Damn... A Friday night and nothing to do. Leona was about as bored as a two-by-four in a lumber yard as she stood wondering what exactly to do.

It was now just past ten-thirty and she had already closed out the mall for the night, but nothing there that seemed to catch her starving eye. It was sad really, the huntress couldn't find any decent prey.

Which was why now the pretty 'young' blond stood in front of the theaters, contemplating on which movie to sneak in to... There was nothing that even slightly caught her eye... Just goes to figure hm?

Her sharp ears caught a cat call made by one of a group of three young men, probably about twenty or so. In response Leona whipped out her tempting smile, running her tongue across her upper lip lasciviously, a silent invite to them to follow as she turned away, waling with a seductive sway in her hips.

And follow they did.

She lead them to an ally of the side of the theater, the three spreading out, as if to block her from escaping if she should change her mind.

"Well well." Said their leader, a tall brunette, build tall and strong.

"Well what?" Leo purred. "You called, and I thought there might be something I could do for you boys." She continued as she stepped towards them. "Was there... Something you wanted?" Her hand brushed at his pants, his eye flashing with a carnal hunger as she grinned up at him. Men were so stupid.

"Yeah baby." He smirked triumphantly as he grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her closer. "Me and the boys here have been looking for a little lady like yourself to have a bit if fun with. A little release if you will."

"I don't do hands or blows gentlemen." She sat, with a push in her voice, making the thought of such indecencies leave their minds. It was going to be something for something. "But if you're willing to wait your turn, I'm sure I can provide each of you with that little release you're looking for." Her voice was low, seductive, a voice that would make you agree to anything. "Something for something? I get my pleasure you get yours?" She caressed the young man's jaw line. "That is if you fella’s are any good." She said sharply as she turned away, putting a bit of distance between them.

"Hey! I'll have you know I have girls begging for me!" Barked a second brunette. "Yeah! Me too!" Said the third, a blond.

"Hah. Then why have you come to a simple little girl like me looking for a good time?" She asked with a sneer, her apparent sweet personality turning sour in an instant.

The young men seemed dumbfounded

=-=Edited for Length=-=

Three new bodies lay in the back ally now, and not one had touched her pure form. Never give them what they want, always get what you want. Those were the two most important rules of life in general. Well at least to her.

She had heard there screams, smelt their fear, felt their racing pulse against her fangs, saw their terror, and tasted their blood. It was a sensory heaven with each one. Ah, she was in a much better mood now. Her skin was glowing with life and beauty of an almost supernatural quality, only earning her more glances from men… She sighed. Sometimes being a woman was just so difficult!

And she thought being a woman was difficult.

So Joshua, after four long, desperate years, was invited out on a date.

It was a double date. Leesa and Laura were identical twins, both stunningly attractive, like super models, and very inseparable. Laura was asked out on a date by a guy she absolutely hated, but said yes to because she was such a kind soul! And her sister, Leesa? She came running to Josh, begging him to go with them because he was their only hope.

Well. Not quite begging...

Maybe a little begging?

Ok... No begging. That didn't happen at all.

Leesa and Laura were his next-door neighbours, both very plain-Jane, and both very timid. Of course, Winter Formal was in a week, and they didn't have dates because guys wouldn't ask them. Well, no. Laura got a date with Josh's friend, Kevin, because poor Kevin didn't want to go alone. Kevin was a portly kid who Josh never dared to be seen with. Call it cruel, but if you couple big bone boy with big nose boy, you get too much big and not enough cool.

Regardless, Laura and Kevin were going to go to the movies. Leesa didn't want to go alone, so Kevin asked Josh to come too. Kevin begged Josh to go. Of course, Josh said no. No way in hell was he going out with a girl who could very easily ruin his high school reputation.

Leesa's mother called his mother. Words were said. Tears were cried. Groundings were had. In the end, Josh was forbidden to leave the house, lest it was with Leesa to a movie and to the dance.

So, Josh was forced to suffer through a horror flick as Kevin and Laura made out, and Leesa kept desperately squeezing his hand and cuddling her face into his shoulder.

It sucked to be a boy.

The moment the movie let out, Joshua was history. He made up four or five completely reasonable excuses (He had to use the bathroom, he had Calculus homework, his mother would kill him if he said out past his bedtime, girls had cooties and you couldn't be around them very long or you'd die, etc.) and ran out to the street. Free at last.

Josh is a cute kid. He has big doe eyes, wavy, California surfer style brown hair and a round face with defined dimples and a mischievous little smile. But, poor Josh. He was cursed to sport his family heritage on his face in the form of a monstrous nose. Now, we're not being harsh here when we say his nose is always a second ahead of the rest of him. We're not being cruel when we make jokes about how it was probably bigger than he was when he was born. We're not.

... Well, ok. Maybe we are. But for the most part, it's true.

Poor Josh. He started down the street, head down and eyes on the sidewalk (Yes, he can see past it... It hasn't gotten THAT big yet). He'd get hell for ditching Leesa later, but that was his mother's problem. Josh did not care.

Leona's head snapped over as she saw a young man dart out of the movie theater as if there were a vampire after him. She chuckled at the thought, for now there was. Her thirst for blood had been staited for the night, or at least what she needed to drink to last her a few risings... But there was no reason not to have a bit more fun...

She could almost feel the waves of dispair and discontentment comming from him Bad movie? Bad date? Maybe both. Hm, he could use a bit of cheering up perhaps.

She followed him away from the movie theater, watchign the general direction he was walking in before practicaly flashing down the street to walk up towards him. He was still looking at the sidewalk as she looked around as if lost, bumping shoulders with him as she walked by.

