Love Bites

Chapter 6 - Riders On The Storm

- Excuse me, is next station Santa Monica?

Up! Every single person, including Charlie, jumped when the bus passed a big bump on the road to the west. 

- Gosh, why didn't we take the other highway? We have better roads even in Louisiana!- Charlie complained aloud, having thrown a glance at a group of high schoolers that were standing next to her. However, nobody of them answered, but an elderly woman with a seemingly very expensive leather bag looked at Charlotte with contempt and mouthed:

- Lady, the driver doesn't choose which road to drive! It's the route he isn't allowed to change. Is this your first time on public transport?

Charlie turned her head so this woman won't see her face and rolled her eyes. She has spent more than twenty minutes in the morning choose what clothes to put on so she would look like a laid-back long-time LA resident. She couldn't make herself wear tiny daisy dukes that barely covered her underwear and low cut tops that revealed most of her cleavage, like most girls in town did - not only because she didn't have anything worth showing, but also since she despised all these easy girls a little. There certainly were nice people in Los Angeles, but the streets where she usually went for walks and shopping were crowded with aspiring cinema stars - part strippers, part prostitutes. Unlike Charlotte, they knew what they wanted and usually got their ways. Perhaps Charlie was even a little jealous of their self-confidence and determination, but she knew for sure she isn't going to get herself fake teeth and bleach-blonde hair to make it. 

- Thanks for the lesson, I knew that already! - she replied under her breath and poked her tongue at the lady's back. 

The bus suddenly stopped, making nearly all passengers reel or fall. Charlie accidentally grabbed somebody's backpack to steady herself. The owner of it turned to see who was being so daring and gave Charlie a cheeky grin from under his mustache:

- I don't usually come on to gals on the bus, but I can make an exception for you!

Charlie cringed while looking out of the window. It must have been a bad idea to throw on this tee...

She has never been to Santa Monica before, so she wasn't sure if she has arrived at the proper place or not. She arranged to meet Scott at the bus station in the centre of the town, but she had hard time guessing whether it was it.

- Could you please tell me if it's Santa Monica?

- Si! - a curly girl responded, not even turning her hand.

- Bueno, señora...

Charlie wasn't free from the doubt that she's messed up with her Spanish, but not like she actually cared. She still hasn't comprehended how everybody in this town managed to talk to her in their own language. Some of them didn't even understand her when she spoke to them in English, like did the friendly cashier in the corner shop on their home street. She smiled nicely every time Charlie greeted her, but couldn't understand a word from her speech and read papers in Cyrillic.

Charlie got off the bus and looked around. In a five minutes walk she could see the bright, salty-smelling ocean and the infinite skyline. She squinted. Scott was standing under the palms on the seafront, tall and tan, looking at his wristwatch. Despite being Elle's cousin and close friend at once, he didn't look incredibly fancy, just like an ordinary American guy that is rather good-looking.

- Chuckie! - he waved at her and beamed widely, - Charlotte, come here!

Charlie waved back and crossed the story, nearly having been knocked from her feet by a big lorry.

- Watch your way, sugar! - the driver yelled and wagged his fat red finger.

Charlotte saw Scott suppress a giggle when hearing driver's warning. She couldn't help but blush treacherously.