I watched the clock on the wall of the hole- in-the-wall Italian diner as I placed the chairs upside down on the table.
The clock read— 3: 02 a.m.
Being out so late in New York City has its ups and downs, and closing up a diner is an up and down. It's an up because I get paid a little extra, so it pays the bills but it's a down being that it's the middle of New York City in the middle of the night.
Finally, I tip the last chair upside down on top the table and head towards the bar to grab my coat and things. I turn on my cellphone before I make my way over to the door front door, locking it on my way out before heading to my very own "shoe box"apartment.
My phone had so many missed messages and notification that I didn't pay much attention to the side walk ahead of me, I was too busy replying to my roommate. I'm usually the only person I see on my late night walks back home.
Just as that thought crosses my mind, I collide with someone it being my fault obviously. I tumble to the ground only for someone to help me up as soon as I fall. "I am so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." A British man spoke, his voice shaky.
"I'll take some of the blame, I was looking at my stupid phone." I admitted as I brushed off the back of my pants. I turned my body to face the man I'd bumped into. He grinned when I did.
"What is a pretty thing like you doing out at three am in New York City, anyways?" He questioned. I blushed at his use of the words 'pretty thing'.
"I could ask you the same thing." I retaliated, and he smiled.
"I am admiring the city at night." He admitted with a small chuckle. I looked up at the man with curly hair and green eyes, and smiled. I didn't feel the need to rush back home with it being the middle of the night, I found myself wanting to talk to him more. He enticed me.
"You're not from around here, are you?" I asked.
"Is it that obvious?" He chuckled. I nodded.
I watched as he admired distant city lights. His amazement like a child at Christmas time looking at the presents under the tree. He looks up as the tall sky scrapers.
"I uh- happen to know the best spot to admire the city at night, that is if you'd like to go." I spoke up to him, he looked down at the ground as a smile took over his features. "I'd love to go." He grinned wide.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." I said as we began to walk in the direction of the place I had in mind. "I'm Harry." He said sticking his hand out for me to take. "It's nice to meet you-," he paused waiting for my name, I smiled. "Jen." I stated.
"It's nice to meet you, Jen." He grinned wide. "Right back at you." I giggled.
We walked down the streets of New York City, and I explained little things about the city here and there. Harry was so intrigued, and neither of us realized it but we had walked pretty far.
"Okay, close your eyes." I said stopping abruptly in the middle of the sidewalk. Harry seemed unsure but he followed my orders anyway. I couldn't believe I was this comfortable with a stranger but there was something about him that made me feel so safe and protected.
"If you turn out to be a mass murderer, I'm going to be pissed." He said as I walked him into the building. We walked over to the elevator, and I walked him in.
"Hm, I guess you'll just have to find out." I teased as I pressed the button to the highest floor of the newest building on this side of Manhattan.
When we reached the top, I led Harry out of the elevator and snuck onto a balcony that led me to the roof. I took Harry's large hand in mine and told him to keep his eyes closed. He squeezed my hand as I walked further down the corridor leading to a door.
I turned to the man I'd met only an hour prior to this. But somehow, I felt as if we'd been best friends my whole life. He grinned when I began to talk to him again. This grin caused butterflies to stir in my stomach.
"Okay. You can open your eyes now." I grinned as he opened his green eyes and immediately rushed to the edge of the building.
"How'd you manage to get us up here ?" He asked turning to me in amazement, I laughed. "It wouldn't be my secret if I told you." I admitted, raising a brow as I walked over to the side of the roof next to the curly haired boy. He looked oddly familiar but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Harry turned to look at me and I pulled my eyes away from his. "This is incredible." He mumbled, his eyes full of wonder.
"I know. Look over there." I told him pointing out at the sky line, "that's lady liberty, and that right there is the Empire State Building." I stated, he just smiled.
"How'd you find a place like this, Jen?" He asked as he looked out at the sky line.
"On a late night like tonight, just wandering the city. The building was under construction when I first found it, and I snuck through stacks of plywood and saw dust." I smiled up at him, he's quite a bit taller than I am. "I tend to do that a lot." I added as we looked down at the little humans. It's nearing five o'clock in the morning and people are going to start heading to work. The slight quietness of the city will soon be gone.
"You never did tell me what you were doing on that side of town by yoursel that late in the night or well, early in the morning." Harry stated as he turned his body so his back was against the wall.
"I was leaving work, I had to close up shop tonight." I finally admitted. He seemed intrigued almost like a job was new to him. I went along with it and told him I waitressed at an Italian restaurant owned by a very Italian man named Sal.