"Oh! Excuse me!" She exclaimed as she stopped to face him. There was a gentle smile to her young face, a complete mask to anyone who really knew her. "Umm... Maybe you could help me? I was looking for the movie theater and I got a bit lost." She asked hesitantly. "I was told by my cousin it was a must see since I'm just visiting, but she didn't get a chance to tell me where it was before she had to leave for work." She tucked a strand of tawny hair out of the way and behind her ear as smiled almost bashfully. It was almost as if she were ashamed of getting lost or being a visitor.

Josh didn't even notice the woman walking towards him. He was wasting his time contemplating how he could get an actual date to Winter Formal, and not have to ruin his reputation by going with Leesa and Kevin and Laura.

Maybe he'd just be sick that night. I mean, sounded pretty good to him. He wouldn't have to upset Leesa, Kevin couldn't claim that Josh was ignoring him, his mother wouldn't be angry, and he didn't have to try and find a date. Crisis solved. Problem adverted.

The woman knocked into him and caught him by complete surprise. Joshua's head shot up, his eyes lit up with surprise. It was obvious he hadn't been paying attention. He was caught red handed with his thoughts of decit.

"Oh, uh... Um... The theatre? It's... Um, right... Right around the corner." Josh stumbled over his words nervously, and his cheeks deepened to a nice shade of pink. He didn't do well talking to pretty girls.

Reason number five why he shouldn't go to the Winter formal.

Well now, this one was cuter than she had though and well, she could feel the nerves she was building in him. Oh, so much fun to play with!

She gave a girly giggle at his blush. "Just around the corner huh?" She asked. Well, pitty she couldn't ask him to show her the way then... "Silly me, If I had just kept walking I would have found it." She smiled innocently, as if she struly had forgotten where it was.

"Well uh, maybe..." She paushed with a slight sigh of exasperation. "I know this is gonna sound... hah... maybe a little desperate of me... But yeah. I'm sort of new in town and all, so I don't know anyone... But uh, maybe I dunno, if you wanted to I mean, maybe go to the movies with me? Just a bit of company and all. You seem like a nice guy and all." She twirled a strand of tawny hair between her fingers. God she felt stupid talking like that. She always hated high schoolers! Even when she was one. The things she would do to have a bit of fun...

"I'm Allie by the way. Allie Renald. From L.A." She said with a chipper voice, introducing herself.

Josh nodded quickly. "Yea... I... I guess you would have..." He didn't meet her gaze. He was all too familiar with his blushing phenomena. She'd bat her eyes too quickly or grin too happily or flip her hair too seductively, and he'd go scarlet. If she had never seen a true, deep, red blush before, all she had to do was sweet talk him, and he'd go cherry.

When she stuttered her response back, Josh was quite easily the happiest guy in the world. She stumbled too! She was nervous too! She wasn't one of those, 'I can do anything and look cute at the same time' kind of girls. She was a real human. And she was pretty. And she was nervous. But mostly just pretty.

"Oh... Yeah, sure." She seemed to have given him a little boost of confidence. His blush didn't fade, but he certainly wasn't stumbling anymore. "And, you don't sound desperate at all." Ok, now that was his ego talking.

"I'm Josh... Um, I'm from Demaitre..." He grinned, and shrugged. "No place fancy, but I know this town like the back of my hand."

It didn't take much to make Josh's night.

Peice. Of. Cake.

By the time she finnished speaking she seemed to have him wrapped around her little finger. And rightfully so! She had been a fairly good actress back in high school all those years ago.... God she felt old... Well, mentaly.

She had to smile at her work though, it even looked as if he was starting to lossen up a bit. Great, that ment she could too.

"Oh! So you are a native!" She grinned. "Good. Maybe someone who can show me around ya know? This place... well it's just new. And I'm afraid I would just get so lost. I mean I just wandered around the mall for hours today cause that was the only place my cousin showed me." She made sure to glance away shyly several times, that seemed to just boost his own confidence more.

"So uh, maybe? I mean if you don't have anything else to do or a girlfriend who might get mad at you for being seen with me..." Yes, all men liked flatery... Make them feel better about themselves and there abilities... They would follow you to the end of time.

Josh grinned as she grinned. Why yes, yes he was a native. And by-god, there wasn't a better time to be a native, if you asked him. "'Course I can show you around... There isn't much here that's all to interesting, but if you want to see the sights, then... I'll show you."

His blush was gone. Not only did she have him around her little finger, but he was oblivious and happy about it. And he felt important! And needed! And, where was his hot-rod car? Oh, guess what, everyone! He didn't need a cool car to impress the ladies. It was all him.

Poor kid. She really was going to kill him by rapid ego inflation and the heart-wrenching pop of his ego by the end of the night.

"Nah... I don't have a girlfriend," he said, trying to look as available as possible. He really was quite cute, if you could see past his nose. "And I don't mind showing you around."

Josh the Great. No... No, Josh the Triumpath. No! Josh: God.

There we go.

"Oh really?" Time for another little step to the ultimate crash. "You mean someone as cute as you can't get a girl around here, Josh?" She gave a shy smile. "All the guys in L.A are just a bunch of tattoo and percings freaks. It's just all icky." She gave what appeared to be a shudder of disgust. "It's just soooo hard to find a nice guy there, ya know, someone who actualy cares about themselves and others." She gave a slight sigh.

"But what is there around here actually? I mean, there has to be something other than the theater ya know?" She gave a cute little shrug and folded her bare arms across her chest, rubbing them as if she were cold. She forgot normal people got cold... And well standing aorund in blue jeans and a cute black tanktop was nothing a normal human would wear. A story was in her mind in a split second about that if he were to ask, but she didn't worry to much.

"Do you have like a real theater here? Where they do things like ballet and plays? I've always wanted to be in a play... but weeell... I get stage fright." She looked down as if she were embaressed. "I felt like I was going to be sick one time when I was in a play..." Yeah back when she had been eight years old for her school christmas play and had gotten the flu.

