pizza.

The sun was setting in Los Angeles. Orange and pink hues streaked the skyline. White and grey fluffy clouds stretched across the horizon. 

Sam was skateboarding along the Venice Beach boardwalk. She zoomed past the makeshift stalls, big palm trees and little cafes. The freshness of the ocean salt air mixed with the aromas of each place she passed by… the sweetness of donuts and churros, the bitter sharpness of coffee, the mouthwatering smell of pizza… pizza. She almost stopped. She shook her head. Later. She needed out her head for a while. Diving in and out and inbetween tourists and lovers out for romantic walks by the ocean.  The wind flowing through her air. Foot meeting concrete to make herself go faster. Leaning her body into the board. It all felt as simple and as natural as breathing. 

Leigh was still in the Hammer Museum. Her friend had an exhibition there and she wanted to be supportive. The air felt stifling. She spent the evening having meaningless conversation that was more flat than the free champagne she was sipping on. Her ex-boyfriend of five years had been an artist – she’d spent a lot of time surrounded by art people. And she was lucky to have met her friend through that connection. But she felt like the walls were coming in around her. Her chest felt heavy and her heart felt dull. She needed out. She left without a word, jumping into her convertible, and drove toward the freedom of the I-10. 

Sam could hear noise up ahead. She looked down at her watch. 9.27pm. She’d be skating for a few hours. She could use a break. She floated toward the noise. The Townhouse. Once a speakeasy back in the prohibition era, this had been her watering hole back in her surfing days. Stepping in was like stepping back in time – the dark wood, the floral wallpaper, the old 40’s style lamps… she was never classy enough to drink in a place like this back when she was a surfer brat. She still wasn’t now. But it had always felt comfortable and familiar. She glanced over at the guys hanging out by the pool table trying to impress the girls with a trick shot. She saw the band carrying their gear downstairs to the basement to get set up for a gig. It was a home in a place she really shouldn’t feel comfortable. “I’ll take an After Sunset please” 

Leigh drove toward the coast. She loved the ocean breeze, the feeling the sand underneath her toes, looking out toward the horizon. It was this basic instinct that pushed her out the gallery and into the car. She just needed to escape. Next thing she knew she was pulling into Windward Avenue. She glanced down at her watch. 9.35pm. Free parking after 6 so she was okay. That was lucky. She walked toward the beach, taking out her butterfly clip and letting her hair flow free. She took her heels off and felt the cold hard concrete underneath her feet. Holding her heels in her hand she dipped her toes into the sand, wriggling them and feeling each grain rub against her skin.  She takes a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. The setting sun colouring her face. And then. Noise. “Leigh!” She spun round. And old face embraces her in a hug. “The last time I saw you we were drunk eating pizza and crying over boys in our apartment, oh my god!” 

Sam sits by the bar, leaning her board against the seat. The place is a perfect mix of the old and the new. The guys who’ve been here since the early days; the hipster kids wanting a place to call their own; the tourists who’ve accidentally wandered in; and Sam herself, part of the nostalgia crew. She’s glad that the memories of her haven’t tainted this place. Her drink arrives and she enjoys people watching. The people trying to impress members of the opposite and the same sex. Those celebrating and other commiserating. People who have a signature drink and those who’ll just get drunk on anything. Two girls sit down next to her, engaged in conversation. Well one of them is talking for the both of them. The other one is just listening. And she’s the far more interesting one. 

Leigh is smiling. It’s been so long. Her old roommate in college, here, just as she was trying to escape. Emily was a free spirit, always finding new adventures to explore. Leigh always needed that push. In fact she’s sure she would have absolutely zero interesting stories if it weren’t for Emily. Emily drags her away from the beach, “We need to catch up!”, and into some random building. It’s dark and she’s disorientated. Gallery to beach to bar. Old faces appearing out of nowhere. It’s overwhelming and too fast and she’s halfheartedly listening to Emily gush about her life as she just try to get her bearings. They approach the bar and sit down next to a skater chick. They sit down next to another girl. And then everything slows down. The skateboarding stranger is now the centre of her attention.