Better With You |Dave Hodgman|

{3} Tour Guide

Dave asked again, "Why is this so important, Angelina?"

"It's a tradition. Well, for me, I guess. I like to take pictures. I'm a really artsy kind of person. From the places that we moved to or went to as a vacation, I would take pictures of the sunrise or sunset, either one is still beautiful." Angelina told him

She continued, "It just reminds me that 'it's a brand new day', you know? New memories to look forward to."

Dave nodded his head and asked, "May I ask why you moved here?"

"Yeah, it's okay. My dad got an offer here, so when he moves, we move with him." Angelina said looking at Dave then back ahead. "I didn't want to move though."

"Why's that?" Dave asked as he moved himself to the side next to the road.

Angelina replied, "We lived in New York, before. It was the only place that we've ever gone back to. I was born and raised there until I was 3 then we started to move around. When we went back there, 3 years ago, it just felt right to be there. And I didn't want to leave again."

"Ah, okay." Dave said nodding his head. "Well, just think of it like the sunrise or the sunset, looking forward to endless possibilities."

Angelina laughs and said, "Yeah, but I don't know, Hodgman, it's not as easy as I thought it would be."

"Why do you keep on calling me Hodgman? You don't like my first name, Angelina?" Dave asked and Angelina responded looking up at him, "What are you talking about? I like your first and last name."

"Thanks, I like yours too." Dave commented making Angelina chuckled

Dave asked her, "You know when my mom mentioned plans after high school, you seemed a little..."

"Distressed." Angelina said and Dave nodded his head. "Yeah."

Angelina sighed, "I had it all planned out in New York on what I wanted to do."

"Really? What?" Dave asked as they made a left turn

Angelina told him, "I wanted to perform on Broadway. I wanted to be in the Art industry, you know? Performing arts."

"You could sing?" Dave asked and Angelina nods in reply, "Yeah, and I dance, play the guitar, piano. I like taking pictures and make collages, and scrapbooks of the pictures I take."

"That's cool." Dave replied and asked, "Why do you seem distressed about it?"

Angelina shrugged, "Because it's just a dream, Dave. I have to be real about my future."

"Who told you that?" Dave asked and Angelina responded, "My mom. All she does is give me lectures about what I wear, how I act, the way I do things. She's the one who told me to be realistic."

Dave slowly nods his head and asked, "And you believe her?"

"No one told me otherwise." Angelina told him

"And if I told you otherwise?" Dave asked and Angelina replied, "Dave, I've been told to be realistic for a long time already. I don't think you telling me to 'follow my dreams' is going to make a difference."

"Okay." Dave said. "I understand."

Angelina looked around the boardwalk and said, "Wow, I didn't expect it to be so close to our house."

"It was only a 20-30 minute walk, really." Dave pointed out. Angelina smiles and puts down her hood looking over to the sun area. "Beautiful."

Dave stands next to her as they were both leaning over the rail. He agreed, nodding his head. Angelina got out her Polaroid camera and took a picture of the sunrise. The film got out from its slot and Angelina got it out and started to do her usual routine, after taking a Polaroid picture.

"When did you start taking pictures?" Dave asked curiously

Angelina replied, "My dad got me a camera, like a regular one, when I was younger. I don't know, I guess I just fell in love with the idea of taking pictures. Capturing moments."

Angelina smiled at how the picture came out and told him, "Come on. Let's get back before you're late to school."

Dave chuckled as they both started walking back. Dave asked, "When are you starting school?"

"Monday. My mom thought it would be a grand idea to start my first day in a new school, on a Monday." Angelina said making him laugh

Dave responded, "Is there anything you like about your mom?"

"I don't completely hate her, it's just the lectures, that gets to me." Angelina pointed out

She continued, "I love the fact that my mom tries her best to raise us when my dad had to work. Her baking is perfection, especially her chocolate covered strawberries. She's the one who named me, and that my brothers and I had some name from Greek Mythology."

"What's yours?" Dave asked and Angelina replied, "My middle name is Aphrodite. Ian's Poseidon. And Troy's Zeus."

"Wow, that's pretty cool, to have a middle name like that." Dave said to her making her smile, "Thanks, Dave."

They made it back to their neighborhood and Angelina told him, "Thanks, by the way."

"No problem. Do you always ask the boy next door to show you the best place to find the sunrise?" Dave asked and Angelina replied, "No, I usually find it myself."

"So why ask me?" Dave asked her

Angelina shrugged and said, "I don't know, maybe I just wanted to hang out with you. Get to know you a little better, I guess."

"Did it work?" Dave asked curiously and Angelina replied, "Of course it did."

Dave laughed and saw their houses next to each other. "Here we are."

"Yep." Angelina replied. "I'll see you, later?"

"Of course." Dave said and walked inside his house. Angelina puts her Polaroid camera back into her bag and climbs up to her window. She entered into her room and closes the window down slowly.

She looked back into her room and smiled to herself thinking about Dave.