Joshua just grinned. She had paralyzed him in a grin that wasn't going to go away till she dumped him flat on his face with some horrendous truth, like, 'Oh, guess what? I actually just wanted to play with you because you're such a fool. See ya, sweetheart.' Oh boy. Poor Josh.

"We've got plenty of tattoo guys here in Demaitre, too." Josh hated tattoos. Tattoos weren't universially cool. Tattoos were universially tough, and he didn't want to look tough. That would mean he'd have to know how to fight and he'd have to be sarcastic and downright rude. And he was terrified of his own mother, so why on Earth would he get a tattoo? "You just have to watch out for them, I suppose."

Josh noticed her rub her arms. She was cold. Joshua took a trick from the movies, and pulled his hoodie off. It was big on him, and would be a tent on her, but it was warm. How was he to know that she was a vampire and didn't get cold? He didn't. He'd suffer for being the nice guy, in the cold. "Here. Guess it doesn't get this cold in L.A., huh." She didn't need a story. Josh just assumed as he handed over his sweater.

"We have a theatre here... Nutcracker is playing." Josh only knew that because of Colton. Colton was cursing the damn theatre because no one came to his entertainment events when a good play was in town. So much was the rivalry of the entertainment businesses.

"The theatre closes at 8:00 for the last show, though..." Josh said helpfully. "But it's open every day of the week."

Aww. Was he trying to entice her into something like wanted to see a play with him later that week? Maybe. Would he admit it? Not unless she said yes.

She nodded in agreement. "Well, I wouldn't expect their too much of a problem here, but L.A.'s a bit dangerous... Gangs and all that jazz ya know?" She gave a mischevious little smile. "But I have to admit I have a tattoo, just a little blue butterfly." She gave a giggle. "My friend talked me it to getting it, I thought it was cute. Maybe I'll even show it to you some time." It might have been an ever so subtle offer, but an offer for a little fun it was.

She blunk as he started taking off his sweatshirt. What was he doing that for? Huh? "Oh... Thank you Josh." Alex murmured with a genuine smile. There was something about this human that amused her. No, not ammused... Intrueaged. He was honestly giving up his sweatshirt for her. She wasn't expecting that and it caught her off guard.

"Oh, not this cold really. Might get a bit chilly, but yeah. I think I lost my jacket in the mall somewhere." She tugged the sweatshirt over her head, his scent enveloping her. And for some odd reason she didn't feel like going through with her original plans anymore...

Oh, the ever seasonal nutcracker. One she never got tired of really. "The last showing was at eight? Oh, bummer... That would have been cool to see too... But I guess if it's open all week I could probably go another time." She said with a shrug. "And maybe if you're not doing anything and wouldn't mind sitting through a boring preformance... Maybe you'd wanna come with?" She asked.

Joshua smiled somewhat. "Tattoos don't bug me when they're on girls... When guys have tattoos, they... They make a statement." They're scary, he added mentally. But he wasn't going to look weak in front of Allie. No, no, because that wasn't cool.

And the tattoo offer? Both extremely scary and extremely exciting. Josh blushed slightly at that proposition, and put it in the back of his mind.

"Your cousin should have warned you better... Demaitre gets cold. You're just lucky it hasn't snowed yet." Or, she was unlucky, depending on how she wanted to look at it. She could be playing in the snow. California didn't get snow. She probably wanted it to be snowing.

"It's open every day but Sunday," Josh corrected lightly. "Sunday's the Sabbath. Almost nothing is open on Sunday here..." His mother would have killed Allie, had she known the girl didn't quote Sunday as the day of rest. Poor Josh. His herritage and his religion were forever going to haunt him.

"Sure, I'd love to come. You can never see the Nutcracker too many times..." His own thoughts echoed her silent ones. And, according to Josh, you could never ever turn down a date with a pretty girl. Turn down Leesa? Sure. Turn down Allie? Hell. No.

"Oh! Closed on Sunday?"She asked with a smile. "This place is just soo different from home. Everything's open seven days a week, almost twenty four hours! It's all rush rush around there never a time to relax." He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "That's why I'm afraid to get a real job back home. Everywhere just works and works you until you just collaps." At lease that was how it had been for her older brother back in the day.

"It's nice to see a quiet place actualy. Let's me know that some manner of peace exists in this world." She smiled.

"Well hey, uh, maybe we could catch a movie or something? I know you're probably cold and all. Just find a place to warm up? I'd love to hear more about you really, we've been talking about the city so far, but I think you're a lot more interesting." And he honestly did interest her. She wouldn't kill him, no. He didn't deserve that. She had fed well, there was no need, no excuse.

"Maybe a cafe or some place to get a bite to eat?"

Joshua grinned. "I have a job here," he said, grinning slightly. "I'm the assistant to the Entertainment Department Manager at Ace High casino." He loved an excuse to spout off his title. Self named, sure, but for the most part, it was true. "My boss is the coolest boss. I only work when he's working, and if he has the day off, I automatically get the day off... And he doesn't make me do anything." No, Mr. Holstein was pretty chill about what Josh had to and didn't have to do. It was Ms. Colwyn who handed out the hefty tasks. And she was scary.

"I like it quiet. It's really busy during the day, but everyone goes home to their families at night," Josh said, nodding slightly. "But we're in the quiet part of the city... If you like it busy, you should head over near the casino, on the other side of the mall..." The heart of Demaitre was down that street.

Not the movies. No, no no no. Leesa and Laura and Kevin could still be at the movies. The local cafe, Tres Chic, was closed... But Mel's Diner? That was open. It was always open. "We could go to Mel's Diner." Josh offered, shrugging his shoulders. She could say that she wanted to go into the sewers, and he'd follw. It was up to her, really.

