To Be Me

Hello Stranger

"So how long are you just going to sit there?"

A feminine voice snapped him out of his daze as he tilted his head slightly to the side to get a proper view of the lady sitting beside him.

She looked totally unbothered. Her eyes still glued to her phone.

"Maybe I'm finally going crazy and starting to hear things." He thought reclaiming his former position staring at the vast blue space before him.

Suddenly he noticed a quick, bright flash from the corner of his eye coming from a distance but could not pinpoint the exact location.

It seems she also noticed it as he heard her curse under her breath before quickly pulling the hoodie over her head as a shield.

But from what exactly?

He wasn't given enough time to think as there was a second flash.

Wait. Isn't that from a camera?

He peered into the distance but was met with another flash.

He was definite. That was a camera but why? Why would somebody, anybody want a photo of him.

Luckily, he had his hoodie on from the start so it should be relatively hard to get a clear picture of him from that angle.

Turning to her, he wondered. Maybe she was the one being photographed for whatever reason he didn't really care about but was certain he didn't want to get involved in it.

Standing up to go, he heard her voice once more.

"What magazine do you work for?"

"What?" He sounded and looked quite confused but she couldn't see it as his face was shielded by the hoodie.

"Don't act so confused. I'm sure this isn't your first job. So what's the plan this time? Who are you supposed to be?"

"What are you talking about?" He turned to her direction so he could get a good look at her face before speaking.
"I don't even know you."

As soon as she looked at him, there was another flash and this one she was almost a hundred percent sure got a good shot of her face.

The person with the camera seemed to have changed locations.

"Of all the days for this to happen... Why today?" They both thought in unison almost glaring at each other.

Matthew on the other hand wondered what was going on. From the looks of it, it seemed she had a better understanding of the situation. Who was this woman and what had he gotten roped into?

Whatever it was he really wasn't in the mood for any of it.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he was about to leave when she spoke again causing him to halt suddenly.

"Leaving already? Are they enough or don't you want some more."

Heaving a heavy sigh, he turned slightly to get a good last look at her face before he walked away without saying a single word.

                                    ***

Not long after, he arrived back home where he met his mum and dad sitting on the couch watching a movie. It seemed to be getting a lot of their attention lately because they did not hear him come in.

Immediately, he headed straight for his room trying his best to be very quiet climbing the stairs so as not to attract the attention of the lovey dovey couple downstairs or else they would stop with all the smiles. So quickly like it was a reflex action.

They tried to be secretive about it but he was already aware of what they were up to.

His mother thought it might remind him of what he's lost.

Who... he's lost.

And especially not today. He was sure his mother would quickly stop smiling so brightly with his dad if they noticed him so he had to be as quiet as possible. They shouldn't have to be miserable or press the pause button on their happiness just because of him.

Finally getting to his room, he flopped on the bed obviously tired. All that walking didn't do him as much good as he thought and he didn't even want to get started on all that happened at the park.

Who was that woman and why were her photos being taken probably without her consent.

"Whatever." He turned on his side and decided to let sleep take him away.