One Day in California

It's 5.15 in the evening.

I've finished cleaning the counter and the dishes, my works done. I pulled the entrance door, at the same time James calls my name, walking towards me. I paused, my hands are still on the handle.

"Can.... you join.. us to the Halloween Festival.. tonight ?" he stuttered, then he rubs his forehead, there's something inside his head and I can't read them. "with Cara and Jane" he added, then a sigh and a thin smile.

Alright, tonight's Halloween at Griffith. I've made my promise to Noah. I shook my head and smile awkwardly while I can barely feel my lips, I feel bad for James "Sorry James... I've another things to do" I bit my lower –lip.

James looks disappointed at first, but then he gives me another smile "Okay Steffi. See you soon". I wave my hand at him, he waves back timidly. I pull the door as it jingles and disappears from his sight.

I stopped by a costume shop on my way home. There's a Halloween word blinking above the entrance and miniature white ghost were hanging on the door. It shrieks a wicked laugh as I push the door. At the counter there is a young woman with witch costume. She lifted her head, stop cutting her long fingernails. She stood quite tall and slim, her short ombre red hair neat and likely styled with old fashioned rollers. Her face is made up with face painted make-up and her lips that are in dark purple.

"Hello" she greeted, she is kinda creepy to be honest.

I give her an awkward smile. It makes me hard and awkward since I have never ever join any Halloween parties even when I was younger.

"I am looking for a costume" I have no idea where to start, I hope she gives me a hand.

"walk straight to that section, there's a lot of female Halloween costume that might suits you" she pointed straight as I can see a pack of costumes hang on the rack.

"Thanks" I added, walk straight as her instruction. I stop by the rack, lifting one by one from the hangers.

There's a nurse costume, NO...TOO SEXY. IEW.

A witch costume is nice, but they are all in big sizes, I am too skinny for that. Then, I found a red riding hood costume hanging as the only one that left, with black tee and skirt. I'M TAKING THIS ! The others are too appealing. The red riding hood costume is better among all. I walk back to the cashier where the witch lady is still doing her nails things.

"This one" I said.

She extends her hand to scan the costume.

***

Are you kidding me ? this is a crop tee, I thought this is just a regular t –shirt.

Urghhhh

I moaned. This is a mess –up. I prefer wearing an oversized witch costume.

I have no confidence wearing this crop tee.

TING TONG TING TONG TING TONG TING TONG

I turn my head towards the door, the impatient bell must be Noah

"Yes Noah I AM COMING !" I yelled.

When I open the door, Noah was there standing still with his SCREAM mask on. He is wearing a long black cloak made of silky fabric, a loose black t –shirt, and a black ripped –skinny –jeans. He is always perfect whatever the outfit is, except bikini?

Without moving, I know he was about to scare me. He stood there for few seconds, there's a moment when we are in a long deep silence. He sighs, finally make a sound.

"You didn't scare at all" Noah took his masks off, the hood is still covering his head. He stared at me in utter amazement, "You...are...gorgeous". I froze, those words makes my heart start pumping faster. Noah clears his throat, "So.. Sushi?" he lifted a box of something with colorful Sushi logo on the top of the lid. Right, he made his promise to bring me Sushi.

I took off my red cloak, hang it on the coat rack.

"Should we eat now?" I asked, my stomach growled and I squirmed in my seat to try to silence the rumbling. I was starving to death. Noah sit beside me. As the lid is wide open, I can smell it really nice, the smell of raw salmons, the fresh scent of the Mentai Sauce, and the crunchy seaweed wrapped. I can't wait to munch it, it's been quite a long time, my last Sushi is when I was in Portland, I visit the wrong Japanese restaurant that doesn't suit my taste –bud.

I picked the Sushi –wrap with my hand and put it inside my mouth.

"Do you like it?" Noah asked as he finished the bite.

"Of course ! this is just amazing" I have to visit Japan one day and try all Sushi they have, one by one.

Noah sniffs a smile, he seemed happy that I like it this much. It reminds me of how I have wasted his Sushi few days ago. He was so pissed of that time, this must be expensive.

"I'm sorry"

Noah turns his head, startling. "What for ? are you crazy?"

I rolled my eyes, "Noah, you bought me this few days ago..this must be so expensive.. and.." I messed up. He patiently waits for me to continue "And I've wasted them" I pull a long face, sucking my lower lip, wonder what is he going to say next.

"it's okay, you are here. don't keep talking about it" he implied

Okay, he seems creepy right now.

"Is that a raccoon?" Noah pointed my hip

I follow his finger. "This?" pointing at the raccoon tattoo on my side hips. This crop –tee has it exposed since they are too short. I look like a middle school cheerleader right now, plus the flare skirt.

He nodded.

"yes, It is"

"What does it mean?" he added

"I got this tattoo when I was in college. At first I thought it was cute on me, never figured out the meaning. Then few years later when I heard some people talking about their tattoo's meaning. I googled them, they say raccoon means exploration / adventurous?" I lifted an eyebrow.

"I only remember those words" I shrugged.

Noah nods slowly, "So...." I added

"Do you have any tattoos?" I'm curious too since he took a topic about tattoos.

