𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙶𝙴𝚃 𝙷𝙴𝚁࿐ ྂ ᴊᴇꜰꜰ ʙᴜᴄᴋʟᴇʏ

ᴛᴡᴏ

MARCH 1990, NYC

JEFF FOUND HIMSELF AIMLESSLY WANDERING.
Eventually, every street began to look the same, and his feet had gotten sore. Lights had begun to flicker out on St. Marks's Place, and as he walked further along a familiar sonata filled his ears. He was standing outside a tiny coffeehouse, above it was a simple sign, Sin-è. He decided to go in and found himself almost immediately running into a table. He navigated around the table and soon saw a piano that sat in the corner, music propped up on its stand, a head of blonde hair visible beyond it.

Soon, the piece ended and the pianist looked up. He was surprised to see who it was, Polly. She no longer had the same tired look in her eyes as she did several nights before, she looked happy to be playing to the small crowd. Her eyes met Jeff's and she smiled, he smiled back and sat down at a table, focusing on the piano.

She looked beautiful. Even more so than he'd thought the first time he saw her. He watched her play, she concentrated on the keys and seemed to make no mistake. Jeff stayed put while the others in Sin-è came and go, maybe he was in some sort of trance by her, by the way she seemed to play effortlessly.

He thanked himself for his wandering that had led him to this place, to her. Soon, everyone had cleared out, and Polly had stood from the piano.

She tucked the folder of music under her arm and walked to Jeff, "Hi." She greeted him, and he stood.

"Hi," he grinned, "I didn't know you played for people."

"I don't really, just late Saturdays." She walked through the door Jeff held open for her.

"I'll come for longer next time." He promised.

She almost grimaced, "you don't have to. It's not exactly a great way to spend your Saturday night."

"I think it's great." He insisted, "I think you're great."

Polly was quiet yet looked up at him and smiled.

"I wish I could play piano." He commented thoughtfully, broke the eye contact, and continued walking.

They walked in silence for a bit, not sure where they were headed. Streetlights lit their way along the sidewalk, flickering every now and then.

Jeff was an enigma to Polly. Throughout the night they had spent talking and listening to records, he hadn't once gotten close to her and tried to make a pass at her. Which she supposed was a good thing- a great thing even. But she really wouldn't have minded if he had gotten closer.

Jeff didn't think Polly cared for him in any other way than what was the beginning of their friendship, and he was fine with it being left at just that. He had told himself to not harbor the feelings he knew he was beginning to have because he had just met her. But he was getting wildly ahead of himself.

At the sudden rush of spiraling thoughts, he shoved his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a box of Kool's, first sticking the box out to Polly, to which she shook her head.

"You quit?" He asked, shielding the flame from his zippo with his hand.

"This week." She laughed, knowing it wouldn't last.

"I'm proud." He took a long drag, and felt his nerves settle, if only for a moment. He tapped off ash onto the street. "Am I walking you home again?"

"If you want."

"Of course I do." To this, she laughed, and he took another drag.

Once again, warmth spread over her face; that was common when she was with Jeff. She was twenty-one, not fifteen and on her first date, she reminded herself.