Page 134 of The Friend Scheme
“You want a coffee? I feel like we should be basic LA gays and get iced coffees.”
“Yes!”
We wheel our bags through the airport and find a Starbucks. Soon we’re both holding jumbo iced coffees. Basic, but delicious. Together, we head outside. And hello, there’s the sunshine. It feels way different from Florida. It’s missing a lot of the humidity. There’s just something about this city that makes me feel good.
“Have you ever been here?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, never. Have you?”
“Yeah, once.”
“And you liked it?”
“I loved it.”
“Cool.”
We find the Four Seasons hotel shuttle and board it, sitting in the back row. Like we’re rebels or cool kids. For the first time, I think people seeing us might consider us as a couple, not friends. Because we’re miles away from home, I actually freaking love the thought. Jason keeps bumping into me, or touching me. I have no reason to stop him.
So I don’t.
I love the drive to the hotel. I spend it listening to music and looking out the window, at everything. LA isn’t the prettiest of cities—it’s so flat and hazy with pollution. But who cares? I love it.
For one thing, there are movie billboards everywhere.
This is where they’re made.
Well, a lot of them. I know because of tax breaks they film in a lot of weird places now. Like Georgia. Or Canada. But, still, LA will always be the heart of the industry.
We reach the hotel and whoa.
It’s stunning.
It’s a tall white building with gleaming windows. I feel like such an adult, doing this. We get our bags, tip the driver, and then go through the automatic doors into the lobby. It’s so grand, with this cool artwork hanging from the ceiling. It’s like a modern chandelier.
“Happy?” asks Jason.
“So happy. This is amazing. Are you?”
“Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever felt better. They have no control over us now—how cool is that?”
“It’s so cool.”
He checks in, and then we take the elevator up to our room. We’re really high up.
We reach our room, and he opens the door.
Oh my God.
There’s a massive window curving around the whole space, giving a great view of the city and the blue sky. It’s so vivid. I’ve never stayed in a room as nice as this.
Also.
There’s only one bed.
“Oh,” says Jason. “I asked for two beds. Let’s go back…”
I grab hold of his shirt, and pull him to me. “Don’t.”
