"No offense, Dallas, but I'm not into moody assholes," I fired at him with a smug smirk.
"Yeah, you're not my type either, Diana," he shot back. "Crazy, uptight chics are kind of a turnoff." I narrowed my eyes at him and growled angrily.
...
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My cigarette shrunk as I took my last inhale, and watched the white smoke swirl around in the wind. I flicked it out of my fingers and stomped on the stick with my black boots, twisting my foot so it was just a pile of warm ashes left on the ground.
By now, I have walked halfway across town. It was probably some time around noon because the sun was at its highest peak in the sky. It shined brightly, sharing its warmth with the rest of the world, but even the sun's rays couldn't help heat up the earth. Fall had just begun, and for many in the east, it was going to be a long, harsh winter. The trees' leaves already transformed into beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow. They hung onto the tree, desperately trying to stay attached to the branches as strong winds attempted to pull them away. Eventually, every leaf would be ripped off, floating through the air as if it was lost and needed a new place to go. Then, winter comes along and everything will be covered in the intense snow.
I've always hated winter. The cold is unbearable and no matter how many layers of clothes I wear the bitter weather always seems to give me chills. It seems like everyone in New York hates winter too. Maybe it's the arctic storms or maybe it's the stress of the holidays. Either way, winter in New York sucks.
»»——⍟——««
The extravagant buildings of New York City were far behind me as I walked through the dilapidated neighborhoods in Harlem. Paper, plastic, and other forms of trash littered the sidewalk as I continued through the rundown part of the city. I spent most of my time in Harlem; I basically grew up here. After my dad left, my mother and I got into a lot of arguments. One day, I ran away. I hopped on the subway and let it take me wherever, and I ended up here, in Harlem.
I turned a corner and walked into a shadowy alley. A rusted, metal door stood at the end of the narrow path. When I got to the door, I knocked quickly two times and then once more. Footsteps echoed from inside of the abandoned building and the door swung open shortly. Erica Miller, a tall, blonde beauty stood in the entrance with a bright smile on her face. She quickly pulled me in for a hug. "Diana!"
Not being a fan of hugs, I awkwardly wrapped my arms around her. "Hey Erica."
She released me from her embrace and pulled me into the building, shutting the door behind her. "I was wonderin' when I was gonna see you next," she smiled.
"Well, here I am," I chuckled softly. Erica was always so happy and positive. It was baffling to me that she can be so cheery all of the time. "Where is everyone?" I questioned as we walked further into the old building.
"Oh, they're in the main room playing cards or somethin," Erica replied.
I nodded and walked through another door, which led to the main room.
