Reed & Winifred (Completed)

Part 1

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She shuddered before looking up. Slowly she raised her eyes from her book. She casually lifted her head and took a look around. Hundreds of people were walking around, but to them she was invisible. They were all just walking through either going to or coming from a train.

Why then did she feel that all of a sudden she was being watched? She looked at the constant flow of people rushing past her, but nothing was out of the ordinary. She quickly glanced at the group of men sitting at the table across the room from her by a small deli cart. They were completely engrossed in their paperwork and conversation. Who was it then that made her so uneasy?

She eased up and went back to her book. She trembled again. This time it was different. It wasn't just a feeling someone was watching her she knew someone was watching her. Again she casually looked up from her book. Hoping she would be able to spot the person this time. Yet again she looked at the flow of people; no one had stopped to look at her and no one was the same as earlier. Then she looked at the table across the room; it was now occupied by a group of girls about the same age as her. They were giggling along to their own lives.

Frustrated and anxious she became very on guard. Trying not to feel worried about it she went back to her book. This time she found she couldn't concentrate on what she was reading. So she decided to put her book away. She watched as the people continued to walk past her; none of them even noticing her presence. She leaned over, grabbed her bag, and shoved her book into it. That's when she noticed someone standing in front of her. Quickly she sat up, alarmed!

"I'm sorry to startle you."

She stared in awe at the person who stood in front of her. She barely even heard the words that came from his mouth; she was completely hypnotized by his enchanting eyes. Before she knew it, he was sitting in the empty space on the bench next to her.

"It's ok. I was just getting ready to leave."

She started to grab her bag and get up.

"I didn't mean for walking up on you like that."

She stopped when she heard this. She laid her bag back on the floor, with a puzzled and nervous look on her face. She didn't say a word.

"I was watching you. Then you kept looking around like you knew I was watching you."

She shivered and tensed up, ready to run. He noticed this and he gave a little smirk. When she saw his reaction instead of fear, surprisingly, she felt calm and at ease.

"Why?"

The sound of her voice, so calm, surprised her. He just stared at her; she knew he was thinking of his answer to her question. He looked away as if to watch the current of people streaming past them. She was confused by this and found she wanted him to look back at her. She yearned to see his beautiful eyes, but he didn't look back.

"I don't know. I guess I was just drawn to you for some reason. I couldn't bring myself to look away."

He felt her stiffen back up. Suddenly he was afraid she might run away. He turned his head slightly to look back at her. He was surprised to see this seemed to calm her; so he didn't look away. When he finally looked back at her she did everything but smile and jump for joy. They were silent for a moment and it made her shiver. She suddenly realized she wasn't afraid anymore but infatuated with this strange man sitting next to her.

"Then I saw you looking around. I didn't think anything of it but I noticed you grew tenser and started looking around again. I knew you were looking for me..."

"Where were you? I looked and I never saw you in the crowd."

Again he looked away. She was taken back when he did this, confused. She quickly searched her memory for even the slightest recollection of him. There was nothing, not even the littlest glimpse. Then he turned back to look at her.

"The more important question is: why are you sitting here, by yourself, reading?"

She was shocked! She didn't know how to respond. Who was this guy and why was he so curious about her, and why couldn't she bring herself to get away? He could see the questions in her face.

"It's ok you don't have to explain. How about I introduce myself? I'm Reed!"

He saw the tension and questions in her eyes wash away. This made him relieved and he gave another smirk. This made her relax more and she slightly turned herself to better face him.

"I'm Winifred...but everybody calls me Winnie."

He smiled at this. She couldn't help but to smile back at him.

"So are you going to answer my question?"

She just looked at him, without answering him.

"Are you waiting on someone?"

She didn't reply.

"Will they be here soon? Will they mind that you are talking to me...a stranger?"

It was her turn to smirk at this. He gave out a little laugh.

"What? Was it something I said?"

Winnie smiled; she loved the sound of his laugh.

"I'm not waiting on anyone."

"Then what, might I ask, are you doing here?"

Now it was her turn to look away and watch the people walking by, paying no attention to the two of them.

"It's not that..."

"Shhhh...listen."

He instantly stopped talking and listened while he tried to see whatever she was looking at.

"I don't hear anything...expect the chatter and commotion of the people making their way through here."

He was now looking at her when he said this; watching as her mouth curved up into a smile.

"Exactly! I love the quiet noise of this place. Plus usually I'm left alone."
She glared at him when she stated this last part.

"So now I've answered your question. Are you going to answer mine?"

When she said this he stopped smiling and fought to not look away. She was smiling at herself but when she saw his reaction she instantly wished she hadn't brought it back up. She glanced down at her feet.

"It was nice to meet you Winifred."

It was as if he had whispered it into her ear. She quickly looked up. It felt like her heart was about to explode. She was unable to move. Expecting to see his face inches from hers she was suddenly shocked to find he was no longer there. She snapped out of it and in a panic searched the room for him...he was nowhere to be seen.