It was good that he wasn't going to die tonight. He would have liked that option, had he known she could have chosen to kill him. Ignorance is bliss.

"A casino!" Her eyes opened wide with interest. Was that the casino that she had wandered in to that one night? "That's so cool! Back home you have to be twenty one to do that kind of stuff! And it sounds like a fun job really." She smiled. But was he in trouble? Cause if that was the place, he worked in a vampire coven. Who was this manager he worked for? Was he vampire or human?

She bit her lip nervously. "Just be careful though ya know. Places like that back home get robbed a lot. It would suck to be held up like that or something." She shrugged. Why was she so worried? Especialy for a human? It didn't make sence.

"Mel's Diner?" She narrowed her eyes curiously. "Haven't been there yet. But yeah, it would be cool ta go." She nodded with a smile.

Joshua nodded. "Well, you have to officially be 18 to get a job there, but since the casino needed people to start working immediately, I got a job when I was 17." Josh was proud of his useless life facts. He decided to share them with her, since she was so keen on listening. "They don't let me work around the bar, but I do get to work on the floor and help answer questions and handle money... And my boss runs the entertainment department, so I usually get to help bands and musicians set up and stuff."

Josh laughed when she mentioned being robbed. "We've got great security." Images of Robert and Ken, Lily's two no-neck body guards that could mentally crush you just by looking at you, popped into his mind, and his smile faded somewhat. They were scary. "And we haven't been robbed yet." Josh was confident in his little town. Perhaps too confident.

"We could walk past the casino, if you wanna..." Josh said, shrugging his shoulder slightly. She had expressed interest in the casino, so maybe she wanted to see it. He didn't know. Josh knew cool, and he knew guys, and he could name cars, but girls? Girls were the most intimidating, frustrating, scary, and complex things out there.

"So, you're from LA... How long are you going to be in town?" Josh started walking towards Mel's knowing she'd follow his lead. Casual conversation. It was cool to talk about the other person, and not so cool to talk about yourself unless asked. So he was going to ask her. And she was going to talk. And then it'd be cool.

She nodded, genuinly imporessed. This child seened to have a bright future in front of him really. A little gullable, but a good head on his shoulders. "Well I'm glad. A job like that might really take ya places ya know?" She tilted her head with a smile. "You can probably learn a lot about the buisness world and all."

She began to walk next to him. "Well, if it's quicker. Because I don't want you getting sick because of me ya know. I was the silly one who wasn't wearing a jacket, you're the nice one who gave me one." And she didn't like seeing nice people suffer, she never did. "I'm sure you could show it to me later though. I would love to see it."

They walked alogn silent for a moment or two when she heard his question. "Uh, I really don't know to be honest..." She shrugged. "I had a bit of trouble back in L.A. a big fight with my parents they said they wanted me out of their house, I said okay..." That had happened so long ago... "I haven't seen them in two years, that was back right after I graduated high school..." It was actualy twenty-three, but who was counting? "So I dunno. If I like it enough I might stick around." She gave a small smile.

Joshua nodded. "I like my job... I honestly haven't given much thought into what I'll do after college. Maybe they'll hire me full time or something. I dunno." He had always been one to focus on "cool", not what he was going to do in the future. Guess he'd start paying for it later.

"Mel's is closer, but you don't have to worry about me. I'm used to this weather." Good response, Josh. He was going to be freezing in five minutes, but he wasn't going to let her know that. He was going to look like the cool guy he was, and let her have his sweater, and take the air like a man.

How brave of him.

"Wow... I'm sorry..." Joshua was one of those kids who had that perfect family. It was a comforting safe haven, and anyone with any sort of family problems... They deserved pity and support, in his eyes. He couldn't imagine coming from any sort of broken home. "So you live here with your cousin for now?"

"You sure?" She asked genuinly concerned. "I mean I'm sure I'll be alright if you want it back. The cold usualy doesn't bother me really."

But they continued walking on. He would let her have his jacket even if he got cold... But why?

She gave a shrug as he appologized. "It's okay... We never really got along anyway. I wasn't as smart as my older brother... Never as pretty as my little sister. They never wanted me to be who I really was. They wanted me to go to college and all, but I knew I would never make it." Boy, of all the times to have a trip down memory lane...

"I wanted to sing, play guitar or something. Work in a music studio and produce..." She looked over at him. "You know, something that's remembered. Something fun." She kicked at the ground as she looked back down. "But that's never gonna happen now."

She gave a small sigh as she looked up. The stars were covered by the usual city lights. She wanted to be back at the campgrounds. Where she could see the stars again. She liked the stars. "So I came here. Maybe I'll find something to do with myself one day. I stay with my cousin sometimes, others I'll stay with my uncle." She shrugged again. "And sometimes I'll just find a place else where to sleep. Depends on my mood really."

((Gah. I have been trying to think up a post for you for 5 days. I apologize for whatever crap you read here and now...))

"Nah, I'm alright without a coat," Joshua said, grinning. He was like a movie stud. He was going to give her his coat and brave the bitter cold night of Demaitre so that she could be comfortable. Josh knew nothing of vampires. He didn't know he was probably the luckiest human in the world. When you're a mortal in favour of two vampire coven leaders, you tend to either be extremely well protected or extremely vulnerable. No one wanted to piss the Enashe and the Nephim off right now, so for today, Josh was lucky.

"My mom wants me to be a doctor... She always tells us that every Jewish family has to have at least one doctor... I think she'll have to have another kid, because right now, I'm her last hope, and there's no way I'm going to be a doctor," Josh commented, grinning. Every family had their aspirations for kids.

