New York [harry styles au]

01

[I saw this edit from megsedits on YouTube and got goosebumps from how perfect it fit with this story. When writing it, I imagined Lana Del Rey as the female lead. You can imagine her as somebody else of course, but I thought the edit would be the perfect introduction to the story. Enjoy.]

01.
My first night in New York, a July night that turned cooler as the sky turned darker, was spent worrying about where I was to sleep. I knew that I had to find a cheap bed & breakfast that would keep me warm for the majority of the night, there was no other option. But before I did this, I decided to find a gathering spot within New York where I could sit and catch my breath from exploring all day. I promptly found a bench that was situated inside a bus shelter and was directly underneath a bright street lamp.

It wasn't long before I felt somebody fall into the space of the bench beside me. I turned to view a lady with long blonde hair, completely different to my own dark brunette locks, who also had bright emerald eyes; but her irises being so enlarged made it somewhat difficult to tell which colour they really were. A smell of alcohol mixed with cannabis soon flooded my nostrils as it seemed to radiate from her with every breath she took. Despite this, I could still feel a warm presence surrounding her and I would lie if I said it didn't comfort me. I glanced back at the fast-moving road ahead of me before she found me staring too long.

"Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you around these parts before." I heard her speak up and her voice was completely American, that's all I could describe it as; she spoke with a tinge to her voice that could have only been from a thoroughly raised American girl, sweet but patriotic. It seemed to differ from mine, even though we were from the same country.

"Yeah, just got here from Chicago."

"Oh, Chicago. I've never been there, it's pretty fancy I believe." She replies.

"It depends on the places within Chicago that you go to, like every state. There's always a bad side to every good town. But, I'm not from Chicago, I'm actually from Idaho. I'm a traveller." I explain, watching her eyes light up in appeal and she looked like a child listening to a story about Santa Claus.

"Wow, that must be a good lifestyle. I've never left New York. I'm a New York girl through and through." She said with a giggle. "Say, do you have a place to stay tonight?"

"No, I need to look for a room somewhere."

"No point looking for a hotel, my friend has an apartment not far from here. That's where I'm heading now, you can stay there if you want; keep some of your travel money. You seem nice, I trust you."

"Really? That would be great." I trusted her.

"I usually get the bus there so we'll stay here until the bus arrives." She says and I nod, "Do you want one?" I peer down to find her holding a pack of cigarettes and I take one of the pre-rolled sticks, she lights hers before lighting mine. I glanced up to the sky to see it clear, only two small stars positioned in the midst of its darkness.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

I felt proud that I had found an acquaintance already, even prouder that I wouldn't have to pay living costs. She was a very unique individual and I liked it. I take another slow drag of my cigarette and feel calmer already. You could trust people like this in the '70s, nobody was out to get anyone. We all had our own problems, our own ways of living our lives and we just respected that. Meeting people was a privilege and not an opportunity to hurt, that's what it seemed anyway.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Angelina Hilton, sometimes I like to be called Angelica depending on how I'm feeling, but my real name is Angeline. Yours?"