One Day in California

"Do you want to observe the star?" Noah turned his head towards me as he pulled his gear. I widened my eyes, speaking "Really? Do you have it here?". Is that Griffith Observatory he is talking about? I found it from the internet. I haven't had the chance to go there since it's quite full during weekends.

"of course" Noah stroke his steering wheel, turning his car to the left.

"You'll love it" he added.

We stop by street, I see Noah talking to the security. The building is empty, there are only several securities taking their shifts. It's been 10 minutes, then Noah turned his body and walks towards me with his thumb up.

"come on !" he clicked the handle and grab my hand.

"I thought they are close" I mumbled.

"Not anymore" he smirked.

What did he do just now to the security?

Griffith Observatory. It was in pitch black –dark inside the building, then I heard a hard –clicking that turned the light flickers.

"You'll recognize it from many movies, including The Terminator, Earth Girls are Easy, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and the James Dean classic: Rebel Without a Cause. If you have watched all of them" Noah snorted.

I rolled my eyes, "Soon Noah Soon"

We walk through the silence of the building, like our own home since there are only two of us here. I saw the Tesla Coil displayed in a cage.

"This is beautiful" I amazed, adoring the view. This is what I found from the internet, I always wanted to see this. But there's no show for this late night. Should I come back next week? Can I take Noah with me ? No, people might freaked –out. Stop imagining things, Steffi. Urghh.

"Hey"

I turned my head towards him pointing with his thumb.

"Check this out" he said.

I follow his leads. We are on the top of the building, there are Hollywood sign far on the right of our sight. Stars are clearly seen from here. Griffith is amazing, how can I missed this spot. I tilt my head looking at Noah, can't stop smiling. This is beyond expectation, thanks to Noah.

"Do you like it? It's like our own home right now. Nobody's here to disturb our quality time" he added. "So do you want to try the telescope?"

I nod my head. "Sure"

We walk inside a small round building, they are in black covered by a white and wide steel –nets, 1/8 opened for a big brass and silvery thing which is a beautiful instruments with sharp focus and a wide spyglass.

I look along the telescope, Orion is outlined by four bright stars at the corners of an imaginary trapezoid. Within the space defined by these points, seeming to draw them together into a pattern, is a row of three stars tilted at an angle. Arcing downward from the belt is another group of fainter stars.

"I saw it !" I tilted my head towards Noah, excitedly pointing at the telescope.

Noah comes approaching me with his warm smile across his face. He peeped through the telescope. He sniffs a laugh. "Yes. It's beautiful"

"You are lucky, there are a lot of stars in the sky today. Even though it's Halloween which is supposed to be spooky" he chortled. Ah I almost forgot, I and Noah has taken off the cloaks and the stupid SCREAM mask he had earlier. I almost forgot, it's Halloween tonight.

"Right Noah, we are in empty building right now. Imagine a woman ghost standing beside you" I smirked.

"Not funny Steffi" he lifted his eyebrow. I can't hide any laughters. He is cute when he is scared. What a coward. "Laughing at me huh" he added, narrowed his eyes on me.

We go back to his Jeep.

"Have you ever play for horror movies Noah?" I asked as I clicked the seatbelt on.

"Nope, I never wanted one. I reject all of them"

"You tell them you are scared?"

Noah starts his engine, he sniffed "Of course not, I tell them that I hate Horror movies"

"even though they shoot on a green screen" he added, shrugging his shoulders. "I just don't care as long as it is a Horror Movie. Thriller movies are included too" he added.

"Alright Alright" I nodded.

"Hey, still wanna watch the stars by the cliff? Or you are tired ? we can head home now"

No, I still want to be with him.

"Cliff please"

"O..okay..." he stuttered, shifting his gears and the wheels are spinning against the rocky road. We leave the place and heading to the Mt. Hollywood Drive.

Noah cracked his neck as I can hear his bone popping. Then he sat down with his legs stretched straight, gazing at the tremendous night view, the stars are scattering upon the sky, millions of them blinking like glitters, the moon is fully seen and the delightful city lights are completing the scenes.

"it's beautiful" he tilted his head looking at me at the eyes, his eyes were shone by the glitters among the darkness. There's something I always fail to hide, but I am still trying, something that makes me want to stay longer.

"So..Steffi" he added, there's a deep sigh he made.

"what is your next plan?" he doesn't smirked or smile, he seemed serious. I don't know why but I am afraid of talking about journeys recently, while I supposed to be very excited about it.

I shrug my shoulders "just.. like this.. working and exploring the city" stuttering on my own words.

"So will you ever change your mind?" he smiles, masking anxiety.

I sigh "No, I will ..not" shaking my head slowly.

I see that gloomy expressions on his beautiful face, somehow it comes as an electrical storm in my brain that quite honestly is actually painful in the heart. It's different from a headache, feels the same as intense sorrow, perhaps as a sort of panic with nowhere to go. I don't know how to do, what do to, Noah was just in silence. I want to read his heart so bad. but I couldn't ask a word. Look at him wearing that expression tear my heart apart.

Noah clears his throat.

"So bad I didn't prepare anything for our late night picnic" he sniffed a laugh. "I haven't show you how I make that delicious sandwich by Noah Hoskins" he narrowed his eyes, I can see a fake smile from his arched lips, I've known him better which makes me understand between the real and the fake ones he shows.

"Noahh..." I look at him at the face.

"Yes Steffi?" tilted his head towards me.