"Why not? I mean, why not think that it could happen? If you're any good, you should go to the casino... My boss likes showing local artists. I mean, there's no guarantees to him liking you, but... If you really wanna do it, I'd say go for it." See, this was Josh. He was a smooth talker, considerate, and full of ambition. Girls never saw this side of him, because he was too concerned about making himself look good enough for them to notice him. What with her previous clingy action, Joshua was able to open up. Allie was getting a very rare look at Josh. She might want to take a picture. There was no telling how long it'd last.

Joshua looked up to the sky as she did. Nothing unusual to him. Stars were found in books and movies, but here in Demaitre? No. As depressing as it sounded, no star was bright enough to glow down on Demaitre.

((Quite alright ^.^))

Allie staired up at the sky for a moment before she spoke, noticing he looked up as well. "Ah, I was just hoping to see the stars. I love the stars. They're so pretty." She said with a genuine smile, one that was warm and inviting. Stars always soothed her.

"Well, if you get cold just tell me. I'm sure I can tough it for a bit." She asured him. After all he didn't need to do this, but if she were to appear a normal human, it was almost nessicery.

She gave an entertained laugh, different from the usual giggle, when he mentioned his mother wanting to be a doctor. "I dunno. I think every mom just wants their kids to be sucess full, ya know? And doctors usualy are, unless you screw up and end up getting sued by someone these days." She shrugged. "And there's all different types of doctors too. You can work with psychology, physical therapy ya know. Not just General Practicions any more."

"And hell, back in LA plastic surgery is a big one." She rolled her eyes. "All those women getting bigger boobs they don't need or getting thinner than the twigs they already are." Her voice held a tone of disgust. She was quite happy with her own body. Proportion and symetry to her was what made something beautiful. And well, in her oppinion, she had both.

"You think so though? That he would give me a shot maybe? I mean, I dunno. I haven't played in almost a year now." Actualy it was six years, but who was counting? "And like I said, I get really nervous on stage..." A partial truth. But I'd be wiling to give it a shot really..." She nodded as she looked back over to him. She suddenly had the urge to touch him, just to feel the true warmth of his skin, not her own fals warmth that was given to her by others.

She looked away with an embaressed smile. She couldn't just go touching him. She didn't peg him as the type who was used to attention from girls and it would probably just wierd him out. She didn't know for sure, but she kept her hands to herself anyways.

"So why don't you have a girlfriend Josh?" She asked curiously. "You're a really cool guy. I mean are the girls here just that blind?" She gave a slightly shy look up at him. Sure he might not have been the absolute cutest, but he was adorable in his own way. Not to mention just a nice guy who looked like he knew how to treat a girl.

Josh nodded. He'd take her word for it. "They really don't shine bright enough here... I've never gotten to see them, first hand. Never really left the city before." He shrugged, apparently not troubled by the fact that he had never seen real stars. The stars on movie backdrops didn't count. Half of them were probably fake, anyway.

"It's no problem, really," Josh said, grinning back to her. She had a beautiful smile, he noted. Then again, he probably would have thought the same thing about any other pretty girl who had the decency to talk to him.

"I don't know... I mean, I want to be successful, but I don't want to be a doctor... Or a lawyer... Or... Well, I really don't know. Maybe go into business... Yeah, probably business," he mused out loud. Business, because that was the closest thing to what he was doing right now. He liked working at the casino. It was easy. Fun, even. Perhaps he could apply for a management job at Ace High one day...

"Yea, it's really a shame..." Joshua said guiltily. He'd be a hypocrit if he told her he hated plastic surgury, because somewhere in the back of his mind, he had hoped that something could cure him from his enormous nose. He thought women with fake boobs looked repulsive, and if you coupled that with being too thin, then you looked too much like Barbie and not enough like something human... Josh didn't like certain forms of plastic surgury, but he chose not to address the topic at all. Reminded him of his nose.

"Well, you'd have to talk to my boss--er, Mr. Holstein. That's his name--and then set up an interview, and he usually gets the bartender, Jimmy, and I to listen in, and then we get to decide if you're good to go or not," Joshua said nervously. Not nervous because he was nervous. Nervous that she'd end up being some horrid singer, and they'd all have to turn her away. And then where did that get him in relations to her?

Josh looked down to his shoes. His turn to be embarrassed. "I'm good friends with most the girls in my class... They'd never date me." Not that he had ever asked. "I'm too close of a friend." And he had too big of a nose. But he'd leave that out. Maybe if they were blind, he'd have better luck...

"Thanks..." he said, blushing deeply. Compliments made him feel like a million bucks, but, man. Compliments from pretty girls just made him go scarlet. He tried to hide it. "Look. Mel's. And, this is Main Street," he said as they rounded the corner. "Front of the mall is right there... That tall building with the lights and the big neon sign... That's the casino. And then, of course, all the other little shops..."

Mel's was on the corner of the block across the street from them. It stood alone, in its own unique shape, reflecting the designs of all old fashioned 50's diners. The parking lot was mostly empty; no one new coming.

"Well, then that's somethign we'll have to change then isn't it?" She said with a smile. "I think you'll like them. They're the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen! I never got to see them in L.A. and didn't see them till I left. I've never seen anything so beautiful before." She looked up in hopes to see one or two, but the lights were indeed too bright.

Looking up Allie caught his grin, a childish look that made him look even more precious. How had she ever thought of killing him? She was amazed with the look that made her behave so oddly. She was right though. She had never met a guy like him in L.A. before. They had all been druggies, rockers who loved the rocker life, not innocent and untouched by the horrors of the street life.

She wanted to touch that slimple little grin, and her hand began to raise slowly, but she caught herself, instead slipping her warm hand into his. "I'm sure whatever you do you'll be great at it." She nodded has she gave his hand a slight squeeze. "And I'm sure you rmom will be proud either way."

