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Joe took another sip of his coffee, inhaling the scent of New York. The traffic was bustling around him, and autumn leaves fell like pieces into place onto the uneven sidewalk. They crunched under his foot and he smiled, taking another sip of his warm drink. New York felt like a giant's body, and the traffic running through the streets were the blood in his veins, and Joe was just a single cell, maybe less.
He turned the corner and walked into one of the entrances leading to Central Park, where people and their dogs were milling about. He sat down on a bench near the children's playground, finishing up his coffee while he scrolled through his phone.
When he gulped down the last sip of his coffee, he felt it rush through his body, warming him up and energizing him. He stood up and walked to the nearest trash can, where he threw the cardboard cup away and started to walk towards the exit.
In the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of blonde-- a bit too familiar for his taste. The woman's head was turned, and she was facing a toddler, maybe about four years old or so. He waited for her to move her head, so he could confirm his suspicions. And she did, she turned her head slightly towards him, wisps of her blonde hair falling into place like dominoes. And it was her. Taylor.
He hadn't seen her in three years, but she hadn't changed much from what he could observe. But maybe she didn't stay the same either. She had put on some healthy weight, her face highlighted by a soft glow. Rosy blush coated her cheeks, and her hair had grown longer and fuller.
He had this relentless urge to walk up to her, but he couldn't do it. She has moved on, and it would be rather awkward of him to do so. She might not even remember him for God's sake, and she has a toddler with her, whom he can only assume belongs to her.
He shook his thoughts out of his head as he continued to walk towards the exit of the park. He sped up slightly as the wind blew into his face, his hair flying all over the place, covering his vision. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He was in dire need of a haircut.
"Joe!" he heard a rich alto voice called out to him from the other end of the park.
For some reason, he ignored her. He knew her voice all too well. He didn't know why he was purposefully ignoring her, because he certainly had missed her. His ears tingled with crimson as he tightened his coat around his torso, if it could be any tighter, that is.
"JOSEPH MATTHEW ALWYN!" Taylor yelled, using his full name. She knew damn well he could hear her. Of course she saw right through him.
Joe sighed like a sullen schoolboy getting in trouble with his mother, and shuffled his feet so he was now walking towards her direction. The autumn leaves still crunched underneath his feet, and he saw a warm smile light up her face.
