THE CODE THAT LINKS US ©

Chapter Nineteen

MADISON

"You know, it amazes me the way you use that shirt," he says opening the car's door for me when we park.

"I don't get your point," I say. The place is full of people from all over the world. We're at the hall of fame and everyone walks around with their eyes stuck on the stars on the floor.

"Any normal tourist would use the shirt from the place they are visiting. Like her," he points out at a woman who is wearing a shirt almost identical to mine with the exception that hers has the initials of Los Angeles in it. "But here you are, in Hollywood with a shirt of I love San Francisco." I laugh. "It's fascinating!"

"I could say you're really easy to surprise," I say when we start walking.

"I love this city!" he almost shouts and I blush when he caught everyone's attention who begin cheering and applauding, which makes him do some small and ridiculous reverences that make me burst out laughing. "Well student of mine, all of these stars are tributes to important actors and directors that were famous enough to receive one," he explains. "Although I guess most of them aren't around anymore." He frowns while we stare at one of the stars. "Now that I think so, they are more like gravestones of important actors and directors." I laugh at his spooky comment and that makes him smile again.

We walk through all the principal spots with him telling me everything he can remember from the city. I thank for his obsession since apart for him being like a local guide for me, it keeps him away from asking anything about Alison or me.

After a few hours, we buy a pair of hotdogs that he assures are delicious. We admire from the car's hood the big mount in which are found the letters that identify this place so much.

"These are pretty good," I say when I finish my meal while he's just halfway through it.

"I think it would have been a better idea to take you out for dinner," he mocks and I smile at him shaking my head.

"I loved meeting the city," I say.

"Meet? Is it your first time here?" I nod surprising him. "You didn't have any expectations from LA?"

"It's the first time I have ever left San Francisco," I say and he shakes his head unbelievingly. "I think I don't even know my own city."

"This isn't going to work," he says and I look at him raising my brows. "How can I be so into someone that doesn't know Disneyland or Santa Monica? Where have you been all your life?!"

"Good question." Have I really missed that much? What intrigues people so much about new places? For the unknown.

"What brought you to LA?" he asks. I keep staring for a while at the big sign in front of us. From here it's gigantic and brilliant. I take my time to think of a possible lie to hid everything about me, but instead of letting out something that could actually help, my brain just evades the question.

"What brought you to LA?" I feel his eyes on me. Suddenly I feel like a coward for not even looking at him, but I don't need to think of me, I have to protect Alison at all cost. He sighs. I look at him from the corner of my eye.

"I thought for a moment that you were the one with the good memory," he says looking somewhere else. I picture my inner me slapping me for not giving him absolutely anything in return and tell myself I'm somehow disappointing him. Maybe if I kiss him he could feel like he's getting something? That's what they do in movies. Don't they? One of them gets mad, the other one kisses him and bam! Everything is fixed.