The skyline towered far above her eyes, hundred of thousands of windows sparkling in the daylight. People were bustling, pushing and prodding their way through the crowded sidewalks. All she could hear was noise, the beeping of the traffic, the roar in the air.
New York City had a kind of magic. It was like being in a new world. The city was full of stories, stories it would take years to explore. The city was full of people, and she wanted to meet all of them. Meet them, have conversations, hear their stories, she simply couldn't wait. New York City was euphoric to a girl from Norfolk, Virginia. There was simply nothing that could compare and as Emmy looked up into the sky of her new home, she couldn't help but bask in the glory of it all.
Her dark brown eyes glimmered as the sun draped all around her. She took in her surroundings and smiled like a kid in a candy store. This was where she was meant to be. New York was a new beginning, and the beginning of everything she had always dreamed of. Everything she had worked for her whole life was finally coming to the front.
She was apart of a traveling show that would do shows in and out of the city, and while that wasn't forever, being in New York City would give her access to agents, industry leaders and people who could guide her to her dream. All she ever wanted was to be on Broadway, just to be able to step foot on one of those stages, it gave her jitters just thinking about it.
The only thing stopping her was the current fact that she was lost. She had got off the plane and into the taxi that brought her to the heart of the city so quickly that she completely forgot to ask for directions. There were signs everywhere but she had no idea what they meant. 77th street? Left? Right? Northwest? Yeah, she was confused. She had never seen anything like the city, and while that brought much excitement, the city grew even bigger when she realized she had no idea where to go.
The theatre she was apart of was paying for her apartment, she just had to find a way to get there. Everything was walkable in New York, as she was told, and she didn't want to spend more money than she had to, so she decided to keep walking. She went into the bodega that was a few feet from where she was standing. She figured a local in there could point her in some type of direction.
"Hi," she smiled, walking up to the counter. The guy on the other side was sitting on a chair, lost in what looked like a science fiction novel. He had dark curly hair, a scruffy beard, and was wearing a full on burgundy corduroy jumpsuit. He didn't seem to hear her so she spoke up again, "Hi, umm, could you help me?"
He seemed to be startled by her voice and tripped over his chair. He flashed a dorky smile at her and spoke, "Sorry, sorry, I must've got lost in my book, how can i help you?," he said shyly and smiled once again.
"I'm new here and i'm kind of lost. I need to get to my apartment on 17th street. Do you know how i can get there?" Emmy asked politely.
"Yeah, you just keep straight down this street then you're gonna make a left at 15th, and then a right at 16th, and then keep straight and you'll be right there," he said confidently this time. The way he spoke was evident that he was very familiar with the city, and she could tell by this little interaction that he carried the vibe of the city within him.
"Thank you," she smiled and for the smallest millisecond they made direct eye contact.
"Don't worry about it," he smiled and shrugged.
Emmy turned to leave the shop, hoping she would remember everything she told her. She reached to pushed the door open, but turned back to look at the employee once again. They made eye contact again which told her he was already looking at her. She walked out the door with a smile on her face, the kind stranger adding even more magic to the city she already loved so much.
She was about 50ft from the convenience store when she heard someone yelling behind her.
"Miss! Miss!" the voice yelled.
She turned around to see the guy from the store. He was running behind her, pretty fast actually. She stopped in her tracks and allowed him to catch up.
"Hey! Did i umm, leave- i didn't have anything with me," she spoke confusion etching in her voice.
"No umm, so.. this is bold. This is really bold, and I've never done anything like this before. I'm a really shy guy, but i don't want to regret anything. But you, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I know i'm never gonna get you out of my head. You have to tell me your name," he said very quickly, "And if this is creepy, never mind, I know it's creepy, but I promise I'm not creepy, I just, I really like you."
Emmy burst into a loud giggle at his frazzled state. "Im Emmy, and you're really sweet," she smiled.
"I'm, I'm Daveed," he replied with that same dorky smile from earlier.
Emmy had thought he was really cute from the time she saw him reading in the bodega. He had a nerdy but strong vibe and he was very tall and muscular. His smile was beautiful and he was overall one of the kindest guys she had ever met.
"Sooo, I kinda forgot what you told me, which is perfect because i was gonna ask, do you want to, you know, walk with me?" she asked, "I mean, never mind you probably have to go back to work."
"Nah my boss can handle it. I'd love to," he smiled and took a spot on the sidewalk adjacent to her side.
They walked and talked about everything in the short distance to her place. They learned each other's ages, backgrounds, and future prospects. Daveed was 32, about 6 years older than her and he too was an artist, although he was struggling to find a stable gig, hence the bodega job. After his college graduation, he got on a bus to the city and had never looked back. He had couch surfed off and on for 10 years, so he practically knew every end of the city. Emmy told him about the art school she went to back home, and she really didn't need to explain that she was new in town. He did light up with congratulations when she mentioned her newest play, which was a delightful surprise for Emmy.
Somehow, without either of them realizing, they had grabbed each other's hands as they were walking. Emmy's hand fit into his like a lock and key, and as they walked down the streets of the city, the slow tightening of their grasp on each other was a mirror of what was going on between the two strangers.
"So, I think this is it," Emmy spoke. She looked down and saw their interlocked hands for the first time. It seemed as if Daveed had the same realization and they broke their hands apart with quick soft smiles.
"This is it," he nodded, "I guess I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, umm, maybe I could stop by the shop again soon," she smiled.
"I'll be waiting," he smirked and turned to walk away.
"Wait!" Emmy called getting his attention and stopping him in his tracks. She ran to catch up with him and pressed her lips to his. His arms immediately went around her back to pull her in closer. The kiss lingered, their chemistry casting a spark that kept them together.
Emmy was the one to step back first, "Do you want to come inside? You could help me unpack, and are you hungry?"
"I'd love to come in, and i know some great spots we could order in from," he said. Daveed consciously took her hand, weaving her fingers with his, and leading her inside.
Being around Daveed made New York City just a little smaller for Emmy. He gave her a hand to hold amongst the millions of people and she couldn't be more grateful. She felt safe with him and she wanted to know and be apart of his story. They had just met, but she really felt something for him, and she hoped they could stick together in this magical city.