October.
It was nine in the morning on a Thursday, the very busy streets of Manhattan lowering my hopes to find the tall blonde boy that I can't get enough of. There were businessmen and businesswomen, just people walking around, like what I'm doing. I noticed some tourists too, but no sign of Luke. Obviously. This place was crowded.
Maybe he's waiting on the bench at Starbucks. I mean, he's there all the time, anyway. I thought. That was true, but I couldn't take the chance and have Bruce fire me for ditching work, or Michael, getting upset that I ditched him at work. Guess I'll have to take the risk and find him myself. But that would take a miracle.
I passed a woman on the street, playing the ukulele and singing Jason Mraz, trying to earn a few dollars. I stopped and smiled, listening to the beautiful strums and melody she was creating on the instrument. When I was around eleven years old, my dad taught me how to play. It took me around a year-ish to fully learn how to play, considering my ineptness, but nevertheless, I'm still thankful I learned. I miss them. But I'm too ashamed to go back to find them. All I have left are my memories, sadly.
I bend down to the little ukulele case and place a few dollars in, earning a sweet smile from the girl. What a shame, she could've been a real talent, famous, even. I returned the smile, and started my way down the walk once again, to look for that blond quiff with the blue eyes.
Luke.
I walked in haste to find October around the occupied city of New York. This is hopeless. I didn't like being around so many people, glancing at me whenever I walked by. I hated it. I couldn't even stand being in a room of twenty kids, let alone a whole city. Maybe she wasn't even here, probably at home, watching Spongebob marathons on Nickelodeon, or something. I chuckled. No, Luke, that's something you would do. Did she like Spongebob as well?
But something told me that that brunette with the eyes that only seemed to be looking for an adventure was around these hard-at-work streets, probably making someone's day already with that gold smile of hers. I've been seeing her at the café for a month now, and now was the only time I started to take notice in her. I wonder if she took notice in me before.
She was looking for an adventure and she found one: me. And man, I hope October really knows what she's in for when she sees how much of a mess I am.
But I'm not giving up. As I'm walking, I notice a tuneful and harmonious sound of the ukulele. I never learned how to play any instruments. I did try out the guitar, but after my aunt offered me to take lessons from a music shop she's familiar with, I didn't push on with the idea any longer. I did learn some chords, though. I stopped in my tracks when I recognized the brown hair cascading down her back as she wore a grey hoodie, which I noticed was from Harvard? Cool. Then, she turned and gave the woman who was playing a small thumbs up, and I saw that it was her. I didn't waste another minute, rushing over to where she was, a crosswalk away from me. I started to fast walk, jaywalking and getting a few honks and cusses from ongoing taxi drivers.
October.
I bid the girl goodbye with a small wave along with a thumbs-up, which she returned shortly before going back to playing an euphonious melody. I turned a corner to where the street was a little less swamped with rushing people, when I felt someone with rough fingertips, yet smooth palms that felt oddly familiar grab my wrist. I froze, a little frightened but didn't dare turn around. I lived in New York for almost three years now, and with the help of Michael he taught me how to go through obstacles like this. I just never thought it would happen.