She gave a nod as he told her what she would have to do. It would also be a chance to see what kind of environment he worked in really. If his boss, Mr. Holstien, was a vampure... He would probably be protecting Josh as well. "Well, maybe I'll set up an appointment then... I'd have to do a bit of practicing though." she gave a chuckle.

She listened to him as he spoke of being to close of friends to all the girls, but she didn't have to read his mind to see that something else was bothering him as well. "Ah, Yeah. I see. I guess that's a bit of a catch twenty-two. And those usualy suck royaly. But ah," She gave a smile as she looked up at him. "Who knows who ya may meet right? A chance to be something more than friends with someone might be all ya need."

She looked around as Josh mentioned all the places. How she had missed the Casino now she didn't know. But yes, that was indeed the same one she had found the vampiress in. That uber creepy one. She gave him a smile as he pointed out the diner. "Well come on!" She smiled as she hurried towards the building, pulling him by the hand gently.

Josh nodded slowly. In the heart of the city, seeing a star was nearly impossible. With all the sky scrapers, there wasn't much sky to look up at. The rest was dulled out with the bright lights. Back at Joshua's house, you could see only a few of the bright stars. He didn't know of any place where the lights weren't an issue.

Josh grinned again at her comment of future success. Considering he didn't have any sort of game plan, success seemed a long way off. But, hey. If she had hope, he did too. Besides, his worst case scenario was that he'd end up working as Mr. Holstein's assistant for his whole life. Really, that wasn't all too bad to Josh right now. Successful or not, least he'd have fun.

She grabbed his hand. That was probably the smallest action anyone could ever do to anyone else that caused a sense of excitement. Josh was the happiest kid on Earth. 'Course, his blush deepened, but that didn't matter. He was grinning like a kid in a candy store. He didn't even hear her mention the fact that she was going to take his advice and give it a shot. Didn't hear her comment about the girls. No, no. Too busy being happy.

She started across the street, tugging on him gently, awaking him from his daydreams of being the most awesome guy alive. He floated. Not in the physical sense, per say. He seemed so much lighter in step and mood. It was humiliating. He craved attention from girls so much that the first one to talk to him for five minutes was his new best friend. Poor Joshua.

Allie turned with a smile as she saw his red cheeks. She could feel the excitement/embaresment as clear as she could see him, and it was absolutly addorable. She just wanted to give him a tight hug, but that would have probably been too much for him if he could be rendered senceless by touching his hand.

She gave another tug to pull him up towards her as he lagged behind slightly. "C'mon Josh!" She said with a light laugh.

She opened the door for the both of them and entered the small diner. It was set back in the fifties baybe, not far off from her own time really. See, sometimes history did repeat itself, styles she knew back when she was a little girl were comming back in to fashion these days... But there was one thing that she hoped no one from this era thought cool... Mullets... If there was anything hell born, it was the mullet. Forget vampires. Mullets were hundreds of times worse. If she never saw one for a thousand years, it would still be too soon.

"Wow, this place sorta takes me back." She said with a chuckle as she saw a girl walk by in a frilled skirt. There was a picture her parents had of her when she was maybe three years old, dressed in a little poodle skirt for halloween... Not to mention the sock hop that her high school had had ages ago...

Allie looked over to Josh again, yanking herself out of memory lane. "This place is kinda cool." She said with a grin.

If she had hugged him, Josh might have frozen solid on the spot. He'd be stuck standing there for weeks without moving to eat, sleep, or breathe. Just stand there, grinning. Eventually, people would probably decide that this new Statue of Joshua was far more creepy than adorable, and they'd toss him back to his mother.

With her last tug, Josh fell in stride with Allie, out of dreamland and into reality. She was still holding his hand. Josh was so enamoured with the fact that she was still holding his hand that he didn't even realize they had arrived at the diner until she opened the door. She opened it, not him. Josh paled a bit. Well, no, paling wouldn't be the right term. More like, he de-blushed a bit and blinked stupidly at her. "Oh... Thanks." Oh thanks? He should have gotten the door for her... He was doing everything all wrong.

Everyone always remembered the first date. The first kiss. The first anything, first being the operative word. He was messing this up. This would forever be known as the date where he messed up. Joshua went from over-confident to confident lacking in the time it took him to step inside the diner.

"Yea... It's... It's cool," he said, agreeing with her and stuttering lightly. He messed up. That wasn't supposed to happen.

"So... Uh... You hungry? Or just cold," he said, trying to smile. It was obvious that this smile was much more scared than the last few. It was also clear that, while she wasn't cold, he definitely appriciated being in the nice warm establishment. A single shiver trailed down his spine, causing him to shake quickly.

No, he wouldn't take his sweater back. That would be two mistakes and he'd have to kill himself if that happened.

"Well, I'm not cold anymore." She said with a smile. "You're the one who's cold now though. But I'm a bit hungry." She said with a smile as they walked to a small booth. She gave his hand a slight squeeze before sliding in to one of the seats

She had noticed a change in him as they entered the diner though. He was uptight again... She didn't like that. Had she slipped up some how? Had she given away her true nature? She bit her lip nervously. What had she done. "Uh, Josh? Are you okay? I didn't do or say anything to upset you did I?" She couldn't remember anything, but he might have seen something different.

"You just sorta got all tence again..." She said nervously. "And I'm sorry if I did anything to make you like that."

She had kept her fangs in check, her skin was warm... THere were no mirrors or obviously reflective surfaces anywhere near by... But she had a reflection at her peak of power anyway, which was just after she fed.

"Cause if I did I'm sorry. Honest I am."

"I'm not too cold," Josh said, denying everything. He followed her to the booth and smiled lightly as she squeezed his hand. He let go of her when they got to the booth, sliding into the seat across from her, as was customary.

