EXES AND OH'S

F*ck You Blue, Katy Perry

"I'm loving LA already!" Kurt howls, kicking off his checked Vans as we tread the cool, concrete pathway of Ocean Front Walk, on the way to Jackson's friend's party down at the Annenberg Community Beach House.

Kurt and I hung out by the beach for quite some time, waiting for the sun to go down. Well, we witnessed the California sunrise up in the air, so we decided to see the nightfall by the beach. And my, that was the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen in my whole life.

Kurt yanks my arm and we walk on the sand instead. I reach for my feet and take off my white Chucks, too. The sand is still warm, and it feels like total heaven as I sink my toes and the soles of my feet with every step.

And out of nowhere I remember that dream I had of Levi, it was after that night he saw me hanging out with Günter in my apartment. In my dream, Levi and I were strolling barefoot by the beach, his hands on mine — and then we stopped by the shore to kiss. Yeah, I know, it's such a fairy tale. Things that beautiful and dreamy don't happen in real life, especially not in my life.

"We're just on our first day here," I scoff and mutter to Kurt. "Plenty of things could go wrong in the next couple of days, weeks, or months, that might totally change your mind about Cali." I know I probably sound so negative and that I should stop being such a pessimist, but it's true. I guess when your soul is just so jaded, old habits become a lot more harder to kill.

"Wow, ain't you the one who sees the world through rose-colored glasses!?" He bursts, snaking his arm around my shoulders. "Charlie, we're cool people, we're from New York!"

"What does that have to do with anything?! Plenty of dorks and annoying hipsters are from New York! And don't get too confident. We might be cool bitches back home. But here in LA, we could be freaks, you know?" I exclaim, giving him a mocking stare.

"Uh, would a not cool person wear one dangly earring?" Kurt flips his head and sticks up his chin, showing off his ostentatious peacock feather earring — which totally doesn't match with his green palm leaf shirt and yellow board shorts. Jesus Christ.

I scoff and roll my eyes. "Yeah, seriously! People will be like, was that a choice? Or did he lose his other earring on the bus?"

"Oh, okay," Kurt bobbles his head, getting his brouhaha on. "And what is that thing you're wearing? Is that crop-top or a frickin' headband? You venomous punk-ass sweet ho!" He bites back jokingly, staring down at my teeny-tiny white crochet crop-top and matching shorts.

I chuckle and squeeze Kurt's arm. "What? This outfit is pool-party appropriate! Slutty and no bra is like code for LA beach parties, right? So I think I'm cool."

"Hey, I'm also cool cool, like, everywhere. You know I once played Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables for our school play, yeah?" He widens his eyes and points his index finger at me.

"And just hearing you say that — makes you look and sound real miserables, at least by LA standards. People here are Hollywood, Kurt, not damned Broadway!"

We both laugh and walk further up the trail, Kurt's arm hooked with mine. "So, are you planning to get real naughty tonight with Jackson?" He presses his lips together to control his naughty smile.

I grimace and shake my head. "Hell, no! I came here in LA for my job, and not to act like a total skank. And besides, he flirts a lot. Jackson's not just friendly. That guy right there, is a walking HPV infection."

"What?! Girl, who are you?" Kurt walks in front of me, stops and examines my face, as if he's seeing me for the first time. "Where's the dick-obsessed Charlie I've known from NYC?"