That was the last time

August 1st 2019

I moved to new york city. I hoped it would motivate me to finish my book that's what new york's supposed to be right? Inspiring. But honestly it just made me feel completely and utterly alone. My book was going no where. I was working long shifts in a shitty coffee shop. I hated everything about my life. Until I met him. Michael Taylor. Michael Taylor was the type of person who I instantly fell for. He was warm. Funny. Charismatic. He was exactly what I needed to get me out of my state of lonely depression.

It was August 1st. The air-con was on full blast to drown out the unbearable summers heat. The sky was completely clear there wasn't a single cloud. All our regular customers came and went. Until there was a guy I had never seen come in before. His smile was almost contagious. The way he looked at me gave me butterflies.

"I'll have a regular black coffee and a croissant please,". His voice was calming.

"A hot drink in this heat," I laugh.

"I've never been a fan of those iced coffees. Brain freeze. I can't stand it." He smiled childishly before continuing. "I walk past this place everyday after work. Thought it was about time I tried it out. You worked here long?"

"About four months. I moved to new york to become a writer but you know how it is." I say taking a deep breathe and pressing a couple buttons on the coffee machine.

"Writer..." he said slowly like he had never come across the word before. "I would have guessed model but then again you have that mysterious edge to you that writer's possess."

I smiled for the first time since I moved to new york. I was genuinely smiling.

"I'm Michael by the way," he grinned.

"Ivy," I said

"Well Ivy, you're breathtakingly beautiful. How would you like to grab some food after you've finished work and I can show you all my favorite places in new york." he gave me a hopeful grin.

His forwardness was almost relaxing so I agreed of course and at six pm exactly he collected me from work.

"How is it you look beautiful without even trying?"

He said all of the right things. He knew exactly what to say to make me fall for him. Did he even mean any of it? Maybe he did genuinely like me at first and it turned to hate. Is that what we did to each other? When I met you I wanted a million things but to hate you was never one of them. How did it all go so wrong?

The first thing we did was buy pretzels and I still remember how you said that pretzels were the best form of bread and how toast should be ashamed. I laughed a lot at that.

"Where are we going first?" I was excited I remember actually wanting my life to be mine finally being happy It was mine.

"Well I am so glad you asked." His grin was mischievous but also calming I didn't know how that could be. But I know that he used to make me feel nervous, calm, excited, happy and relaxed all at once.

The first place he took me was Brooklyn Bridge as the clouds were by then almost dark the bridge was lit up beautifully. I held my breath when I first saw it. I had been staying in new york for months at that point yet this was the first time I had been to Brooklyn bridge. It was amazing.

He looked so good standing there with the light catching him at just the right angle. He smelt of aftershave and a hint of mint. His hair flopped messily almost covering his eyes. His eyes. They were the first thing I fell in love with. Those chocolate-coloured eyes were everything.

We stood looking at the bright lights of the city. Lit up by the lights of Brooklyn Bridge.

"So Ivy... what made you want to live in new york?"

"I grew up in the uk. I always wanted to be a writer I loved how books even though they aren't real can make you live hundreds of lives and feel real things. I started writing a book two years ago but I could just never finish it. I thought moving to new york would give me the motivation to but I'm starting to realize how wrong I was."

"You'll find the motivation I believe in you. I'd love to read that book when you finished it."

"If I finished it but anyway enough about me what about you?"

"I grew up in new york I have lived here my whole life but when my parents got divorced I spent the holidays in LA with my dad."

"Oh I'm sorry..."

"Don't be honestly it was for the best."

Talking to him felt like I had known him for years not half a day. Talking to him felt like a breath of fresh air after being trapped indoors all day. It felt like coming up for air after drowning. I don't know what it was but it was exactly what I needed. Talking felt as though I was in a movie. We talked and talked on the bridge not one awkward moment.

"Next stop come on!" he said taking my hand. The physical contact felt like it was sending electric through my veins.

"And where is it that we're going?"

"You'll have to wait and see."

We arrived at the Statue of Liberty at around eight pm. The statue was lit up against the dark nights sky. Again the view was breathtaking.

"So Ivy, if you were an ice cream flavor which would you be?"

"What?" I chuckled.

"In a world where we were all ice cream flavors which would you be? For example I would definitely be Pistachio."

"Well let me see... I think I'm going to go with mint choc chip."

"Mint choc chip..." he said slowly taking a step back to get a full look at me. "I agree your definitely mint choc chip."

This was the moment we dissolved into fits of giggles. The way he looked at me felt better than anything I had felt before. In that moment he stepped closer. So close our noses were practically touching.

"You really are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen," he whispered. Then he backed away took my hand and led me forwards. "I know the best ice cream place come with me."

We sat down on a bench with our ice creams. New york city in full view. I had pistachio and he had mint choc chip. Grinning like little kids we talked more about everything. He was the first person who I felt like I didn't have to change myself around.

"Here take this," he said offering me his jacket he must have noticed me shivering a little. And after we had finished our ice creams he called over a taxi.

"Where are going now?"

"Times square of course!"

When we arrived there it was almost ten pm. This was the new york I had imagined when planning to move. There was people bustling everywhere. Everyone looked as though they had there own place in this huge city.

He looked at me and the bright lights behind him seemed to blur as if he was the only person in the entire world.

"No matter how many times I come here it still amazes me," he whispered leaning closer.

"It's beautiful," I whispered back.

Our eyes locked and then he leaned in. The moment our lips touched it felt as though fire works had gone off inside my body. As though I had been electrocuted with passion. I didn't care that I had only just met him. I didn't think about how soon it was. In that moment he was the only thing on my mind.

When our lips finally parted it felt as though I was drunk. Drunk on happiness. We ran through the crowds of people in fits of giggles for the rest of the night ignoring the strange looks from people. We didn't care. In that moment we only cared about each other.

By the time I got in a taxi to go home it was past midnight. I couldn't stop smiling. I arrived home and I didn't feel like I was alone anymore. When I checked my phone there was a message from Michael.

"Ivy you make me feel like a teenager again. What are you doing tomorrow night?"

Oh Michael. How did this go so wrong?