5
Jude
“Jude!”Ron yelled from the living room. “There’s a girl hereforyou.”
Jude sighed as he ran a towel over his wet hair. It had to be Selena, no, Stephanie…damn, what was her name? He wasn’t expecting her, but he said she could stop by anytime. Quickly pulling on a dark pair of jeans, he walked into the living room expecting tofindher.
“Where is she?” heasked.
“Outside. She wouldn’t come in,”Dereksaid.
“What did you guys saytoher?”
“Nothing, I swear,” Ron said. “I don’t even know her, and you know me better than that. I get to know a person andthenI become an ass.” Ron grinnedatJude.
Opening the door, Jude was surprised to see Zoey standing there. Her back was facing him as she looked out at the passing traffic. Her black hair was pulled into two low ponytails. He admired her round ass in her jeans and fought the urge to touch it when she turnedaround.
“Oh, I didn’t hear the door open,” she said as her cheeks turned red. “How long were you standing there? Why didn’t you saysomething?”
“I thought you were someone else,” Jude said. “You want tocomein?”
“Umm, no.” she said as she peeked into the apartment. “Listen, I was wondering if we could go somewhere and talk. Somewhereprivate.”
“Yeah, sure. Somethingwrong?”
“No, just comewithme.”
Jude rushed to grab a clean, dark blue t-shirt and left the apartment with Zoey. He couldn’t figure out why she was there, but he was glad to see her. He hoped nothing would interfere with his getting to knowhernow.
“How’d you find out where I live?” heasked.
“I saw you talking to that brown-haired girl the other night at the club. I just ran into her last night and asked if she knew how to find you,” Zoey said. “Umm…Stacy? Susie? Oh, Sydney! At least I think that’shername.”
“What is it with that girl?” Jude said, laughing. “I cannot remember her nameeither.”
“Her name doesn't fit her. It’s not you,” Zoey said and shrugged. “A lot of these girls that hang at the clubs change their names. I don’t think they want their families to know wherethey’reat.”
Jude nodded. It made sense to him. There were a lot of girls around the clubs, and he knew not all of them were old enough to be there. He also remembered back home in Ohio, friends sneaking out to go to parties or getting fake IDs. He could see someone using a fake name just to make sure their parents never found out wheretheywere.
“So what do you want to talk about? Why all thesecrecy?”
“I’m sorry about that. I just wanted to talk to you without the other guys there. I’m not sure how they’d react, and I really want you to at least thinkaboutthis.”
“Spill it,” he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her ontoabus.
“Where are wegoing?”
“I know a couple of guys who play during the day at the Third Street Promenade. Let’s go listen to them and then we can walk up tothepier.”
Jude loved the ocean. He never told his friends, but one of the reasons he wanted to go out to LA was to be closer to the ocean. In Ohio they had the lake, but it wasn’t enough. He was drawn to the sandy shores and cliffs of California. Santa Monica always buzzed with lots of energy, and he couldn’t think of a better place to spend some timewithher.
After getting off the bus, they walked up to Third Street. The Third Street Promenade was a closed street lined with shops and restaurants on either side. Tall palm trees bordered the street in the center where at the end were bushes sculpted into dinosaurs that spewed water into rectangular pools. The Promenade was crowded, which made it difficult for them to talk while they werewalking.
Not wanting to lose her in the crowd, Jude took her hand again and interlaced his fingers with hers. He held her hand as they weaved through the crowds on their way to the center where two of Jude’s friends played acoustic guitars and sang to a small circle of people outside a restaurant. In front of the duo was an open guitar casefortips.
Jude nodded at his friends to say hello as they played. He and Zoey listened for a few minutes, still holding hands, before he turned to her and smiled, happy to be therewithher.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” heasked.
