Beside You

I

         Life was finally feeling good. For once I wasn't flat out broke, and I was purely surrounded by love. I was happy. Everything was finally going my way- until I bumped into the wrong person.

          It was a weekday, and I had just finished closing up the shop. The streets were lit up as New York streets usually are. This city truly "never sleeps". Because it was a holiday (Christmas eve to be exact), work hours were longer than usual.
As I walked the busy streets, the cold air caressed my face. The city was beautiful at night, and the snow made it 10x more breathtaking. The only thing taking away this moment was the horrid smells. Piles of garbage lay on the border between the street and the sidewalk. The garbage trucks usually come out around now, but there were still tons of garbage left out.
         Anyways, I'll stop babbling and get to the point of this night. After closing the shop, I headed down towards Times Square. I'm definitely one of those "last-minute" shoppers. Times Square was obviously extra lively tonight, but something was different. A huge crowd was gathering around. Girls were screaming and yelling out names, but I decided to ignore it. I  mean, famous people came around here every now and then, so it was quite normal. The strange thing is: crowds never got this big.

~~~

         A few hours passed by, and I've finally finished my shopping. 

I just hope Aidan likes the watch I bought him.

          By the time I've finished, the crowds have dispersed and the shops were closed. I didn't plan on walking home this late, but things happen, ya know? My apartment was a few blocks away, so I wasn't worried, and Times Square was still lit up and running, but of course, every store was closed. People were just casually partying in the lights. I hurried along and made my way through the little crowd. As I was walking by, my foot caught onto a grocery bag that was carelessly being blown by the wind. I lost my footing and fell face forward. My bags scattered all around me, and then I heard a few girls screaming again. Embarrassed, I hurriedly tried to gather my things, but the wind was picking up, and it became impossible. There was one gift that I hoped to find though: Aidan's watch. It was no longer in the bag it came in, so I got on my hands and knees and searched the floor. I probably looked like a lunatic, but I could NOT afford to lose this gift. Just as I thought I had found it, someone's hand reached for it first.

        "Hey, that's mine!"

      Without thinking, I aggressively snatch the box out of their hand and book it. I didn't want any trouble, but straightaway, fast-paced footsteps were heard from behind me. Annoyed (and a bit terrified), I sharply turned around to face them. Immediately, I was stunned. He was dressed casually in a pair of jeans, and a white Puma jacket. The man was tall, slim, and seemed so pure. His facial features were strong, yet soft, and his hair looked perfectly groomed. He was unbelievably handsome.

       " I didn't want you getting the wrong impression of me. I promise you I wasn't taking it or anything, I was just picking it up for you...sorry." His eyes were filled with worry, and he bowed a little after his sincere apology.

       " No, I'm sorry. I probably over-exaggerated a bit, but it's just...it's New York, so I'm always expecting the worse, ya know? Especially at this hour." There was a beat of awkwardness, and the man just gave a small grin before saying, " You're not out here alone, are you?" He nonchalantly runs his hands through his hair as he asks.

         " Uh- Actually, I am." He chuckles at my response, but before he can say anything else, he's interrupted by a few girls who call out his name. "Jimin" is all I kept hearing. His attention shifts and he flashes the girls a huge smile, followed along with a small wave. The girls scream at his casual gestures, and I'm left there standing around like a lost Lil bean.