She wasn't likely to assume that the reason he tensed was because his perfect movie date wasn't going according to planned. A little thing like opening a door seemed to be a really big deal to Josh. How quicky he built this up to be perfect, and how quickly it could all come crashing down. "No, no. I'm fine... Um... Just... Just a little tired, I guess," he said, obviously lying. He looked so pathetic.

Josh glanced up across the table at her. "No, it's nothing, Allie. Don't worry about it... Um... Do you... Do you want anything?" Josh tried, glancing up to the on-wall menu. "Or do you just wanna sit..." he said, watching people around the diner. He almost didn't dare make eye contact. His blush was deepening again.

Fickle kid.

"Nonsence!" Allie said with a smile as she slid the sweater over her head. "You're hands were freezing. You've got to be cold Josh. Please? I don't want you getting sick because of me. I would just feel awful if that happened ya know." And she would. Him sacrificing his own health to give her something she didn't need?

Passing the sweater back over to him she smiled. "Besides I'm much warmer in here. Honest. You can have it back. Either that or I'm gonna come over there and warm you up myself." She giggled slightly. Judging by the blush on his face already it wouldn't take to much. He was just so adorable!

She tilted her head thoughtfully as he asked what she wanted to do. "Weeell. What is there exactly to do?" She wondered aloud. She had only been in the city for a bout a month or two... She should know, but she didn't bother learning. "Back in LA everything was just abotu twenty-four hours. So there was always a lot to do. For example. There were these clubs, me and my friends would just go out dancing and having fun all night and everything." She laughed.

"But it's been a while since I've done that... Haven't had any friends since I left LA." She gave a small shrug. "Never stayed in once place long enough to make friends." She leaned her chin on her fist. "Kinda sad really... But well, As a vagabond and a rambler, that's sorta the story of my life."

Josh shook his head at first. "No, I'm not that cold. I'm used to the weather here. I won't get sick," he said, trying to grin again. She handed back his sweater; defeat two. Josh put it on, not bothering to knock the hood back off his head. He was less scared of defeat now, but more scared of saying the wrong thing.

She joked with him, and he went a deeper shade of red, but grinned a more genuine smile. "I'll be fine. I'm just worried about you... You sure you'll be all right?" he said, looking concerened from under the brow of the hooded sweatshirt.

Josh sighed a bit and shrugged his shoulders. "Movie theatre is open, Mel's is open, the casino is open... The parks are open... Campgrounds... But that's about it." At least, that was about it for everyone under the age of nineteen. Just a few more months and he'd be able to hit the clubs. He was old for his grade, due to a very Jewish mother who forced him through a few years of Jewish school, which didn't teach him everything he needed for 3rd grade, so he was forced to repeat second and go from there. He never minded. It had been cool to be a year older than everyone else. He could buy them alcohol. Oh, the power he weilded.

"I've always wanted to go clubbing," he said, grinning slightly. "Nothing like house parties, so I hear." Joshua's a cool cat around school. He gets to go to these huge house parties and he gets to get drunk and dance and everything. Oh yes, senior year of highschool was definitely awesome.

Except for that whole no girlfriend situation. That downright sucked.

She nodded as he went through the list of places that were open, smiling at how he left the hood up.

Her smile of temptation as he said he wanted to go clubbing. "Well," She reache dacross the table and pushed the hood back, running her fingers down his cheek. "If you want to go clubbing I know of a place I can get you in." She said with a grin.

"I would have offered before, but you know, if you're interested it could be fun." She said with a giggle. "Being ninteen is kind of cool out here. Back in the states you have to be twenty-one to do anything like that." She said with a shrug.

"I know of this place called the White Mice Club if you're interested."

Joshua's blush probably couldn't deepen any further as she knocked his hood back and ran her fingers down his cheek, which was both bad and good. Bad, because he was probably one of the deepest reds known to man. Good, because that meant it couldn't get worse. He was grinning again, though. Seemed the blunders lessened in gravitude after five minutes and a bit of more sexual teasing.

"White Mice is good about checking IDs... My friends and I tried to sneak in once, and it didn't work out too well... But if you've got connections or something, I'm game." I'm repeating myself here, but if she said she wanted to see the sewers, he'd follow and make up some impromtu tour for her. She needn't concern herself with him tagging along.

"Just because the age is 21 doesn't mean kids our age don't do it anyway," Josh said slyly, assuming she had to be 18 or 19... Most likely 19. She said she had gone clubbing before. You could only try to sneak in so many times before you got caught.

His blush had faded to near normal again and he was smiling. He was more confident now. She was still talking to him. Still wanted to hang out with him. Heck, she wanted to go clubbing with him. There wasn't anything to be upset about yet.

"I have my ways." She said with a grin as he asked about a connection. "I think some of the guys there like me, so well, I can just use that to my advantage." She gave a slight shrug. "Some of the men there think I'm pretty I guess, so I mean, if that's what they think might as well go with it..." She gave a modest smile and shrug. "But I'm ninteen so well, getting into the clubs here is no problem really. Back home it was a pain though. You had to actualy know someone."

She was slipping more into her true self now. The person who she had been back when she was alive. The slightly arrogant, cool and calm temptress.

"Soo, we can just get a bite to eat here and then head on out." She suggested. "The food isn't the best there and it's a bit expensive really." She tilted her head slightly as she looked at him. "Do you drink Josh?" She asked curiously. He didn't really seem the type, but well, sometimes people can surprise you. He had already done that several times tonight really.

Joshua glanced down, nodding slightly. "You are pretty," he muttered, blushing more deeply again. "It's understandable." He avoided eye contact for a brief moment and spoke up about the other topics. He spoke up quickly, trying to cut her off from making any sort of comment. "I heard that there were some clubs in the US that you could go dance in, but they marked hands at the door for those of them that were allowed to drink and not... Or something..."

