·and I take what I find, I don't want no more·

[❀ Melíssa]

      Natalia hadn't even realized she'd made it to the beach already, when the sand starting creeping over the edges of her sandals and getting between her toes. She kicked the shoes off and picked them up, looking for a good place to sit down. There weren't that many other people enjoying the sun and sand that day, and that was fine with her.
      Straightened the bandana around her head, Natalia dropped her bag to the ground, then started to unfurl the thick blue blanket she brought with her. Plunking down cross-legged in the middle of it, she reached into the bag for the special brownie she'd stashed away, and a notebook and pen. Four more songs... We're never gonna get this album out in time.
      Chewing thoughtfully on the chocolate goodie that her aunt had provided, she allowed her mind to wander. Maybe if we sample one of Dad's early songs... She waited for the treat to do its job and put her in the zone. There was entirely too much work to do in preparation for the upcoming tour; getting a new album recording, approving the final mixing, several photo shoots, not to mention the hours of rehearsal. And they were behind on all of it.
      Unmotivated, Natalia looked around at the other Riverside citizens who'd chosen to visit the beach that day, then out over the water, letting her notebook fall to her side. She could wait all day for inspiration to hit, if that's what it took.

[Mia]

Shane sighed as he slowly walked down the beach, a look of annoyance clear on his face. He hadn't wanted to come to the beach, but it was the only place that had looked familiar from when they had drove past it on the way home. The only reason he was here was because his mom refused to allow him to stay home, like he wanted to. And, even though he had tried to argue, she ended up winning mainly because she had started to annoy him. So here he was, at the beach. Shane gave another sigh as he pulled a lighter out of his pocket, flicking it on and off as he stuffed the other hand in his pocket.
Shane made his way to a rock and sat on the ground, not caring if the sand got on his pants. He leaned against the rock and closed his eyes, a cool breeze blowing. He opened his eyes again, running a hand through his short blonde hair as he scanned the beach. There weren't that many people out today. Shane hated being alone. He would've been with Naomi but she was with her boyfriend and daughter. Still playing with his lighter, he looked back out towards the ocean.

[❀ Melíssa]

      Her eyes traveling over the horizon, Natalia scanned the waves from a distance, scrutinizing them as they rolled closer. Not quite high enough to ride, she mused, thinking about her blue hibiscus shortboard at the LA house, and wondered if her cousin had ever followed through on the surf lessons she signed up for last time they were there. Probably not, she decided. Just hooked up with the instructor.
      Her gaze returned to once again to the residents of Riverside that had so chosen to come to the beach today. Then she saw him. He line of vision just fell on him. It wasn't fate, and it wasn't the pot. Dude just stood out. He looked like someone had cut his photo from a train track somewhere and superimposed him on the beach.
      Taking the time to visually absorb as much of the boy as she could, she was first drawn the dancing flame in his hand, that disappeared and reappeared with each passing second. That was the pot. Simultaneously, she sent out a mental demand for him to turn and look at her, like some kind of Jedi mind trick. She tossed her hair behind her shoulders and narrowed her eyes at him, concentrating hard, winning smile at the ready.

[Mia]

Shane had his eyes closed, absentmindedly playing with his lighter when he felt the first pang of uncomfortableness. Opening his eyes, he slowly looked around, trying to find the source of his discomfort. He immediately stopped playing with his lighter when he met a girls gaze. She was smiling at him, and he wasn't quite sure if he should return the smile. Flickering the lighter back on, he glanced down at the flame before looking back up at the girl, a sly smile on his face. If she wants to talk, she can come over here herself, he decided to himself. No use in me going over there. Sitting up a bit, he returned his gaze to the flame in his hand, waiting to see what the outcome would be.

[❀ Melíssa]

      Well... that's a start, Natalia continued to gaze at the boy. When he didn't look up again or give any indication that he would be coming over to her, she scowled at the sand. Gathering up her bag but leaving her blanket behind, she strolled over to the boy. "Hey," she spoke, leaning against his rock. "What's with the outfit? That's not really beach attire."

[Mia]

Shane looked up after hearing her voice. So she did come over. He gave a shrug, closing his lighter and slipping it into his pocket. "I didn't come to the beach to enjoy it. I came to escape my mother." He looked her up and down, then turned away. "I see nothing wrong with my attire." Considering he had on a sweatshirt, jeans and tennis shoes. "Why don't you sit down?" He finally asked. He didn't like her hovering over him like she was.

[❀ Melíssa]

      “Would you rather come sit on the blanket?” she gestured in the direction of which she’d left the old quilt. “It’s a much better option than getting sand in your pants. Or your sneakers,” she shook her head ruefully. “And then maybe you can tell me why you’re trying to escape your mother. And why you’re trying to set yourself on fire,” she nudged his pocket with her toe

[Mia]

Shane sighed, standing and brushing the sand off his pants. "I guess." He motioned for her to lead the way, sticking a hand in his back pocket and taking the lighter out of his other pocket. "I'm trying to set my self on fire." He said as he began playing with his lighter again. "Its a habit."

[❀ Melíssa]

     Leading the way back to the quilt she’d left behind, Natalia plopped down cross-legged then gestured at the open space around her. “Cop a squat, friend,” she said, pulling her goodies out of her bag again. “You’re welcome to share in a brownie with me, but be careful, they have a ‘special’ ingredient,” she air-quoted. “Then, since you’re not setting yourself on fire, maybe you can tell me how you developed a habit of playing with fire.”

[Mia]

"Friend?" Shane rose an eyebrow but sat anyway, sitting a bit away from her. "Special." He nearly snorted, shaking his head. He opted not to eat anything that had a 'special' ingredient. He shrugged at her question, flicking his lighter open and running his hand over the flame. "I've always been obsessed with fire. The doctors say I'm pyromanic." He shrugged again.

[❀ Melíssa]

      Shrugging, Natalia kept the bag of sweets close to her side, choosing to have another. "Pyro, huh?" she mused, "So you actually experience arousal and sexual excitement when you watch stuff burn? An actual menace to society? Or are you the type that's just fascinated by it and just a general nuisance to society?" Reaching into her bag, she pulled her notebook back out, and flipped to a blank page. "This is a good song title, by the way," she jotted down 'pyromania' at the top of a blank page. "Hopefully it won't get mistaken as a Def Leppard tribute song or something."

[Mia]

"I just like the way things look when they're on fire. No...arousal or sexual pleasure. And I am not a nuisance to anyone." He made a face. Except for to his mom maybe. Shane quickly shook those thoughts from his head; he didn't care since he wasn't home most of the time. He didn't say anything when she made the comment about a song, instead turning away from her.

[❀ Melíssa]

      "So you're not a psychotic arsonist or anything? 'Cause that would really kill my buzz right now," Natalia cracked a smirk. Why was this dude so serious? "You didn't say why you came to the beach to escape."

[Mia]

"Psyochotic, no. Arsanist...a bit." He turned back to her. "I have anger management issues. And my mom was not making it any better. She kept going on and on about how I needed friends and all I do is sit around the house alone and other shit. She pissed me off so I left before I said something I would regret." He slipped his lighter back in his pocket and turned away from her again. "Satisified?"

[❀ Melíssa]

  "Maybe she's right," Natalia shrugged and moved her belongings to the other side of the blanket, so they wouldn't be directly next to a self-proclaimed arsonist. "Do you just sit around the house all day? Maybe you are all mopey, maybe you need an outlet for that, before your house goes up in flames," she eyed the pocket where he'd shoved the lighter.