LA to The Bay

Chapter 50: San Francisco (3)

Catamaran Tour, San Francisco Bay

The idea of being here, onboard this boat, nothing more than a flimsy piece of bobbing plastic not that different to the pontoon at Bass Lake, is less than appealing, and I can only hope that I don't begin to sink literally, in the same way that I now am metaphorically. For the strength of my resolve is weak and I can't shake the way that Harry had moved away from me when they'd found us together in the lobby. It's like each glare from Louis and I'm losing him down a dusty trap; first Lottie and now Harry. I'm beginning to think that it's Louis who has been the bad luck charm for me all along instead of the hero I claimed him to be.

I stand on the deck alone and awkward, still only too aware that the gossip level has yet to even peak. Turning my back on the cackling crowd and I look out at the sea, at the watery sunset, still cool despite it being mid-summer, a feeling more familiar with a bad day in Brighton than any I could have predicted of California. But the structure which we are sailing under is imposing, and the familiar red girders of the Golden Gate Bridge remind me that despite the circumstances I really need to appreciate the moment for it's unlikely to occur again.

'Niamh.' I freeze at the familiar high pitched voice which has just spoken behind me, reluctant to turn around and face the barrage of abuse I am bound to receive. 'Can I talk to you please?'

'Go ahead, say it.' I stare at Lottie; she may as well throw her opinions at me whilst we are alone instead of doing it with the whole crowd watching. 'Tell me what an awful person I am.'

'I'm not going to say that.' She looks at me sincerely and I'm confused since this is the opposite reaction to what I'm prepared for.

'I just want to check that you're okay?'

'But why would you do that?' I ask untrusting of her motives. 'What about Louis?'

'Look, I know we don't spend time together like we used to, but you're my oldest friend and I still care about you. I know you wouldn't do what you did unless you really like him.'

'I don't even know that I do. I mean, I think I do, but I'm not sure he feels the same way about me.' I shrug my shoulders defeated.

'Don't be ridiculous, I know how much he's in to you.'

'How do know this?' I whisper, almost afraid to hear the answer.

'Oh I don't know, the fact that he hasn't stopped talking about you from the moment you arrived together. How he's never met a girl as gorgeous as you are, basically the same thing I have to listen to from every guy that you ever meet, blah, blah, blah.' She makes a fake gagging sound.

'Then why would you hook up together?'

'Well he was jealous, obviously, and me, I don't know, I was bored, I thought that you needed a kick start to get you to realise that you liked him too.'

I look at her speechless, unsure what to do now. I'm taken aback to be even having a conversation with Lottie, let alone one where not only has she stood up for me, but that she just complimented me too.

'So I guess I'll see you around?' She looks at me sadly, as if she is about to cry.

'I guess.' I mumble and she suddenly pulls me in to her. I'm shocked so I just stand there, not knowing what to do and uncomfortabl at first, my arms stuck out to the side like lifeless twigs, until finally I can't help but reciprocate, my cheek now resting on the quilted fabric of her body warmer and like a child finally re-united with their mother I start sobbing too, finally allowing myself to feel the emotional drain of this whole situation.

'Niamh, Lottie come quickly.' Duncan's shaking voice interrupts us and I slowly follow the line of his arm to where it is pointing, to the opposite side of the deck where a crowd has gathered, but there are too many people obscuring the view to be able to see what he is going on.

'It's Louis and Harry. They're having an argument.' The air is sucked from my lungs but somehow my feet begin moving, hurtling me over to them and parting the crowd as I barge through.

'Stop it!' I yell, pulling at the back of Louis's t-shirt, and I wince as I see Harry laying on the floor and clutching at his face. 'Did you hit him?' I demand but Louis refuses to speak and just stares at the floor, clearly breathing heavily and still angry.

'Are you okay?' I run over to Harry and crouch down on the floor to try and help him up.

'My inhaler.' He gasps, grasping at his chest and focusing on his breathing.

'Someone get his inhaler.' I wail, tears still streaming down my face. 'He's having an asthma attack you idiot.' I bark at Louis astounded that the person I had loved so much could do this to someone.

'Quick, here you go.' Leah pounces through the clearing in the crowd like the hero that she thinks she is, and hands Harry the inhaler. 'I brought my first aid kit too.'

'Thanks.' Harry, speaks between puffs and thankfully his gasping is easing.

'Well I hope you feel better now?' I snarl at Leah, and now I'm the one restraining myself from making a physical attack.

'What do you mean, feel better? About what?' She looks at me confused.

'Well if it wasn't for you then none of this would have happened. If you'd let us tell Louis ourselves then we could have dealt with this properly, but oh no you had to go spying on us and open your big mouth, and you even had the nerve to talk about customer confidentiality too.' I'm laughing since it really is the only thing I can do to stop me from strangling her.

'But I don't know what you're talking about.' She is stuttering, trying to defend herself. 'I never mentioned anything to anyone. I could lose my job if I did that.'