LA to The Bay

Chapter 19: Sonoran Desert (1)

Hot Air Balloon, Sonoran Desert, Arizona

I stare at Louis, still unable to shake what he said to me yesterday.

'I thought you didn't like swimming?'

It was almost like he sounded annoyed or something. I mean yes, I have claimed on plenty of occasions to loathe swimming, but that's more specifically at swimming baths in England which are well known to be full of verrucas, old ladies saggy bits and are general disease riddled hell holes; an experience which is wholly different to cooling off in a fancy pool at a fancy hotel in mid summer Arizona.

What's confusing me the most is why would he chose such an observation to be the first and only thing he has said to me since I got here?

Whatever the reason he seems to have forgotten his concern as quickly as it arose since he's now back within the comforting bosom of the gang, huddled together and sniggering with Harry, Marty and Juno, as we ascend in to the air, the four of them and me, all taking part in an early morning hot air balloon ride with the intention of watching the sunrise over the Sonoran Desert.

Just Lottie is missing from the basket having claimed 'once you've been in one hot air balloon you've been in them all.' Quite. But pressured not to miss out on another 'you only live once' experience, here I am, having woken at 4.30 am, and all so I can enjoy the pleasure of listening to Marty, Juno, Louis and Harry flirt their way through the next thirty minutes, almost unaware that we are suspended mid air in a basket hanging from only by a bit of string and an inflated cloth.

'I bet you've had loads of girlfriends.' Juno giggles. I'm not sure if she is speaking to Louis or Harry but they both seem to be grinning and nudging each other like they can equally claim to be the studs of the town.

Well hello, over here if you please, I can confirm to you that Louis has in fact had only one real girlfriend in his entire life. Me! Oh yeah, let's not mention that bit to everyone Niamh, let's just quickly sweep it under the carpet or better still throw it over the side of the basket and let it be carried off on the gentle breeze, never to be heard of again.

It makes me wonder if I've been cast as a part in a weird psychological game which is ongoing between them all; a pawn on their chess board of entertainment. If I assess the evidence it all adds up; firstly they invite me here, then ignore me, taunt me with their non stop flirtation and then to add to the mix they get Harry to annoy the hell out of me. They are clearly trying to drive me insane and I haven't the slightest idea why. Nor do I understand what is going on between us, and I mean any of us, but all I know is that it would serve well for both Marty and Juno to be thrown overboard pronto and ideally have them land sprawled out among to cacti which scatter the landscape below.

Not that their absence would likely aid me in gaining any further conversation with Louis, but at least then I would only need to break through the remaining barriers of Harry and Lottie.

'So didn't I hear you say you had a boyfriend back home?' I pipe up to Marty. I don't even recall if I did actually hear her say this or if I'm just making it up simply to try and make her feel as stupid and shitty as I do right now.

'Did have. We broke up right before this trip so I'm definitely free and single now.' She fake grins at me like she just scored a ten pin strike.

'But what about you Niamh, have you ever even had a boyfriend? Since I know you don't have one now.' Her voice underscores the word 'even.'

So obviously nobody has bothered to inform them of my relationship with Louis, which let's not forget is the whole reason for me being here, and yes the whole reason I would get out of bed at 4.30am to hang out with you numpty's in this ridiculous hot air balloon.

I look at Louis waiting, hoping for him to speak up, to jump to my honour and claim me as his one true love, but of course he just shifts awkwardly before turning around to look over the side of the basket as if maybe contemplating a jump over board himself.

'I think we need to change the conversation.' Harry glares, suddenly angry.

I almost laugh, I mean what does he actually have to be cross about, is he the one who's past relationship and current presence is being completely ignored? Oh wait, he's obviously protecting Louis; better not let anyone find out about Mr Cool's super embarrassing ex-girlfriend, the one who's so desperate she travelled halfway around the world just to follow him around pathetically, in fact she's so pathetic that she would entrap herself on a hot air balloon with the most vile people going, just so she can get a look at him. Yeah, you better get defensive and save Louis from exposure to that headline drama.

'Oh look a lion.' Juno squeals, pointing down at the ground.

'Err I don't think it's a lion,' Marty whispers, 'we're not in Africa.'

'You mean they don't have lions in America too?'

'It's a coyote.' Talk about a dim wit.

I glance over the side of the basket and look down at the pack of fighting animals, more like poor mans wolves than any picture of a lion I've ever seen. I'm trying desperately not to laugh at the surrealness of the situation; the beauty of the landscape and the horizon, the stark line of the hard rock as it joins with the never ending blue sky, at nature going about its own daily business and without a single motorway required, and how the stillness of the environment only enhances the weirdness of the people I am sharing this memory forming moment with; two boys suffering from a giant mood swing comparable to the worst pre-menstrual syndrome and just the dumbest girls ever known who deserve to be put out of their stupidity by being thrown as a treat to the laughing coyotes sat with their mouths open wide and waiting beneath us.

Authors note: The song I uploaded is Africa by Toto. It is a real old school cheese fest and starts off a bit slow but the chorus is great to sing a long to especially when driving. I know it's about Africa but I can kind of imagine it playing during the balloon ride, especially since Juno seems convinced that they are actually on safari!