"It sounds like it'd be fun." Harry spoke with a smile, and I nodded. "It can be, some nights. It's usually just something to pay the bills."
We stood in silence for a few moments before Harry pulled out his phone from his pocket and began to snap pictures of the skyline. "Here, stand there, and I'll take a picture. Everyone needs a picture with the skyline."
He followed my league and handed me the phone, I took some photos of him and then he insisted we take some together.
"Harry, I just finished a 10 hour shift, my hair is probably greasy and I look like a train wreck." I giggled placing a hand over my face as he pulled me in to take a selfie. "You definitely don't look like a train wreck, love." He mumbled as he snapped the picture with the flash on.
I was taken aback by his comment, no man like Harry had ever told me that. Harry seemed to notice my reaction but didn't question it, which I was grateful for. I was blushing enough.
We sat there on the roof in the night air, asking each other questions about each other and before we knew it the sun was coming up and shining through the skyscrapers. I looked at my phone, in disbelief. It was already 7am.
"Holy cow, it's already seven, where did the night go?" I question.
"Oh fuck, it's seven?" He said as he jumps off the cold concrete and heads to the edge of the roof. "Thank you so much, Jen." He turned to face me.
"For what?" I asked.
"Keeping me company." He sighed regretfully. My heart kind of fluttered at his words. Had he been lonely ? Was he traveling with someone outside of his hometown in England? I mean I had assumed England from that thick British accent. I hadn't asked him that in our quick game of twenty questions.
Harry had turned to me and without thinking, I brought my lips to meet his own. This is so unlike me, I don't just kiss strangers but I felt compelled to kiss Harry.
He grinned into the kiss, and placed his palm against my soft cheek. When we pulled away I blushed and he took in a deep breath before smirking. It wasn't long until he reconnected our lips, and then announced he needed to leave before the city got any busier. To say I was disappointed was an understatement.
"What? Why?" I asked when we pulled away once more.
"It's hard to explain, I just need to be out of sight before anyone finds me in the city." He stated, and I nodded. I couldn't just let him walk out that fast without any way to reach him.
"Okay, but take my number and when you're wherever you need to be let me know you're safe." I stated, he smiled and handed me his phone once more. I quickly typed in my number before handing his large phone back to him.
"Thanks again!" He shouted from the stairs that lead to the elevator which would take him straight to ground level. The door closed before I could give him a response. "Bye Harry." I mumbled before walking over to the wall where we once leaned, and watched the yellow taxis and many people fill the streets.
Harry's POV:
As I walked back to the hotel I was staying at, I couldn't stop thinking about the girl I'd previously met.
Who takes a total stranger to the highest point of New York? Well Jen apparently. She seems adventurous, and spontaneous; two things I'd be if I wasn't born into the crazy life like this.
Jen. Jen. Jen. Her name falls perfectly from my lips, and I find myself thinking of her name too much. I can't get the brown eyed girl out of my mind. I suddenly want to know everything about her, and deeply regret running off the roof moments ago. She's the only girl that hasn't fell at my feet, which is making me think about her that much more. It's driving me insane.
I quickly walk into the hotel before anyone can bombard me, and find my older servant, James, waiting by the window for me. "Your highness, where have you been? You weren't suppose to be out all by yourself." He scolded me as I walked through the door and shed my coat.
"I know, but I just had to see the city and I did, and more." I admitted to James, I called him to the couch beside me and pulled out my phone showing him the picture I had snapped of Jen and myself.
I think back to her mentioning how bad she looked, and how I told her she looked gorgeous. She had. I'd never seen a girl like her in the city, or anywhere. She just had this glow about her that captivated me and pulled me in? It's an odd feeling to describe.
"Your highness, please tell me you didn't spend the night with this girl." James said as he handed me back the phone.
"It wasn't like that James. She didn't know who I was, and she is so different than any girl I've ever met." I admitted to James.
"Well that's too bad, we're headed back to England per the King's orders." James barked before standing up.
"What the fuck? I'm suppose to be here for another week." I huffed, James stared me down for my horrible language, "What could my my father possibly need?" I asked, taking a deep breath.
"He heard about your little excursion last night, and he's not happy." My sister, Gemma, walked into the room.
"Jesus! Fine." I sighed, rolling my eyes.
I could not just leave without reuniting with the beautiful brown eyed girl who dared to dream so much bigger than anyone I'd previously met.