LA to The Bay

Chapter 14: Tijuana (3)

'Just go get Duncan!' I yell at Harry. I instantly feel guilty for shouting at him, after he offered me his inhaler, but still it's people like him and all those other monsters inside the restaurant that are the reason I'm sitting here now, alone on a dirty pavement in Mexico, as far away from home as I've ever been.

'The Aussie dwarf? Are you serious?' Which is exactly a typical response to be expected from someone as image conscious as Harry, where the only thing that matters is how good your reflection looks in board shorts and Gucci sunglasses (yes, I have noted them Harry; you wannabe Adonis try hard!). I was stupid to feel sorry for him, just because he might happen to have some sort of breathing problem.

'He is not a dwarf. He's just not a giant like you. And at least he's a nice person.'

Harry's eyes widen at the harshness of my words. He almost looks...hurt? And I feel guilty...again.

But it's true, Duncan is a nice person, and unlike Harry and his cronies he never laughed at me or said I should 'just do it', that I should stop being a prude and be a sport.

'Yeah he's nice to you because he's in love with you, and wants to get in your pants.'

'Duncan is not in love with me!' I can't believe Harry is throwing such rubbish at me. He really is pathetic to pick on someone who he knows would never be able to stand shoulder to shoulder against him, to defend himself. He is such a bully.

'I beg to differ. He was drooling over you all last night at the pool and on the coach this morning too.'

'He only met me 24 hours ago so how can he possibly be in love with me? Plus how do you even know this when you've been so busy with Louis and all your model friends?' Aha, try answering that one Harry.

'Suit yourself.' His nostrils are flaring, obviously angry, as he turns to leave.

'Where are you going?' I shout after him. I can't believe he is leaving me here, alone on the pavement in downtown Tijuana, for anything to happen to me. A battered speeding car could literally swoop in on a cloud of dust and cart me of the some drug barons dungeon in the mountains where I would be sold for sex, my silence paid for in diamonds. I might never be seen again and no one would care.

But I guess this is typical Harry, only thinking of himself, plus what does he have to be so angry about, it's not him who's just been humiliated in front of fifty strangers, who let's not forget, I have yet to spend another three weeks with.

I fear that I will never get over the humiliation of Mexico. And Leah was right, it is worse on the way back to America. Where before we had been carried here on a fluffy cloud in the gentle breeze, re-entering the US is like facing the wall of a hurricane and the guns are out blazing, literally. It seems a lot of people really are keen to get in to America, but I guess the roads really are a lot better there compared to here in Mexico. I'm realising that now, the appeal of all those nice wide flowing roads. Instead of this over-crammed barely there dirt road, as we crawl our painful way to the border in this over heated death trap of a mini bus.

After to coming to find me (I guess Harry must have passed on my message, which is something at least), Duncan now holds my hand and offers me a tissue as I continue to cry, trying to protect me from everyone else's smug glares and whispers.

'I can't believe she's still crying,' a whisper breaks through, 'it's a bit of an over reaction. I mean it was just tequila, it's not like it was bleach or something.'

I glare at the witch with black spiky hair who is staring at me, like I just let the leading team down in a major sports event, and she is letting me know subconsciously, via the harshness of her eyes, that this incident will not be forgotten.

'Ignore her.' Duncan offers. I smile back at him, but do so with worry. I can't forget what Harry just said to me, about Duncan being in love with me. But I saw him looking at Ana like a drooling puppy dog when we were on the boat just this morning; it was definitely her he was dribbling over and not the seal. Plus so what if he is in love with me. What is so crazy about the idea of someone bearing a positive feeling towards me? It's not like I'm an ogre and we know that I always put my best face forward, my mother wouldn't allow otherwise.

So maybe Duncan can go talk to Louis and give him a little sales pitch on my behalf, remind him what a doll I am and how he ought to pay some attention before someone else snatches me up.

'Thanks.' I squeeze Duncan's hand back and smile gently. Part of me feels bad for even thinking it, but maybe I am actually on to something here, if I can make it seem that someone else likes me, even someone as unthreatening as Duncan, then Louis really will realise just what he is missing?

I close my eyes and rest my head against the window of the coach letting out a gentle sigh of satisfaction. It's been a long day, hell it's been an epic three days, but maybe all of the trauma and embarrassment has been worth it, because it's simply been acting as a guiding post, allowing me to form the semblance of a plan to work towards getting Louis back.

I look over at him now, engrossed and laughing in conversation with Harry. I'll be honest, I never actually thought it would be this hard, but if the use of a little feminine wiliness is what is required then I better get my lipstick ready.

Authors note: The video I uploaded is a recording of such a beautiful song, Tijuana Lady, by Gomez (a British band). If you listen to the words they are so fitting with this chapter. The singers voice is so distinctive and I think this video recording fits well with Niamh's story; it's a song about Mexico but filmed in a music shop in Liverpool next to Debenhams (an English department store found in most towns and cities in the UK).

Please be kind and don't forget to vote and comment. Love Ally xx