The central park was an uneventful place that always consisted of the same people. I was one of those breeds of humans who enjoyed meeting someone new every day. It wasn't like being an extravert in my prime, living in the most modest town, didn't challenge me in ways. It wasn't until this gloomy night that things changed forever at this park.
I listened to the wind pass by the leaves with my warm tea from the nearby coffee shop in my hands. Empty as a cemetery, the park exerted a desolate vibe as I walked closer to the lit walkway. I was pleasantly surprised to look into the distance and see someone else was here this late.
But there was something about their figure and posture that kept me far more interested than I should have been. Five foot nine. Laid back energy. I squinted a little until I caught a glimpse of his face, and when I did, I swear to god the world around me shook.
My jaw dropped at the sight of him. I had never seen that guy before. Ever. My heart began to feel warm. The whirling sensation moved further down my body as I watched him walk to the water fountain. I didn't get it — he was so plain from what I saw but I couldn't look away. His presence was so unexplainably beautiful, I could tell it drew attention quickly. I wasn't going to stand there any longer.
I felt like he knew someone was going to approach him, because right when I got there, he looked up at me with a bored expression. The guy appeared more youthful up close. I started to wonder if he was even twenty-five yet.
"I haven't seen you around before. You're new, right?" My signature alluring tone had yet to fail me.
He lifted his eyebrows at that. Oh, come on, it wasn't that creepy. I thought, as I continued to smile harmlessly. Plain and apathetic, I could tell he was the complete opposite of me.
"It's been about two months. I don't get out often."
"Studying all the time?"
"Yeah. Second year of medical school. Don't know if it's what I want anymore."
I nodded.
"The world needs more people like you."
"I guess."
His arrogance couldn't be more obvious.
"You'll make it." I pressed on. "You seem like a hard worker."
He was about to protest but sighed instead.
"Have you ever worked hard for something to find out it's not meant for you?" His eyes said I didn't have a clue how to relate to him.
"I studied politics for a while, and I loved it enough to go somewhere with it. But it wasn't me." With a laugh, I added, "I still don't know how I'm a CEO."
He doesn't need to know my father died and I was handed over his business two years ago. Besides, he may as well have been yawning in my face regardless. I didn't intrigue him with my overconfidence and kindness.
"I'll bet." He responded in a sexy monotone.
I pushed a smile.
"You seem like a winter photographer." I remark.
Bingo.
His hard facial expression softened, and his eyes looked slightly animated. "That's exactly what I want to do."
I nodded in agreement.
"I'm Catalina, by the way."
"Stiles."
He lit a cigarette. What he told me next made me set my jaw.
"Well, I'd better get home. My girlfriend hates it when I call her too late."
Stiles looked like a guy who only dated blondes. Broads who only drove red Toyotas and worked as baristas while they slaved away for pointless graduate degrees.
"What's her name?" I asked.
"Natasha."
"Natasha Fischer."
He nodded. "You know her?"
Oh. Wouldn't he have loved to know. She was the most snooty, uncharismatic and pessimistic person I knew of. We worked together at a coffee shop for years. Afterward, she only amounted to working at the library, I think that said enough. So Stiles dated ugly girls.
He saw the laughter in my eyes and said, "Look, dating isn't a superficial thing for me. It doesn't matter."
"Sounds like a ton of fun." My remark caused him to glare at me with his dark grey eyes. I had forgotten how dangerous my sarcasm was. "But I get it. My ex-fiance wasn't the hottest man on Earth. It never stuck out to me."
"Exactly."
We didn't talk for much longer. He left me at the fountain to go home and call Natasha. Did all asocial people give off the vibe that they hated everyone? Better question: did they hate everyone?
When I got home, my best friend Darcy was passed out on the couch. As soon as my footsteps could be heard walking into the small house, her eyes shot open. Immediately, she grabbed the remote next to her and held it as though she were about to defend herself with it.
"Who the fuck is there?" She demanded. Her dark eyes quit narrowing the moment I turned on the light, revealing myself. "Oh, come on, I wanted to hit someone with this thing."
Oh, Darce.
"I met this guy." I sat down. "He goes to med school."
"Sounds boring." Darcy replied, sitting back down on the couch she was laying on. I grimaced at the drool stain in the fabric.
"I know! But he's so real and clever, kind of like you." I explained, knowing they'd probably hate each other. "Except you're cooler." I laughed.
She smiled.
"You must be really interested. The last time I saw you this enthusiastic about a man was when Rob proposed to you."
I felt my grin fade at the memory of stupid little me, excited to get married at twenty-five. Rob was the man I mentioned to Stiles — physically unattractive, hilarious, rich, and good with people. Everyone called us the golden couple, for constantly making each other laugh and never fighting. That all went away the moment he broke up with me, a week before our marriage, claiming that he felt I was making his life go by too fast.
I quit my job at his favorite coffee shop, became a bartender at a strip club, and worked that job until I was given the position of running my father's restoration garage chain.
I decided dating wasn't going to be a strict thing. I was too young. Every other guy was the same anyways; fun loving, considerably attractive, and had a sense of humour. Even that got annoying as they would call daily and eventually insist I meet their families. You could say I had some commitment issues.
"He's better than Rob."
She laughed.
"Seriously, Darce. When have I ever come home at" — I glanced at the clock — "three in the morning saying that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with someone?"
I received a blank stare in return.
She chooses her words carefully in saying, "Cat… you've always been with lively, fun guys. You've met a sardonic, mature guy and you're just intrigued." as she continues her voice gets mopier. "He's going to let you down, I swear. It's no different than going back to Rob."
"No, I just need to get him to like me. Then fall in love with me. It'll be easy." I lied.
Darcy scoffed. "He doesn't even like you?"
"I don't know, he seemed kind of annoyed."
She rolled her eyes so hard. "Then screw him, you're better than that!"
But I didn't want to.
I shook my head and Darcy groaned.
"I want to meet this guy, so I can understand what's so great about him." She finally said. "Because I know something's up when you start acting undeniably stupid."