“I’m just saying, you can’t spend every day holed up in your apartment. You need to get out into the world. And I promise, making connections helps. When I moved to Austin for college, I hated it for the first three months. Then I met your sister-in-law, made some friends, found my favorite taco truck, and suddenly it wasn’t so bad.”
I know he’s right, which is annoying. “Fine. I’ll try harder to engage with the local culture, or whatever.”
“That’s the spirit.” He yawns, checking his watch. “I should probably go. Early morning tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Me, too.” I nod, feeling the familiar pang that always comes when we have to hang up. Like I’m being left behind again. “Tell everyone I said hi.”
“Will do. And Dom?”
“Yeah?”
“Give LA a chance. And maybe ask Nicole out for something other than water.”
I shake my head, fighting back a smile. “Goodbye, Derrick.”
“Later, little bro.”
My sneakers hit the pavement with intention. The ocean view’s a nice change from the basketball court. I mean, today’s theoneday we don’t have practice, so basically, I had no choice but to find something else to do.
And my brother’s right—no matter how tempting, I can’t just hide away in my apartment on every day off.
Though that might be better than this.
I let my eyes wander around the park, and really, I have noidea whether to be mortified or amused. It’ssodifferent from home.
It feels likeeveryonehere isdocumenting something.
The grassy field—probably meant for pickup soccer games or family picnics—is dotted with tripods and phones balanced on backpacks. More people seem focused on their phones than each other.
Two girls stand side by side, backs arched, faces tilted at impossible angles, filming the same lip-sync in perfect synchrony.
They don’t even look up as I run past.
I dodge a trio of shirtless fitness guys mid-pose, their camerawoman calling out cues.
Maybe I’m supposed to feel inspired by all this hustle, this drive, this entrepreneurial energy. But I feel like I’m the only guy here not entranced by a tiny screen.
As if I’m suddenly missing out, I glance down at my phone.Nothing.No new texts, no calls, not even a meme from my brother.
“I’m not lonely. Just bored,”I tell myself—like that distinction matters.
My sneakers scuff the gravel as I jet out along one of the dirt paths. There’s a little hill with a view of the city, so I stop to catch my breath and lean against the railing, taking it all in.
City of Angels. Endless opportunities. You can be whoever you want to be.
I stare at it for a second longer and then take off again, this time at a walk. I let my mind wander as I finish the loop, circling back to what my brother said. I have to learn to survive this place at a minimum…
But maybe the problem isn’t the city. Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s that I keep expecting it to be something it’s not. Maybe I’m trying to make California into a Texas or Alabama…
Maybe I just haven’t figured out how to live here yet.
I double back toward the apartment, and as soon as I exit through the gate, I immediately pick up on the commotion ahead. At the intersection, a dog is dragging its owner toward a sausage cart, barking. Even from a hundred feet away, I knowexactlywho it is.
I can’t help but break into a grin.
Andrun.
Cocoa lunges for a fallen slice of hot dog on the sidewalk, nearly sending Nicole flying face-first into the gutter. I gasp as the leash tangles between her legs.
