the girl on the bench

Chapter 3

It's Friday today. Friday's and Saturday's are always my big work nights and I dread the thought of what my night will entail. It makes me not want to go to work. Like clockwork, I get myself ready in my black leggings, white hoodie and white Nike's and head down to the beach. I get lost in my thoughts of how tonight will play out, working out some time to spend with Alex, doing the laundry and what I will wear tomorrow night for work. My mind is racing with all the thoughts and I almost forget about worrying about the familiar stranger until I am walking up the ramp to my bench. Now she's all I can think about and I get nervous. Part of me wants to see her so I can rectify my lack of niceties yesterday and part of me doesn't because I like being alone at my bench. I don't bring my drawing supplies with me today since I want to try clear my head before my shift tonight. I reach the path to my bench and take a deep breath. No one's there. I sit down and bring my knees to my chest. It's cold today and I regret not wearing warmer pants. Lucky I put on a beanie and my puffer jacket before I left the house after seeing the grey sky. I hear footsteps and I don't dare to look behind me since I can only assume who it is. I watch the same girl plonk herself next to me on the bench. She is looking down at her phone and laughs. She shows me her phone and I see a video of a black swan floating on the water. Around it's neck is a tag with the numbers '069'. The video only lasts a few seconds. She takes the phone from my face and says, "That" she says pointing at her phone "is my favourite swan!" she laughs again and I smile at her juvenile behaviour. "Just down there" she continues and points across me to a pier. I take in her hands as she points. She wears black fingerless gloves and I can see her nails are short.

"I'm Georgia, by the way" she says smiling wide at me. I don't think I've ever met a person this happy before. Does she ever stop smiling? It's not that it's a bad thing it's just the opposite of how I'm feeling right now making it slightly irritating. "Sophie" I say briefly smiling back. "What am I saying?" She shakes her head "Start again, I'm G. No one calls me Georgia except for my family" she says shaking her head and looking off to the ocean. This makes me laugh. She looks at me and laughs along "Sorry, I'm being awkward again" she says letting out an exasperated sigh. "Are you normally this socially awkward?" I ask her trying to be sassy. She laughs and says "Yeah" shrugging. "It's OK, I haven't actually interacted with strangers in a while so excuse me if I'm not coming across as friendly. I normally am, not that you can tell... And I'm rambling. Sorry" I say trying to explain my behaviour without actually changing it. "Well I did interrupt your peace, so..." she pauses "I kind of still am though, aren't I?". She laughs. After a beat I say, "I like to think of it as my bench. I've been walking here for months and no one used to come here or even knew it existed". "Until I ruined it" she says looking down. I turn to her "It's OK, I was hogging it anyway. I wouldn't mind sharing it with you" She looks up at me and smiles so I smile back. I'm just being friendly. Not flirty. What's the difference again?

We get to talking about swans and other sea birds, the ocean and other random topics for about half an hour. The conversation between us flows pretty easily. She definitely is a talker. But also really funny. "So, do you live around here?" she asks me. "Are you trying to find out where I live already? I barely know you" I say jokingly. She just smiles. "I just live around the corner" I say pointing over our shoulders. She nods. "I'm over that way" she says pointing behind her right shoulder. I nod. "I actually work down that way" I say trying to keep the conversation from becoming awkward. "Oh yeah, where abouts?" she says seeming interested. "Ah, the pub called 'Half Moon' only on Friday nights" I say cringing. "I've just moved here so I haven't checked that one out yet" she says. "Yeah, I probably wouldn't bother" I say as she raises her eyebrows. "Elsternwick is better for bars" I continue, "I work at Antique Bar as well on Saturday nights". "Well I have my weekend sorted" she says rubbing her hands together. I laugh "Yeah, sure" I say sarcastically unsure of how serious she is.