Ideas started to bubble in my head. I worked through the evening writing, perfecting and singing.  It was almost 10pm when I stopped and realised how hungry I had become. 

I looked in the fridge and found nothing I wanted.  Although I had the chef on standby I felt bad to pull them out to cook for me at this time of night. 

Instead I pulled a light jumper over myself and took a walk back down the beach.  I had spotted a few small places on my walk out earlier in the day.  I pulled my cap back over my head and put on my mask.  It was my shield. 

I found a small street stall selling fried rice.  Rice, that’s just what I needed right now.  I ordered and sat down.  No one was around me.  I could hear laughing and the distant boom of a bass coming from a complex down the main road. 

I ate a fast as I could, enjoying the spice and Indonesian style of fried rice.  It was nicer than I anticipated it to be. 

Thanking the small lady who looked filthy cooking in the street I made my way down the main road to look in at the bars. 

I had exhausted myself at home, and I felt like people watching for a while. 

I wandered past bars, blearing out music and stopped to look in at a few.  There seemed to be a live band in every place I past.  Some doing rock, some doing pop, some doing acoustic.  It was good.  People here were talented I thought to myself. 

I stopped outside a large place, filled with people dancing, a band of 6 people were on stage playing a Michael Jackson song I loved.  It drew me in so I decided to get a drink.  It was dark in here and seemed to be filled with what I took to be Australian people.  No one looked at me twice which put me at ease.  I went up the stairs and found it quite empty, settled myself on a small sofa area while looking down at the band.  They were all talented and looked to be having the best time in the world.  The singer had such a strong voice it shocked me.  I was enjoying myself drinking my beer and watching the people dancing, having a ball singing to the music. 

My eyes wandered around falling on a couple who looked extremely into each other, dancing quite out of the beat, arms around each other, obviously oblivious to the rest of the world.  I smiled sadly to myself, wondering what it was like to feel that way. 

I wanted to get up and dance so badly, but I couldn’t bring myself knowing I’d be spotted by someone for sure.  I entertained myself shuffling in my chair and watching the excitement down below me.  My eyes traced the bar, the staff had started some kind of show throwing around bottles, which I had to admit looked impressive until one dropped a bottle all over the floor eliciting laughter from the surrounding audience.  He didn’t seem embarrassed by the act instead giggling and taking a deep bow. 

My eyes travelled back to the dance floor and fell on a girl in the middle of the crowd.  She was wearing a black dress that fitted tightly to her body.  She had on high gladiator sandals travelling up her legs.  Her long copper blonde hair swung freely under the spot lights. 

It was her again.  Why do I keep seeing her? What are the chances I dream about this girl and then see her twice.

I watched her for a while.  Actually I gawked at her, unable to look away from her.  Each time I would try and tear my eyes off her for a second they would find her again.  She stood out amongst the crowd to me like a brightly light Christmas tree. 

I ordered another drink to my table, somehow thinking more booze was a good idea. 

I watched as song after song played and she danced, alone in the middle of all those people.  Who was she with?

I turned to receive my drink from the very sweet looking waitress and turned my eyes back towards the dance floor.  I searched, I searched the entire crowd but she had gone.  Was I imaging her while I was awake now? I clicked my tongue in my mouth and pouted.

It was at this rogue thought I then spotted her, heading up the stairs straight towards me.  I froze in fear she was coming over to me, but instead she walked past me and sat straight down into another empty bundle of sofas. 

‘Gek!’ she called up grabbing the attention of the waitress who ran over to her. 

‘aqua satu’ I could hear her saying from behind me.  ‘Makasih’. 

The waitress walked past me to the bar fetching her drink.  I didn’t want to turn around and stare but I felt her eyes in the back of my head.  I tried to relax my shoulders and looked back down at the band and dance floor unable to focus.  I turned my body, intending to look like I was trying to get a better view of downstairs.  I dared a glance sideways at her.  I saw her eyes slide sideways to meet mine and her face broke into a shy smile.  Involuntarily I smiled back and then looked away quickly.  Embarrassed at myself for getting caught looking. 

I now found myself with the same unsettled feeling from earlier in the day.  Tormented by wanting to talk to her, and being so damn shy, I couldn’t move.  I breathed out steading myself and reached into my pocket.  I pulled out a packet of cigarettes I had stupidly bought earlier, for what, for this moment? I was an idiot.  I deliberately hadn’t bought a lighter, not intending to actually smoke.  Without thinking I opened the packet and took one out putting the thin white tip to my lips, and then looked around stupidly.  What was I going to do now?  From the corner of my eye I saw her get up and walk towards me.  The cigarette almost falling from my mouth, she walked straight up to me and stood awkwardly next to me, I looked up at her startled as she said, ‘Do you have a spare one?’ she smiled down at me.  I scrambled at the packet holding it out towards her.  She took one, still looking at me, and lit it, dragging hard before saying ‘Do you need a lighter?’ I meekly nodded as she bent down to light the awful cigarette in my mouth.  I breathed in ridiculously and coughed.  My brain felt fuzzy and I hated the taste.  ‘thanks’ I coughed in her direction.  She had a playfully confused smile on her lips as she winked at me, nodded and went to sit back down. 

That could not have gone worse if I had tried to make it so bad. I thought to myself.  Absentmindedly taking drags on the cigarette and cursing myself every time I did. 

I felt dizzy at the smoke, and at having an interaction with the beau