I Don't Do Relationships

This is L.A.

Scott had dropped Chris' car off at the airport so we could get out of there quickly before it got out that Chris was back in L.A. Somehow, we managed to slip by, probably from my disguise for Chris. Since his beard grows rather quickly, he shaved it shorter, not cleanly, just not as long as he tends to keep it, and I gave him a newsboy hat I borrowed from my grandfather when I was home. I had confiscated a bunch of things from my family that I thought we could start using to sneak around unnoticed sometimes. Chris loved his fans for the most part, but they made it hard for him to have any kind of privacy and time alone together to just be a couple. My hope was for this to work.

As we drove from the airport, I was quiet while I took in all of my surroundings and Chris was on the phone with someone from his team. I wasn't paying attention to whoever it was. My eyes couldn't take in everything fast enough. This was completely different from what I was used to. I loved the East Coast and would always call that home. This was indescribable, granted I understood that some of it was a different world because of who was driving the car I was in. These houses cost more than I have ever dreamed of.   Everything seemed brighter and palm trees were everywhere, some of them higher than I imagined they grew. The types of houses here were even different with multiple kinds of siding and even the type of roof on some were different. There were more rocks and sand than grass in places.

By the time Chris was done with his call, we were already off the freeway and in some neighborhoods and windy roads. The fences got higher and became walls. The driveways had call buttons and it was obvious that we were getting close to his house. A Hollywood celebrity like neighborhood. This was so much more different than his other house and the location it was in. This was obviously where some of his co-workers would live. It definitely is not somewhere I would imagine my Chris living. This was his work home, something he used for when he had things to do over here. Chris looked over at me with a smile. "You're quiet."

"I'm just trying to take in everything. That's all."

"It's a lot."

"Yeah. It is."

"Plus, that's a long trip we just took, and then add in jet lag. You probably feel like you're in a fish bowl right now." I had to laugh at his comment because that is how I felt, trying to see everything but not feeling like I was. My eyes felt heavy but also there was so much brightness and new sights to see that I didn't want to be tired.

Chris started pointing out a few things here and there as we went by them. He talked about a few places he wanted to show me while we were here. One thing in particular was walking around the canyon which I was excited about. I knew I wanted to check out Griffith's Observatory as well.

After winding up the road through the gated neighborhood, we pulled up to a box and Chris keyed in a code so we could go in, before the gate closed back behind us.

Scott had dropped Dodger off at Chris' house before he left for a job he had today. Josh was supposed to be in town soon to start the press tour with us and Chris had some meetings with Megan coming up. All of this was to prep for the trip coming up. We had a little bit of time before all of that was set to begin though. LA would be the first leg so Henry would be meeting us here soon too.

We got to the door and before we could open it, Chris was prepared. He sat his bags down and crouched, asking me to turn the knob and crack the door. As soon as I did, Dodger was pushing through the passageway I made and jumped into best friend's arms. The force of his leap knocked Chris down on his ass and I couldn't help but laugh. Dodger was licking all over Chris' face but when he heard my voice, he turned and jumped on me. Dropping the bags I was carrying, I leaned down to hug on him. Unfortunately it was Chris' turn to laugh at me because I found myself on the ground beside him, having fallen on my ass as well.