"I have" Noah turned his back at me, he lifted his shirt up as I can see his bare back, a very strong and muscular from the back, I imagine the front looks.

STEFFI STOP.

Back to the main topic. There's nothing. There's just a light tan spot on his left –shoulder blade.

"This is just a birth mark?" I said in eyebrow lifted.

Noah snorted a laugh.

"Damn Noah !" I slapped his shoulder. He continues laughing.

***

Noah is always gorgeous from every side, I look at him gazing straight ahead, only half-aware of a world outside the claustrophobic comfort of the car, his hands are stroking the wheel, sometimes the almost soundless changing of the gears.

"Enjoy watching me?" Noah smirked. So, he knows I was watching at him.

He turned his head towards me, smiling. The genuine smile that changes my world, the smile that makes me addicted to you. You are making it hard for me to leave this town.

"Hello" he added. I threw my gaze away, looking at the trees passing, we're almost there. I can see that orange, reddish lights from the far.

"You know..." Noah clears his throat.

I tilted my head looking at him at the eyes, we are staring at each other for few seconds, then he gazes straight, "You..are pretty today". There's a pinky blush on his cheek, his timid expression makes me sure that he blushes for me.

"Thanks" I turned my head to the side to avert his gaze, but the sudden rosiness of my cheeks gave it away. My heart beating fast, I can hear it echoing inside my body.

Noah parked his car on the empty space of the parking lot. He stopped the car and turned the engine off. "Are you ready?" he asked, putting his SCREAM mask on. Nobody could recognize him anymore.

I jump off the jeep, we are walking side by side.

The front entrance is wrapped in orange lights that look like pumpkins, at their feet lie some jack-o-lanterns aglow and flickering. There are also millions of spiders hanging along the entrance so we couldn't see through inside, some kids are scared of them. And there's a sign "Go back while there's still time."

I and Noah swayed the spiders to get ourselves inside. Jack o'lanterns line the way. Some appear shocked, others are puking out their seeds and orange sinewy threads. I smell the taste of scorched pumpkin drifts along the street. They glow in the Halloween night as greetings to the visitors. There are also some stands with Halloween merchandises, Halloween stationaries, Halloween –themed culinary and some board signs leading us to some haunted houses. We have to take a few minutes walk since it was written 1 km ahead. There're a lot of teenagers and adults lining up to get their turn to the haunted house. I lift my head looking at Noah.

"What?"

I pointed the board sign "haunted house?" I grinned

Noah sighed, but then he nods "Okay. we should try". He turns his body to the left about to join the queue, I hold his hand to stop him, "What?" again he said.

I snorted a laugh "I was just joking" I can feel that facial expression of anxiety behind those masks.

"STEFFI !!!"

I heard a woman's voice calling my name. I twist my head, looking at a woman with dark grey dress coming towards me, sneaking in the crowds. IT'S JANE !

I push Noah. "IT'S JANE" I whispered. I push him again, "Wait there".

Did they see Noah? Is that okay for Noah? NO. PLEASE.

Jane arrived, she's leans her hand on my shoulder, drained of strength and energy, Cara and James catch her up.

"Hey" James greeted

"STEFFI" Cara gives me a big hug. She is a cat woman today.

"You are here ! With who?" she gasped, I know what is she thinking right now. She gives me another grin.

"I heard you have another things to do" Cara added.

James is just standing, smiling to us with that leopard pattern oversized tee, he has no cat ears pinned on his head or cat's tail on his jeans.

"Yeaa.. turns out visiting the festival. We changed our plan"

Ops I said WE !

"SOOOOOOOOOOO....." Cara smirked, "There's a WE" she added.

Oh my god, I made a big mistake.

"I know. You don't have to say it" Cara taps my shoulder gently.

"We're glad that we meet you here" both women give me a tight hug that makes me hard to breath. I give them the best smile and a single tap on each back.

"then, see ya ! have fun with that" Jane lifted her hand, shaking it through the air.

"See you !" Cara air kissed me.

James waves his hand timidly.

Then, now..

Where's Noah?

I stretched my neck to peep through the crowds. Looking for the tall black figure with SCREAM mask on.

Oh my god I lost him. I slapped my forehead once and a tap on my shoulder startled me. I turn my body, a tall figure with black outfits towering over me. He pulled something out from his pocket, draped a thin necklace around my neck, with cute skeleton hanging on my chest.

"Skeleton Necklace?" I sniff a laugh.

"suits you" he implied. "Thanks" I make another blush again today.

I held Noah's shirt, pointing at the ice cream stand.

"Strawberry ice cream please" I ordered.

"How about you?" I asked.

"Mango smoothie"

"Mango smoothies please" I added. So Noah loves mango that much, this is the second time he ordered mango.

"We should get back" I said as we received the ice cream and smoothie.

"You have to take that mask off"

We get back to the car, away from the crowds. Noah took off the mask. He's sweating. That plastic mask must be stuffy.

"You love mango?" I asked.

Noah nods, "Yes" sipping his smoothie.

"it's refreshing" he added.

"So... wanna watch the night view again?"

I turn my head towards him, "What do you think?"

He stirs the smoothie with the red paper straw, "After this"