STOCKHOLM ➵ tomlinson

five

j o s e p h i n e

/T U E S D A Y/

All the memories I had after my parent's divorce were full of moments of me in pain and me wishing that somebody actually cared and listened. When he came up to me at the park when I skipped school that Tuesday morning, I thought he was going to bust me.

"What is a girl like you doing here?" he asked me.

I looked up and quickly looked back down.

Anyone in my place would've thought what I thought, which was that he was older than he sounded.

The sharp winter air froze my lips and made it hard to talk, but I managed to say, "It's a holiday."

The blue-eyed stranger raised an eyebrow but didn't push it any further.

"Why are you alone?" He sat down and turned to look at me.

I shrugged, trying to act as calm as possible. They told us that these are questions that we should be alert of when talking to strangers. I tried to relax and not show any signs of fear.
I left us in silence for a couple minutes, hoping that he would go away, but my heart started racing when he opened his mouth again.

"Well, are you going to sit here alone the entire time?" He asked.

"Seems like it," I replied.

"Why don't you come with me? I could take you to get food if you're hungry."

I then realized I was stuck between possible death and life. I heard the blood pumping and my heart beating loudly like a drum underneath my skin.

"No!" I quickly responded. My one worded answer gave away my act and I tried to cover it up, but still unsure today if it worked. "I mean, it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you."

I circled the small rocks on the ground with my shoe, wishing that the dark jeans in front of me would disappear. They never did. A hand reached out in front of me.

Reluctantly, I stood up and began to walk to IHOP with this stranger.

It dawned on me that in that moment it was a choice of me choosing a random stranger, or my family and friends. But if they didn't care what was it that I would lose? Absolutely nothing.

And a little bit after IHOP, who knew I would end up missing, "kidnapped", and not care at all?