"Ah, there's something I have to tell you" he said, then he moves his head closer to me. I sit frozen in position, from both fear and excitement. He leans in, so his foreheads rest against mine. He closed his eyes. As Noah draws closer, I feel my heart beat so hard and fear he'll probably hear it, and if he does, my secret is secret no more. My eyes closed shut, head tilts upward and then I feel his lips... on my cheek.. his soft lips touching my cheek, it's so soft and warm. Then I hear him speaking, barely a whisper as he draws back and smiles gently "It's a goodbye gift then".

"For the next 4 months...." He added, frowned in darkness. Then he start snorting laughs. WHAT IS GOING ON

I rub my face hard as Noah is laughing so hard, he is TEASING ME AGAIN! Damn it.

WHAT NOAH ?! I HAVE TO KILL YOU !

I moan "urghhhhh" slapped his shoulder hard as he whimpered.

"Sorry ! I was just joking ! You blushhh !" he continues laughing.

ALRIGHT NOAH. I HAVE TO TEASE YOU BACK.

NOO ! DON'T ! STOP IT.

DON'T PLAN TO REALLY KISS HIM !

My heart won't stop throbbing hard, echoing dramatically in my ears as the firing squad approaches. Noah's cheeks are suddenly kissed pink like a spring rose, so cute like blooming against his freckled skin.

"YOU BLUSHED TOO !" I yelled. Laugh back at him.

Noah turned his head towards me, "Yes, I am blushing for you" smiles, a sheepish smile and that's the moment when I feel like my body is melting, barely move, the muscles are just floating like air. Something inside the chest is about to burst out, my cheeks are flaming, as Noah extends his hands to reach my both cheeks.

"It's almost the time. The fireworks !"

"okay" I threw my eyes away from him, something attracts me more and more. I feel harder and harder to leave. I afraid to lose him.

There's a 30 minutes of small talks of me and Noah. About the Santa Monica things, or Griffith. We always have something to talk about, that's what I love from Noah, he never runs out of topic like he has tons of topics prepared inside his head.

The fireworks start blowing up to the sky, as it makes some leaking voices before it blows. Their explosive gifts finding their own time and space to own. They are split up in colorful glitters, fiery sparks whipping the sky, bursting through the night, brilliant inks of light on the dark sky as a canvas.

There's a lot of memory here in Los Angeles.

The presence of Noah in my life has started to make me hard to leave this town. He is painting my dark life with colorful memories, I remember the time he cares so much about me, the time he look out after me, I want to know the answers, but I'm just scared of them. I'm scared of everything, I am a coward.

"Steffi?"

I turn my head looking at him, "Do you like it?"

"I do" I give him a smile.

"We have to watch another fireworks by the beach, before you leave" he smiles, "Promise me?" he lifted his pinky finger which is as long as my middle finger, I lock my pinky into Noah's to signify that a promise has been made, "I promise"..

"I maybe take you for some private vacations" he added

"What private vacation?" I widened my eyes. What the hell is he talking about?

"Of course" he shrugged his shoulders, "Like borrow my dad's private jet to a private island"

"Are you kidding me Noah?" glaring at him.

"Why?" he moaned

"I'm your nobody. Bringing me to your jet must be a big disaster"

"it's my dad's anyway.."

"So your dad is an actor?"

"No, he is a business man. See that tall building?" he closed his one eye pointing at something I can't see.

"I can't see one" I implied, they are all small flickering lights. All I see is a small lights, nothings more. NOTHINGS MORE.

"Do you remember the tall building in front of your apartment?"

"that's your apartment"

"the building belongs to my dad, there's a space for his office too"

I widened my eyes "WHAOW" I gasped.

"And another building, also the tall one. He owns a technic company"

"So, how about your sisters?? Mom?"

"My parents divorced, I am with my dad. My mom is an actress, now she is enjoying her life in a private island, she is a tough one, only shoots for expensive movies"

"I'm sorry to hear that"

"that's okay. I and my mom, I and my dad are still in good relationship. My parents divorced, but I am still their kid"

"I assume you are the only child they have"

"Correct" he nodded, making a silly smile.

"It's better...." I mumbled

Noah look at me at the eyes, holding my hand, his warm palm giving me a light hearted feelings.

"You know. Sometimes, they are just cruel, but deep inside they are still care about you. Take your time to talk to your family. I don't know what happened back there with that fortune telling stuffs. But Steffi, it's in you" his warm palm touching my cheek.

***

It's almost midnight, I was too sleepy to stay awake, I take a short nap on the way home.

There's a gentle tap on my shoulder waking me up. I opened my eyes, still blurry and slowly focus "Noah.." I yawned. A silky black cloak covering my body.

"You are shaking while asleep. You are freezing, your hands are cold as ice" he said.

"Thanks" I lifted the cloak and fold it before I give it back to Noah

"See you soon Noah" I added. "Bye Steffi. Goodnight. Thanks for today"

As I turned my head looking at him waving timidly towards me, there's another fluttering heart feeling inside my chest. Something in Noah make me love him more and more day by day. I want to stay longer. Should I stay here longer?

I mean 2 years is enough, or maybe I should stay in L.A. travelling by planes in some time. So, I will take a bachelor here, working in an office. Right? It's also a life, I can still travel.

My phone's ringing. A tone for phone call. It's weird, nobody knows my phone number except Lily, and it's late night. Lily never calls this late. I lift my phone up from my pocket. It's an Indonesian phone number with +62.

"Steffi?"

And that's my sister, Cindy........