Muna
"You know what... Never mind." I said to the barista, who stared at me questionably with her brows slightly furrowed.
She was probably wondering why I wasted time on the line if I wasn't going to order. But the thing was, chances like this were hard to come by.
I recited the powerful comeback lines in my head as I turned behind, and spared a smile at the blonde girl, who was next in line before walking off to deliver my words, feeling so confident. But the closer I stepped to his table, the more I stuttered in my mind, reciting these lines of mine.
I halted in front of him and dragged the seat out, and a screeching sound filled the air. I lowered into the seat, smirking and let me tell you, this was the best way to announce my presence because that sure got Mr Rudeness's attention. The expression on his face, while his gaze drifted from his laptop to me, said everything I needed to know.
Upon recognizing me, his expression went from a frown to something like a smile, I might be mistaken or maybe I was seeing things. But all that was quickly erased, leaving his face blank and the lines between his brows spreading back out. It was beginning to look more like a staring contest, and my eyes were getting lost in his brown orbs. His gaze was strong, leaving the first word I was about to say stuck in my throat.
I cleared my throat, wondering why he had not said anything yet, but then, I remembered I was the one to say something. It was my turn to say a piece of my mind.
"Look, I-" he started but I was fast to shut him down.
"This time I will do the talking while you listen." There was no way I would let him win this time.
But instead of what I wanted to see, Mr Rudeness's lips curved in a smirk and my brows furrowed at that. The thought of what might be funny had me glancing around the place. Was I the joke? Because everyone in here was minding their business.
My eyes were back on him, meeting his gaze, which looked me down and back to my face, with his right brow slightly raised. "I just want to say that..." I started, but this time my voice was watered down and my tone soft. "There was no reason for you to be rude earlier, What happened was nothing but an accident and I am so..." I paused as a resounding 'What?' Exploded in my head.
What was I doing and why was I apologizing? I wasn't here to apologize, but something about the way he was looking at me had me thinking, if walking up to him was a good idea.
"I- uh- I- just," I stuttered and this time, a small smile played on his lips. Wait, what on earth has gotten over me? "Look I just want to say that you were rude earlier and no, I am not dumb." I paused, but as he opened his mouth to say something, I shut him down again. "Wait, I ain't done yet," I said, and he raised a brow at me. I rolled my eyes at him, "I know how to use a fucking treadmill." I said in a voice I couldn't recognise and I swallowed, wondering why my throat was feeling dry.
I rose to my feet immediately, hadn't said even a word from the lines I recited multiple times earlier, the lines I had completely forgotten. Briefly, I shut my eyes, not wanting to face the embarrassment glaring at me. But as I opened them, I bumped into someone, whose coffee baptized my boobs and down to my stomach. Fuck!
"Oh my goodness," I groaned under my breath, shutting my eyes in an attempt to stop the tears that pricked in them, while the very cold coffee settled on my skin.
I snapped my eyes open and my gaze rested on a man, bowing his head multiple times, apologizing.
"Oh lord," I mumbled. "It's fine, it's okay." My hand reached out to him. I couldn't even be mad at him, not with that handsome face of his.
"Are you okay?" A deep voice rasped from the side and I turned my face to its direction, meeting Mr Rudeness looking down at my boobs, with his hands in his pants pocket.
With a faint scowl on my face, I cleared my throat drawing his attention back to my face. I rolled my eyes and stormed off, abandoning both men, in search of the restroom, while wearing an emblem of regret.
All these would have been avoided if I minded my business from when I entered the coffee shop.
__________
The day moved as fast as a flash of light, and I ended up not getting anything done. Now, I was standing under the evening sky of Brooklyn Bridge Park. The city lights glistened on the water and the waves were so captivating. The small laugh from the people walking past me had me a little distracted and I threw them a glance over my shoulder.
The lights also reflected on my brown overall loose dress and the black top I had on my slender figure. My braids were now in a ponytail and just like every other day in the past weeks, today was coming to an end with me making no friends or acquaintances.
Or maybe it isn't over yet... my inner voice quipped, and I grinned glancing around the park. But upon finding out I was the only one alone, looking lost and lonely, I took my gaze back to the water. I sighed, fixing my eyes intensively with all attention on it, shutting down the thoughts of making friends for the day.
The thought in my mind was quickly replaced by the man that had overtaken me since the day, the images of his big brown eyes, and smirking face had been against my wish, swimming in and out of my head. The more I tried to get rid of them, the more they flooded into my mind and at this point, I would be grateful if my mind would go back to its previous state. That was the state of it being clouded with the thought of my ex and any other random stuff, but then, it seemed too stubborn to succumb to that.
"Hola, bella dama." A smooth deep voice sang from behind, and I whipped my face in its direction.
My eyes met the smiling face of a man, whose dark shiny hair glistened under the city lights. He looked like he was almost six feet and his white shirt and black pants fitted perfectly on his athletic tanned body.
"What is your lovely self doing here all alone, Princess?" He drawled as he closed the distance between us, and halted right beside me.
"It's Muna," I said my name, which he hadn't asked for. "I'm not some princess," I added for context.
