Counting Seconds - Chaelisa (CONVERTED)

I

I'm in the middle of a New York street that I don't really know the name, trying to find the address to the job interview I need make myself present in thirty minutes. I have no idea if I'm going the right way and I'm looking to every board, trying to understand where I am. This was my biggest problem until I look forward and my eyes rest on a number.

117,467 and counting.

When I see it, my heart aches, as it always does, but when I look to the person from whom the number is above, I felt it breaking apart.

She's coming towards me, along with the crowd on the huge sidewalk, and no one seem to care about the numbers flying over her head, and she seems lonely. Her earphones on, probably deep in the music echoing in her ears, seeing her concentrated expression. Her mind must be lost in thoughts, her look vague, seeming unfocused, merely paying attention to her path, more like just to don't bump with people walking beside her. Her dark hair falling over her shoulders like a beautiful cascade and suddenly I get the urge to feel it against my fingertips.

She looks so beautiful. Her pale skin seeming like porcelain under the grey daylight during the cold Autumn. My eyes follow her and she passes right beside me without looking up, staring at her feet and her sweet perfume make its way to inside my lungs. I stop in the middle of the sidewalk and turn my body to the side she is following. She looks so sad. I need to do something.

She stops on the corner, waiting for the light turn red to the cars so she can continue her way. I walk in rushed steps since she's already distanced from me, to get to her as soon as possible.

I get behind her and I place a hand on her shoulder what makes the girl give a little jump on her spot. Her hands run to take her earphones off quickly and she's looking at me with a scared look.

"What the fuck? You almost killed me." she says with her widened eyes staring into mine. I feel my breath hesitating to leave my lungs normally because her eyes are absolutely mind-blowing.

"I.. I'm sorry," I stutter to answer her. "I didn't mean to scare you." I shake my head. She looks at my hand on her shoulder and gazes back at me.

"You can take your hand out of my shoulder now, stranger."

"I'm sorry." I say as I remove my hand from her quickly and tuck it in my coat pocket, feeling a little embarrassed.

"It's... ok." she says looking at me with her eyes narrowed. She gazes at the headlight and it is red. She nods at me and gives me an awkward smile before turning her side, walking along with the many people that are crossing the street. I take a moment to realize that she's walking away from me once more.

"Wait!" I say and I get to her side quickly. We're on the middle of the sidewalk again.

"What?" she asks and she stops, looking at me. She looks slightly annoyed, but annoyed is better than sad, I think. Right?

"Nothing." I answer. I don't actually know what I'm doing.

"What?" she asks again. Her brows arching up and she shrugs her shoulders in confusion on why I'm still talking to her, probably.

"I... what are you doing today?" I blurt out.

"What?" she asks and her dark brows furrow.

"Are you busy?" I ask again. She looks at me for a minute, trying to figure why on Earth I would stop her in the middle of the street to ask her that.

"I'm... no..." she answers slowly, not sure if she should be answering a total stranger.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" I ask without realizing how weird that would sound and she chuckles in disbelief.