
"I…I can't," I said, half aware of the words escaping my lips. What was I doing? What if he turned around and saw me with the pool of drool that had started to form on the table Cecelia and I were sitting at?
"Of course you can, hun! Look around!" I did so, seeing the scenery that still took me off guard at times. How could I be here? It was surreal to know I'd actually made it to this vacation.
"This is L.A baby! You're allowed to say, be, and do whatever and whoever you want! Including that gentleman right over there…" Cecelia's voice winked at me playfully, if that was possible.
I knew if I didn't listen to her, she'd use that tone, the one she uses when I'm being a chicken, or in other words, myself, and won't take a risk. Normally, I'd completely ignore her and her insane ways, but this time, I could see the underlining truth in her argument. This was not Canada. This was not Toronto. I was not at the office, being safe, timid, and perfectionist little Roxy Adams. No, I was here, with my best friend, at a fantastical bar under the moon light with a handsome man sitting all by himself fifteen feet away from me.
But despite my best attempts at seeing things her way, I still found myself coming up with excuses.
"But, look at him Cecelia, he's so good looking. There's no way he's here alone. I'm sure the girl he's with will be coming up to him any second now." I looked around for anyone who was coming towards him.
"Oh please, you've been staring at him for hours, so unless she went to the bathroom and fell in, he has no date."
I hesitated before answering.
"You're right, you're so right! Ugh but I can't do this! What if I say something stupid?"
"What are we, thirteen year old girls with month long crushes? You're never going to see him again kiddo! Just walk up to him with the confidence of knowing that if things go terribly wrong, you'll be back in Canada in another two weeks anyhow, and no one would have ever known."
I took a deep breath, looked Cecelia straight in her blue eyes, and said, "I'll do it."
"That's the spirit!" I hoped she would forever be praising me for what I was about to do. Cecelia was the one who did stuff like this, not me. Her light orange hair and bright blue eyes paired with her killer personality made her a stud magnet. If only I were so lucky. Long chocolate brown curly hair, green eyes, and the personality of a bunny rabbit was what I got stuck with. I don't have self esteem issues, I'm perfectly happy with my outward appearance and who I am, I just wished, especially in moments like these, that I had more of a dare devil side of me.
But this was it, it was time. I got up from my seat, and with all the courage I could muster, made my way for mister tall, dark, and handsome.