Ebb and Flow – Romantic Fiction – Pt 1

Cool, crisp morning air rushes in my face as I step out of a large office building. I glance both ways, considering my options. I could get something to eat, but I never could hold down food this early, not on a workday.

Deciding on a coffee, and knowing the coffee shop to the right is an additional five blocks away, I turn left and join the crowd. Chins are pressed against chests, hoods drawn tightly to keep all but one's face from the cold wind. Though I feel the relative closeness of bodies marching along around me, these moments packed in with thousands of strangers sometimes seem the most lonely.

As I walk down the busy sidewalk, I find myself between a short man with a long beard and no hair on his head and a tall, skinny woman wearing a vibrant pink shirt. She notices me admiring her dress and, with a tightening of the lips and narrowing of her eyes, draws her coat closer around herself, obscuring the garment – and her chest, I realize – from view. Blushing, I put my head down and pull the hood tight as the others, allowing myself to fall back away from the woman whom I just accidentally harassed.

Her back is just disappearing from view when I feel a hard shove from behind. My legs splay helplessly as I am flung forward onto the pavement, and I hear a feminine voice behind me.

"Oh – Oh my!"

The crowd parts around me, and though I look up at the faces, none dare glance back. With places to go and one's own troubles to worry on, one rarely has time for helping another person up.

"Hey! I'm sorry!"

It's the voice again. Looking up, I lay my eyes on her for the first time. She's short but well-built, with strong legs and a wide jawline. Hair tied in a simple ponytail, she holds a book against her chest with one finger holding her place. Her other hand is extended towards me.

"I wasn't paying attention, and you stopped right in front of me! Let me help you up."

Her eyes are a deep blue, almost purple, and they hold a mischievous spark. I get the feeling that she isn't really sorry for bumping into me, but that thought is fleeting. For the first time today, my mind isn't occupied by work. That pain in my side lessens somewhat, and the cool sunlight peaking through the clouds suddenly seems a little brighter.

"Hey! Are you hurt bad, man?"

"Uh..."

The woman's face has gone from amused to slightly concerned. She snaps her fingers in front of my face.

"Do you need an ambulance?"

"Uh- Sorry... I think I'm fine. I just -"

Grasping my hand, she pulls me shakily to my feet, and for the first time I notice the smell - some kind of cleaner, maybe? Her hand isn't as soft as I expected, with callouses and a couple of gnarly scars. She has a grip stronger than my own.

"Well? What happened? Are you okay? At least I have an excuse for not paying attention," she says, brandishing the novel in her hand, one finger still functioning as a makeshift bookmark.

The flow of pedestrians continues to part around our little bubble, though the space had grown tighter once I was helped up and no longer a source of awkwardness for the crowd.

Shaking my head, I dispel the last of my momentary shock. "Yeah, I'm alright. I just... Well, I got distracted by something."

Raising one eyebrow, the woman studies me for a moment. "Where are you headed? Maybe I should stick with you for a while, so you don't hurt yourself."

My cheeks flush, and I wonder what I did to deserve this. All I wanted was to go get a cup of coffee and return to my boring office job. Why the pink shirt, and the embarrassment and subsequent falling on my face? She must've seen my facial expression change, because she laughs and pats me on the back.

"I'm just messing with you. Though, I really don't have anywhere to be, so I may actually walk with you for a while if you don't mind!"

Running my hand through my hair and down my face, I sigh and crack a small smile. "Okay. I was going to get a coffee. Want to join me?"

She perks up and, locking her arm with mine, begins to pull me down the sidewalk. She's gone in the opposite direction of the closest coffee shop, but suddenly, I don't mind the extra distance.

The story will continue in part 2.