vagabond ; mc

three ;

Dahlia and Michael watched Say Yes to the Dress for an hour or so before he got restless. "She better not pick that dress," he gushed. "She should pick the one she likes and not the one her mom thinks she should wear."

"I think she looks good in both," Dahlia returned, watching the bride decide on which dress she'd walk down the aisle in. They watched on as the bridge changed back into the dress that she liked but her mother didn't. It wasn't long before she started crying and said this was her dress.

"Thank god," Michael clapped his hands together. The episode ended as Michael stood up to stretch out his legs. "I can't feel my butt," he announced, eliciting a giggle out of Dahlia. "What is there to do around here?" He asked, holding his hand out to her.

She took it gratefully, pulling herself to her feet with the added help from Michael. Dahlia checked the time on her phone. "It's almost four. We could head to the boardwalk if you want."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Michael agreed. "I could bring my guitar and play a little bit." Dahlia agreed. She had been curious about his guitar since she had set eyes on the decorated case.

"I'll let you meet some of my friends. My best friend's name is Ashton. I'm sure he'll bring some other people along," Dahlia offered, pulling her phone out of her pocket and quickly sending a text to Ashton to meet them at the pier. Michael waited patiently by the door as Dahlia grabbed a thin cardigan in case it got cold when the sun went down.

She pulled the door closed behind her, making sure to lock it with the turn of her key. They walked back to the elevator and slipped inside. "How long have you been playing guitar?" Dahlia asked as the elevator started to lower itself to the ground floor.

"Since I can remember, really," Michael answered. "My parents paid for lessons when I was five, though they weren't sure if they were wasting their money or not. So I made sure they didn't. I've just stuck with it," he shrugged. Dahlia commended him on that. She couldn't play any instruments.

The elevator reached the lobby, releasing them. Dahlia led the way out of the building and they walked towards the boardwalk. She didn't live far, but then again, she didn't really live far from anything in the small coastal town.

She wanted to ask more about his parents, what their names were and what they did for a living. If they were anything like their son, she knew they'd be interesting. But mostly, she wanted to know why he left them behind. Dahlia didn't live with her parents, but she wasn't far.

Michael was on a whole other continent.

They walked for a while before they could hear the chatter of people and the roar of the ocean. The salt hung heavy in the air as a cool breeze blew past them.

"So how do you think Ashton is going to take a complete stranger living in your apartment?" Michael asked, breaking the small silence between them. They were almost onto the wooden boardwalk, just a few blocks away.

"Um," Dahlia started. She really hadn't thought about that. She and Ashton had been friends since middle school, and even in the few years that they had been friends, he had become quite protective over her. "He's probably not going to like it."

Michael's features twisted into a grimace.

"But," Dahlia quickly continued. "There's not much he can do. It's my apartment, my rules." Michael nodded, though he still looked uneasy. "You just need to get on his good side. But I'm sure he's going to like you."

Michael nodded again as they walked up the small ramp leading onto the boardwalk. The boardwalk wasn't crowded as it was still early in the evening, but there were still a few people littering the place. Michael and Dahlia made their way towards the pier where her friends would be waiting.