LA to The Bay

Chapter 11: San Diego (1)

San Diego harbor, San Diego

'Oh my gaaaawd.' A latino girl, Ana, I think I just heard someone call her, screeches. 'Just look how cute it is!'

I will admit that it is mildly endearing, the seal we are all gawking at, like we've never seen a marine animal in the wild before. If perched on a slab of concrete in the middle of San Diego harbor can be considered wild.

'Hey there, cutie.' Duncan coos at it too, staring at Ana almost as adoringly as she is the seal. So maybe I am safe from any secret expectations he might be harbouring about our friendship after all?

I have a vague awareness that we are on board a boat sailing around San Diego harbor. I say "vague" as the whole experience is still proving somewhat hallucinogenic, and I am not perhaps as refreshed as I had believed myself to be when I woke up this morning. For not ten minutes in to the journey, whilst listening to Duncan alphabetise the different suburbs of Melbourne, I blacked out, only to awaken once we parked up here at San Diego harbor. So the boat ride is definitely all quite hazy, like the final whisper of a bad dream that I just can't manage to wake up from.

'Hi Niamh, how's it going?' I really had better be dreaming, because Lottie is speaking to me. In a normal way; not trying to draw attention to either of us. This is a first but still, being trapped at sea, forced to make small talk with her has to be one of my scariest nightmares.

I blink my eyes, willing myself to wake up, but it isn't happening, this it isn't a dream, it's actually happening, for real.

'It's, erm, going...' I trail.

'You left before I had chance to speak to you this morning.' She almost sounds upset. What could she possibly have to be upset about? 'So how are you enjoying the trip so far?'

So far? Well let's see; the only two people I know here are you, who is so obviously still in love with my ex boyfriend, and my ex boyfriend who is apparently more than too happy for our relationship status to remain this way, given that he has yet to instigate a single conversation with me.

'It will be nice to meet some new people.' I lie.

'That's great Niamh. Meeting new people will be good for you. You should try to talk to Harry some more. He was really concerned at how quiet you were here on the flight over.'

'Harry was concerned about me?' Because that's about as believable as Lottie being upset.

'Yeah.'

I look over at where are Louis and Harry are sitting, on one of the deck benches, like they couldn't be the least bit interested in taking in the sights around them, of what is actually a stunning harbour, the sunlight reflecting off the skyscrapers and contrasting eerily with the shadowy mountains which loom moon like in the distance.

Harry's arm is slung nonchalantly around the brunette half of the Models Incorporated, whilst the blonde half is hovering around them, clearly trying to get Louis' attention, who is hunched over studying his camera.

Well at least he appears as uninterested in the Models Inc as he does me. I'm beginning to wonder if there is anything that Louis is actually interested in other than Harry. I almost laugh when I realise they I are wearing the exact same pair of board shorts as each other. I can't help wonder who bought them first, or maybe they got them whilst shopping together?

'So who are the two girls with Louis and Harry?'

I can't believe I'm actually continuing this conversation, but there is just something about the way they all already seem so familiar together, like they've known each other for years, that is really annoying me, since let's not forget that it's Lottie and I who know Louis and Harry, yet I get the uneasy sense that we are being subconsciously wiped from their memories.

'What, Marty and Juno?'

'Marty and what?'

'I know.' She laughs, 'that's my thought exactly.'

'So do you know them from travelling before now? You seem to all know each other well.'

'Ugh no, we just met them in the hot tub last night. But it's pretty obvious that they want to get with Harry and Louis. I heard them whispering about it the coach this morning.'

I can feel myself edging forward to grab at their perfect, loosely curled locks. Even though one is blonde and one is brunette they have exactly the same tousled, "I just had the most amazing sex with someone as equally good looking as me," hairstyle.

'They're very pretty.' I sigh somewhat jealously.

'Yeah apparently they're both signed to this model agency in Sydney and they're over here on the west coast on holiday, before they go visit the New York branch of the agency.'

'That actually happens to people?' The closest I've ever heard of anyone becoming a model in real life is the annual Miss Oxfordshire competition, when some poor souls overzealous mother has deluded both themselves and their daughter in to believing them to be worthy of a modelling contract, only for the poor girl to find herself still stocking shelves in Sainsbury's a year later.

'It's time to round things up guys.' Leah's voice jolts me out of imagining both Marty and Juno tripping over their ridiculous heels and falling off the catwalk. Oh the horror!

'We're leaving already? We just got here.' I question Lottie.

'Yeah we've got to move quick to fit it all in. Plus it turns out that seals are pretty much the same on all continents.' I guess the novelty must wear thin after a while.

'So anyway Niamh, it would be great if you could you sit with us when we stop for lunch.' I can feel my jaw dropping at the suggestion. 'So what do you think?'

Authors note: This chapter is dedicated to ser3nD1pity for all the votes whilst I was writing.

Please be kind and remember to vote and comment. Love Ally xx