Dates & Polaroids

Chapter 4

I step outside to the city before me. There was so much I wanted to see and. I knew it would take more than a day to see it all.

"So, the closest tourist destination to here is the pike place market and the first Starbucks. Of you are interested in that?" Harry says stopping at the corner to press the button signaling we wanted to walk.

"Actually that sounds perfect, are we going to walk?" I ask, I'm not sure where anything besides the places I have been to so far.

"Oh god no!" April exclaims shaking her head. "We are catching the bus."

"Or I could drive?" Harry offers holding up his keys.

"I like that option because then we don't have to wait when it gets all dark and cold for the bus that sometimes never comes." Autumn says through her teeth. with an angered look on her face. I have a feeling she has experienced it before.

"Then I'm driving. Cmon I'm parked in the garage."

We follow Harry to his car. When I see it I stop dead in my tracks. A white mustang,  old school I might add. its reflecting the light of the afternoon sun on its perfectly shining hood.

"60's?" I guess running my finger along the edge.

Harry slaps my hand away from his car before giving me a cheeky wink.

"Incorrect, love, this is 70's." He states patting the top before climbing in. Before I have to wonder where to sit I turn to find April and Autumn already in the back seat looking through their phones. I jump into the seat next to Harry and shut the door.

Harry's car comes alive amd the clean sound makes me like his car even more. He pulls out with his left hand on the arm rest in between us and his right on the steering wheel. because of his sitting position he is leaning a bit in my direction and I catch a whiff of his smell. I can't name the brand of the cologne, but it smells beyond amazing.

"So where are we going first?" I ask trying to get my attention drawn away from him.

"So we can go to the first Starbucks,  and gets some drinks then walk around the market. we could then go down to the piers and stuff. maybe the Ferris wheel " April names a bunch of things and I tell her we should probably stick to the market and Starbucks today.

Harry parks in a small parking lot downtown and we all climb out. April, Autumn, and myself wait at the paying booth for Harry and when he reaches us I notice the Polaroid camera he carries in his hand.

He sees me looking at it then gives me a wink before turning to pay for his spot.

"What was that?" Autumn asks turning towards me.

"What? That?" I gesture to Harry.

"Yes, that," she copies.

"Nothing, ladies. stop fighting over me, it will make the rest of the day awkward and shit." Harry says walking in between us starting the way to Starbucks.

"Calm your ego, Styles, no one was fighting over you." Autumn clarifies before continuing after him.

They all walk into the legend of a Coffee shop like its a normal day. I walk and I am amazed at how simple it is. I half expected the place to be all pimped out in seattle gear, you know Sonics, Seahawks,  and green things everywhere but its a normal Starbucks. Harry gets a refresher from the small refrigerator space, Autumn gets an iced green tea and April and I both order passion tea. April takes her time deciding between that and a vanilla latte and after much convincing she finally chooses the drink that will cool her down on this warm day.

We all walk across the street to the market, nearly running into some girl with dreads on a moped. The market is basically one big, long, hallway of Seattlites selling their arts, crafts, pictures, honey, flowers, handmade this or that, and organic food.

When we get to this organic honey booth with samples in front I notice that Harry is halfway down the hall receiving a brown paper bag from a man in a fedora while he replaces it with a couple of bills. The man's booth is filled with multicolored rocks and other strings.

"Hello?" April snaps in front of my face.

"What?" I return shocked and slightly confused.

"I said this is good honey and asked if you wanted to buy some." she says trying to recall my memory which has blanked out the moment completely.

"oh, no. Not the honey but I really want this chapstick." I say handing the woman a five dollar bill. she smiles.

"I would stare at a boy like that too. " I hear her say under her breath and hope niether of the other girls do.

We go further down and we reach the fish toss.

"oh you have to!" April pleads pulling me forward.

'Hell yeah, I'm down." I tell her. I can tell my compliance shocks her because she stops for a second to look at me with a raised questioning brow.

"Hey, what is life without a fish being thrown at you?" I laugh as I walk forward.

The guys behind the booth are a yelling riot. I can barely keep up with what they are shouting to each other but I'm enjoying it anyway. The ground at my feet is covered in ice and water. I can smell the sea air and the fish that will soon be thrown my way. I prepare myself by handing my bag to Autumn who sits on the copper pig, away from anything smelling of fish.

The man behind the counter in a baige and dirty smock starts to yell at me and I laugh. You can barely see his mouth moving through his grown out brown beard. He tosses the fish in the air and I comes flying toward me.

I close my eyes afraid that if I look something bad could happen. next thing I know I am being hooted and hollered at. I look down into my hands and I am holding a large salmon that is slowly making my fingers numb from its coldness. I hand it back to the man behind the counter and he gives me the most visible smile he can and a high five.

So far, Seattle is great.

"Hey c'mon we should go one more place while we are here.

Harry pulls me along with him while we round a near by corner.

Not the most interesting chapter but I figured adding a bit of this tourist moment would help add to the depth of the story.