Welcome to L.A.

The Outsider

Since we got here, I'm wondering why Maddy's not moving. She looks confused, but starts to smile again like everything's under control.

"Are we going in or not? I past enough time in that car for a while. I need to get out." She takes the tickets out of her purse and reads them for the first time. Her look isn't good... what's happening now?

"Actually... We can't get in for the show before six o' clock. They reserved the bar for a party before it starts, so I guess that means that we are just going to wait about an hour and a half?" Oh no, I can't stay here. Otherwise, I'll kill someone and the only one that I can choose as a victim is her. Obviously, it's off limit, so I'm taking the first option.

"Where are you going, Mili?"

"I want to know if it's open. At least, we're not late."

" Hey! Yeah... okay... you're right."

She's lost in her thoughts again. Something's wrong, but I'll ask her after a small run. As I'm getting out of the car, she's back to Earth and tries to say something, but the door is already shut. Sprinting to the bar, I feel alive and free again. This road trip really isn't for claustrophobics... Back to the bar, it's written in black on a whiteboard that, occasionally, the owner closed the jukebox section, which means all the bar from my point of view, to get ready for DnA's show and his welcome party. It'll only be open at six o' clock. Well, it looks like Mads and I will have to... wait, where is the car? I thought that we were parked close to the entrance enough to see it, but I might be wrong.

I wasn't wrong. I know I wasn't since I've only run for a few seconds. Maddy just left me here. For no reason. Well.. I guess that I should've listened to her when she was trying to tell me something while I got out of her car. Regardless, I feel bad about it. I know her, more than anyone, so I'm pretty sure that she wanted to say something about a lost phone in her forgotten hat at the store or maybe even her wallet, which doesn't make sense, but who knows with Maddy? I just wish she had texted me... but maybe she just can't.

I'm starving. I haven't eaten much since the last two days and Mads' solution were fat and carbohydrates, which means something that doesn't last long in your stomach in my language. The ride lasted almost half an hour, so I think that I'll walk around to find a cafe or something to stay active until the end of the night.

It's weird. I don't understand these guys. Blue Blood is located in one of the less crowded places of Los Angeles. It looks like the oldest part, the one you forgot to rebuild because the land was too old. I've been walking many miles and, yet, there're only companies, stores and not much. Why did they choose this place?

An eternity after I started my research, I'm back to civilization. My first stop will be the only one I'll do if I don't want to be late and worry Mads if I'm missing when the doors open. Here it is: The Coffee House. It's not quite similar to what I know from Canada even though the wait is as endless as Starbucks' or Tim Hortons'. It's a cozy, but crowded place. Usually, the service is fast with today's technology, but this coffee shop seems so... disconnected to the 20s that it's incredible that it still works this much in a city this big. I don't think that I should wait this much when there're tons of cafes around, by now, but something is making me stay. I don't know why, but I want to know. If it's not the coffee, it's the pastries, if they're some, if it's not the service, well it must be...

"You really want a coffee, now, too, don't you?" The customer base. I just stopped by a tall, handsome guy and he just turned to me as I joined the line.

" Euh.. yea? I haven't had caffeine for days and I'm starving to death." As he smirks at me, I know that I said something wrong.

"It's a coffee shop only. You'll have to starve to death a little longer." I can't help, but laugh and it looks like it's appreciated with a cute little laugh coming from him. "I'm so sorry. I forgot my manners." He hands me his hand. "I'm James." As I'm shaking it, I reply unconsciously.