He nodded, "Pardon me, you do look like one though." He smiled, glancing at the water and back to me. "Andrew, Andrew Diaz." His hand left his pants pocket, and he held it out to me.
Smiling, I shook his hand, "It's nice to meet you, Andrew." I said, excited that I was finally making a friend.
The smile on his face was delightful, making me feel at least comfortable talking to him. If only this was Mr Rudeness in the morning. I internally rolled my eyes, hoping that the thought of him would roll off my mind.
"Are you new in the city?" He swivelled his body, rested his back on the railing and folded his arm across his chest.
"Wait, how do you know that?" I narrowed my eyes on him.
"I knew it," he snapped his fingers at me, while his other hand rested on the railing, beside him. The smile on his face was big and sincere. "You look like you need saving, Princess."
I raised my brows, "I am not a princess." I huffed, rolling my eyes and he chuckled. "And I don't need saving," I added.
"You're cute." He smiled, staring his brown eyes into mine.
I pouted, "Well, I will take that one." I shrugged. He softly chuckled and I mirrored him.
He looked quite genuine.
"So what brought you to my city," he asked.
"Nothing," I shrugged. "I just needed a change."
The expression on his face turned serious and he narrowed his eyes on me, "You're lying, princess." He crossed his leg against the other, folding his hands across his chest, once again. "You know us lawyers, we are a good judge of body language and those eyes of yours are telling another thing from you."
"You're a lawyer?" I asked and he nodded, reaching for his wallet in his pocket. He brought his card out and handed it to me.
I scanned my eyes through his business card, reading the information on it. "Can my ex-boyfriend go to jail for sleeping with my best friend?" I asked suddenly, glancing up to Andrew, who in turn cackled. But his laughter quickly died down and his gaze walked the length of my body before dropping back on my face.
"I'm sorry for being insensitive, it's just the way you said it." His eyes pleaded.
I nodded, "It's okay." I said, drawing my gaze across the water into the city, which was glamoured in light.
"If you are okay with sharing, I will at least be a good listener. I don't know... It might make you feel better." His eyes danced around my face.
A huge sigh escaped me as I stared into his brown eyes, which were comforting and assuring. "It's a long story," I started, but that was all I needed for my 'info dump on a stranger' button to flick on.
Just like that, I told Andrew about my breakup story, and my abrupt decision to move to New York. Of course what kind of story would it be, if I didn't tell him about my presently friendless life? Anyway, I made sure to omit the embarrassing fall that happened this morning.
Just like he said, all he did was be silent, while his face did all the talking with the expressions that kept appearing on it, at every junction of my story. I squeezed his handkerchief in my hand, the one he handed me when a line of tears trailed down my eyes. It smelt so nice and fresh like it could heal my heart. Finally, a sigh escaped me as the finishing touch of my storytelling, and It felt like a load was lifted off my chest. It felt good to talk to someone, it felt amazing to have someone listen, while I vent my problem, especially to a stranger, who I might not meet after today.
"So bad you had to go through that. Everyone in your story sucks." He said and I nodded curtly in agreement. "Sorry about all of that." He swivelled his body and rested his hand where his body was, and from the corner of my eyes, I could see the reflection of the light in his eyes.
It was late afternoon when I got here but right now, it has gotten a bit dark. My mind was immediately occupied with how to get back to my apartment when Andrew's voice drew my attention back to him.
"So why did you choose New York?"
I glanced at him, "I didn't," I said and he turned his gaze on me. "My YouTube family did," I smiled. "I just listed some cities and asked for their votes. I was to move to the city with the highest vote and that was New York."
Andrew stared at me for a minute like I wasn't serious, "You let strangers make that decision for you?"
"They are not strangers, I have been on YouTube for a long time and they feel more like a family to me now."
I had been on YouTube since my senior year in high school, which was six years ago. It was first a side job before everything changed in the past year and influencing became my main source of income and only job. That was thanks to the many high-end brand sponsors and my successful, all-time sold-out clothing brand. But right now, Andrew was looking at me like I was crazy.
I chuckled softly at the look on his face, "They are my friends and family," I said.
"I can see that since you let them make that huge life decision for you." He shrugged, smiling. "Which city made it second?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Abuja," I said and he slightly raised one brow at me. "I was living there until I was five, I moved here with my mother to Atlanta. Well, she's still there."
"Oh..." Andrew nodded.
We spent the coming minutes talking about influencing and social media, Atlanta, Abuja and New York. Andrew also told me a little about his background, revealing that his father was from Mexico and his mother was from here. He lived in Manhattan all his life and was in Brooklyn to meet his sister, whom he was waiting for but decided to take a walk in the park. After the conversations, we followed each other on Instagram and exchanged contacts before his sister's call came in and we said our goodbyes.
Fulfilled and happy about attaining my day's goal of making at least one friend, I ordered a ride and was driven back to my lonely apartment, where all I had floating in the air was the hurtful memory of my past relationship.
But welcoming me first at the apartment front desk was Georgia's warm smile, "Evening Muna" she greeted.
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