Josh was fluctuating between "real Josh" and "cool Josh", failing to be either one perfectly for very long. Instead, he got a muddled mix of the two.

"I'm not that hungry, but if you want something, we can stay. I already ate tonight," he said, glancing back up to her. He wasn't the eating type of guy. Some guys could stuff themselves 6 or 7 times a day, but Josh was more for eating at lunch and dinner and being fine with that.

"Socially, sure. It's fun," he said. "And, besides. My family's Jewish. We have wine with every Sunday dinner." He wasn't the hardcore drinking type, but then again, it was cool to drink in high school, so of course he would drink when offered free alcohol.

"Thank's Josh." She said, a slightly embareses smile, but without the blush. But seeing as how he wanted to move on, she let it go.

"Yeah, those were usualy the ones I went too and all." She nodded as he described the clubs. "And those were usualy good about the whole drinks thing."

"Well, I already ate tonight too." She said with a smile. "I guess that works out well then. And if you like to drink, White Mice has some pretty good coktails that you might want to try if you like rum." She grinned. Rum was her choice of drinks when she got one. And it had a tendancy to make nice concoctions really.

"So then, you just want to head on over there? We can have a bit of fun maybe." She said with a smile. "Do you have to be anywhere in the morning? Or are your parents expecting you home?" She asked timidly. She didn't want to get him in trouble. But if it was what she had to do to keep him near...

Josh grinned slightly. "Nothing here for dancing and no drinking. Guess everyone dances better drunk."

Joshua kept grinning slightly. "I don't have a preference to alcohol. Usually you just drink what's supplied. Gets you drunk all the same." He didn't seem the drinking type until he was hanging out with the guys. With the guys, he was slick and smooth and downright cool. It was with girls that he seemed to forget what "cool" was, and he'd stumble and slip up, and the girls would laugh and baby him. Allie was the first girl that decided not to baby him, but rather express an interest in him. Made her more like the guys in some aspects. She was accepting. He was able to loosen up.

"Sounds good to me." Josh stood from the booth and waited beside the table. "I have a midnight curfew," he responded, pulling out his phone to check the time. 10:13. Perfect. "And it's the weekend. Plans don't start for me until noon or later," he said, grinning.

"Well then," Allie grinned. "I just might have to keep you out all night then." She giggled. "Keep you all to myself as well." She teased. "You wouldn't mind would you?" She asked as she stood from the booth. "I promise I'll make it worth the trouble." She said with a flirtatious smile as she grabbed his hand gently, leading them once more through the door of the diner.

The cool air was refressing on her bair skin and she looked back at Josh with a smile. "Come on!" she said with a laugh. "We don't want to waste any time Josh! Fun awaits!" She was bounding with energy, having fun as she did when she was his age, and alive. Maybe this curse wasn't a complete curse after all... She just had to learn how to use it.

Josh went scarlet again. "'Course I wouldn't mind, but you might have to fight my mother for that 'all night' part," he stated, grinning shyly. When she grabbed his hand, he squeezed it gently. His hand was shaking slightly. Terrified and enamoured at the same time. An unusual combination, but one that seemed to fit fine for Joshua. He had a right to be terrified. She was flirting with him. This was new, unexplored territory, and he had no idea what to do.

The cool air helped cool Josh's face, as well as help his ever-present blush fade away to a soft pink again. He was able to grin back to her without looking like a smiling tomatoe. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he said, also laughing. "Shouldn't take long to get there... We're not going to waste time by walking," he responded, grinning about her exuberant behaviour. He almost didn't want to go dancing. Just watching her was fine by him.

Poor Josh. He's got it bad for someone that's nearly a complete stranger.

"Well if that's what you want me to do, so be it." She laughed as he said she would have to fight his mother.

But she slowed her pace to walk at his side, holding his hand swinging it slightly. "Well, I can't remember exactly where it is... So I guess I'm stuck with you to get there huh?" She teased as she looked at him with a smile, giving his hand a light squeeze to show she had only been joking. After all, she was willing to have a bought with his mother to keep him out late if need be.

"But yeah, I think this will be fun, and if you say you've never been in before, I think you'll like it." She said as she continued to smile. But why? How had ne managed to make her a softy like this? When she had first seen him, his future lay on the ground in an ally way, but now... She was taking this human clubbing? And with a genuine affection for him?

If it were possible for her to get a fever, she would say she had one... But since it wasn't, she had to admit that there was something about this human that was endearing to her... He was almost everything she was not... Innocent, untouched, kind and good... It was strange... She moved a little closer to him, brushing their shoulders together. There was something even about his human warmth...

Joshua laughed slightly. "I'll just spare everyone the trouble and be home at 12:15... Don't want to get myself grounded," he said with a grin. So what if he didn't disobey his mother. Doing so wouldn't be cool. It'd kill his social life; it'd kill his cool.

"Yea, you're stuck with me for the night. Too bad," he said, more daringly teasing her back. He'd have struck out further and flirted right back, but it was still scary just to be holding her hand.

"The school has dances, but I know it's not the same. Closest thing I've ever been to was the Ace High New Year's bash last year. I hear this year, it's going to be just as good," he mused. He had to work at the tables inside; the party was going to be out of doors this year.

Joshua was pretty innocent in many aspects. He had a split personality, it seemed. Being cool meant he had to be devilish and rebelious and independent. Because he spent so much time trying to be cool, he never really afflected his true personality with being a naughty kid. But, the trouble was, he had tried so hard to be cool that "real Josh" was far from surfacing. Occasionally, some little glimmer of that personality would appear, but in general, it was a muddled mix of his reality and surreality.

She walked closer, and Josh resisted the urge to put his arm around her shoulders or her waist and keep her close. Resisted it, because he was terrified that she'd push him away, and he'd be left looking like a loser. And that wasn't cool.