[B][center][h2]Coleman St. John[/h2][/center][/b]

The ride down the mountain back into town went smoothly. The exhaust popped and growled with every gear change and the weather was the perfect balance against the heat coming off the engine beneath them as the old cracked pavement flowed beneath them. Kaylee’s grip was firm behind him and she smartly leaned with the turns as he angled the bike over the sidewalls. He couldn’t remember the last time he carried a passenger, but the piercing feeling that spurred in his conscience when she first got on, like the millimeter point of a needle, continued to feel like it was being pushed slowly through his chest. His grip on the handlebars was firm and he knew there was no doubt she could sense it. The wind blew against them and the expanse of the city towards the Pacific flashed by between the trees. He could feel his leather glove crack against the throttle. 

The small venue wasn’t much more than a hole in the wall, not far from the Rose Bowl and still at some elevation, affording a comfortable view of the rest of the city spotted by evening lights and the setting sun. In the outlaw fashion, Cole backed up his bike into an open space with the front forks facing back towards the highway. The clientele was fairly middle-class like most of the dirt parking lot: Fords, Chevies, Asian imports and the occasional BMW or Audi convertible. Cole returned a few of the gawking glances the bike drew with a short wave and a modest grin as he helped Kaylee where just for a moment their hands touched. Several old trees folded over the small clubhouse providing shade against the evening sun. The simple banner above the front door read in a weathered old font [i]The Blue Dahlia[/i]. Music was already pumping out into the open air and the sound of raucous laughter and jovial Friday night chatter greeted all those that arrived. 

Cole let his grin remain somewhat at Kaylee’s question and quick retreat from it. He knew the curiosity was eating her alive. He gave a small shrug and let her hook her arm under his. “Maybe in a little while, let’s see what’s going on in here.” 

The band was a local favorite and surprisingly good. A male and female vocalist who both played as well as a bassist and a drummer. They hit a [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqQkECIn738]few[/url] of [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0RV0kgdqJU]   the[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO_z7neRo9M]classics[/url] and a some originals. The atmosphere was great and Cole had to admit that he was having a pretty good time. Their table, only a few meters away from the band on the back patio, sat beneath one of the large trees that shaded the property and grew up through the wooden decking that was built around it. A combination of strung lights and tiki-torches lit the air as evening took over. Cole leaned back slightly in his chair and balanced himself against the rough bark of the old tree with one hand as the band finished a set and decided to take a break. There hadn’t been a lot of room for conversation against the thrall of guitar riffs and pounding drums. “I have to say, I’m not usually a cover-band person, but this has been a pretty good choice.” He said with some satisfaction. His apprehension from earlier had subsided, but there was another feeling creeping in, one much more familiar. He glanced out over the cityscape for a moment hearing the familiar sound of sirens in the distance, helicopter rotor blades and the regular cadence of flights descending over the mountains from Las Vegas. Someone put on a music stream as the band had a few drinks and relaxed and the volume of conversations rose slightly. “Relax,” He said giving Kaylee’s chair a nudge with a smirk. She was loosening up and having a good time after a couple drinks, but he could tell the students were still on her mind. 

[@Almalthia]