LA to The Bay

Chapter 21: Sedona (1)

Sedona, Arizona

We arrive in Sedona, Arizona, the place I never even knew existed, and are immediately given two options: a) go ride the infamous Sedona Jeep Tour (again something I've never heard of until now) or b) have a free afternoon.

So of course no explanation is needed to guess that I go for option two; free time, duh. Plus the Sedona landscape can be viewed just fine from the road side, thank you very much, without needing to zoom around some rocks and strain my neck being bumped all over the place in the process. What is it with American's needing to turn everything in to a theme park experience instead of just sitting back and enjoying the epic natural beauty which surrounds them for free?

Predictably of course the majority of the group go for option A, needing to forever chase the next adrenaline rush, and before I am given a chance to process their departure they are swept off in to the surrounding mountains by a fleet of red jeeps, leaving just Duncan, Ana and I  on the kerbside. I hope this isn't a discreet way of  off loading us, the rejects, and leaving us forever stranded in the middle of nowhere?

'So what do you want to do?' Duncan grins at me and Ana grins at him, a long line of grins, and I can't help but wonder if Duncan decided to stay back just because I did and then Ana did the same because of Duncan?

'Sit down, relax and enjoy the view?' Obviously.

'Okay, then you can chose where you want to go to do this.' Of course I get to chose. I am suddenly the silently appointed leader. I have never been the leader of anything before, I am normally the one taking the orders.

After fifteen minutes of walking up and down the high street, posing for obligatory photographs with the towns iconic rocks in the background, contemplating whether or not buying a dream catcher would really help banish my nightmares of Harry, and despairing because all of the eateries serve either only burgers or Mexican food, I eventually select a café with an outside balcony and view of the red rocks.

'So do you know that Sedona is one of the few places in the world where the McDonalds sign isn't yellow?' Duncan offers once we are seated.

'No way, what colour is it?' Ana is clearly impressed by his knowledge of useless facts.

'Green, so it fits in with the landscape, because everything here is either green or red.'

I survey the view and realise that he is right. The scene is awash with either vibrant green foliage or intense red rock that looks like it has been hand chiselled by a painstaking sculptor. They are complete opposites, and I would never instinctively put them together, but the contrast of the red and green has created a unique and striking brilliance of sensory stimulation, and all for free. Wow.

'So what do you think we are doing tonight?' Ana rubs her hands together excitedly, apparently more interested in shifting the conversation on to social events than dwelling on the beauty of the environment.

'I'm not sure, Leah wouldn't tell, although she did say we will need to bring our dancing shoes.'

'Wait, Leah said we are doing something tonight? I never heard her announce it?' I'm confused as I have become accustomed to the reactive feeling of despair I experience each time Leah turns on the microphone.

'Oh she's not announced it yet, she just told me when I was talking to her on the coach on the way up here.'

'You talk to her, like through choice?'

'Of course, she is amazing!' Duncan is obviously proud of his new found association with our real leader, although I'm not quite sure how he can call her amazing without even a hint of irony.

'I hope it's line dancing!' Ana squeals again, 'I always wanted to try that.'

My heart grows heavier; the idea of enforced dancing is bad enough, but being expected to co-ordinate in a line makes my vision start to blur. I've suffered enough humiliation on this trip already that surely they will take pity and spare me this time?

'Maybe she just means we're going to a club or something?' Or at the very least please let there be alcohol to help numb the pain and panic.

'Or maybe it's couple's dancing? I hope so, who do you think would be the best couple?' No Ana, just go with the clubbing idea instead of thinking up more nightmarish scenarios. 'It would have to be Harry and Marty or Louis and Juno, right? Or maybe Louis and Lottie, I can never figure out which one he is going out with?' You're not the only one having trouble figuring that out Ana.

'Maybe you and Duncan could dance together?' I give Duncan my own toothy grin hoping that he catches on that there is no way that I will be taking up any offer of being his dance partner, where as I am quite certain Ana would relish accepting such an offer. Instead I will stand at the bar, alone and use a Jack Daniels to nurse my broken heart as the Model's Incorporated twirl past, probably as effortlessly gifted at dancing as they are at modelling, and everyone coos and remarks how beautiful they are and how handsome Louis and Harry are. Or maybe I could use this evening as an opportunity to re-start my plan of showing Louis just what he is missing, that I can throw down some sultry moves and shapes on the dance floor just as well as the rest of them; I just need to find a more envy inducing dance partner than Duncan first.

'Duncan?' I lean over and whisper, already formulating a plan, 'can you do me a favour and order me a glass of wine please?' If I am going to do this, if I am actually going to take part in dancing and make Louis want me then I need all the courage I can muster.