Chapter 1
It was a cold winter evening. I was in the park, trees and lamplights covering the whole park. The faint yellow lights shone dimly on me. There was no one around but me, cooped up in a muffler and a fluffy green jacket. I blew my breath, it was coldly white.
Then I noticed her. A girl, a year or two younger than me, with long black hair falling out of a brown beanie. She was in a velvet fluffy jacket and a muffler, walking shyly towards me. This was the only bench in the park where I sat, no other around.
She came and sat beside me. The distance between us was too loud. I didn’t know if I should let her have the bench all to herself or just sit politely beside her and enjoy the park's view that I was enjoying. It was cold and now I didn't know what to choose.
I looked at her direction. She seemed to be enjoying the park's view as well. Also seemed a little shy. I looked away. And here, my heart was running and I didn't even why.
She adjusted her body and leaned into the bench more to relax. She was sitting at the edge of the bench, and I moved to the other side of the bench's edge as well, giving between us a good polite distance.
She blew her breath into the air and it was coldly white as well. She turned her face in my direction, "You new here?".
My tongue was cold and so was my body and so was my confidence, and my heart raced. "No, I live around here. Just came to enjoy the view", I replied finally.
She smiled. She didn't look so shy anymore. "Wow that's nice. I never saw you before, that's why I asked". "I am Jane"- she said and extended her hand towards me.
"Oh, I am Sam, nice to meet you"- I shook her hand lightly. Her hands felt soft, delicate, like light itself and a little warm.
"Strong hands"- she said. "Do you workout?"- she said, almost deducing half of me with one single touch.
"No I just do some home workout, that's all".
"Do you workout?"- I asked.
"Yeah! I just started recently. Mostly for getting lean". "I know I know, what you would say—that I am already lean right?"- She laughed. "But I am trying to make some abs. I made a teensy weensy bit of 4"- She said with outmost enthusiasm and held on her stomach, feeling it, looking down at it.
"And I am trying to make 8 here. I just need to reduce the last amount of body fat that separates my almost-visible 8 pack"- I said feeling my stomach as well.
"Damn! That's wholly amazing Sam!"- She said with excitement. Her eyes wide now and her body almost leaning in my direction.
It was cold, but it was warm. We leaned in a little bit to each other almost unconsciously, enjoying each other's sudden company asking simple questions. Her lips were light pink.
I was like a monkey, and she was like a human. I looked at her and listened to her in awe like I was learning how to make a fire for the first time from a human. So all I could do was sit and listen intently with eyes and ears wide open.
There was almost an inch of distance between us now. She said something funny and involuntarily slapped on my shoulder lightly, still laughing not knowing what her hands were doing. She seemed so much in the moment and I was having so much fun being with her and in her company. She was like a light shining on me.
She was practically yelling now, and her voice filled everything around me. She was such a warm and fun person.
She looked at the time on her phone. And almost immediately, unknowingly in my mind, I said, "Just a little more... Just a little more... Please don’t go... Stay please... Talk more....", now that I couldn't imagine sitting here all alone without her.
"Hmmmm"- She said to herself more than to me, looking down on her phone.
"I will go now Sam!"- She smiled cheerfully at me.
"It was really fun talking to you!". "You listened to me so much". "I don't think anyone's ever done that before".
"I am gonna miss this"- Her lips turned into a pout and her voice lowered, as if the feeling of going away from this gnawed on her as well.
"By the way"- She said before going her way.
"I hope we meet again. Sam!"- She waved cheerfully.
I extended my arms on the bench, and looked up at the snow flakes falling, and blew a white breath. "It was such a good time...."- I said in my mind.
She was gone now.
I blew again. Damn... She was like light. Will I ever see her again? I hope we meet again, Jane".
I blew one more white breath, leaning all in the bench and my head looking up high.
And I stayed there for a while. The slow, snow flakes falling on me, touching me gently.
The evening was cold. But I felt warm inside, a little cold, but warm....
Jane....
Jane.....
