Shadow Stalker's blog: "storys"

One dark and misty evening a beautiful young girl stood upon the highest bridge in Tokyo. The bridge overlooked the waters of Tokyo Harbor. The young brown haired girl stood on the opposite side of the guard railing with her arms looped around the underside of the railing. She seemed to be waiting for the right moment to let go. Unbeknownst to her, a man was watching from the shadows. He noticed how she leaned her body forward, carefully releasing one hand off the railing, before quickly regrasping it. The young girl did this several times as if she was torn between life or death. Finally, after an intense internal struggle, the young girl had made her decision. With eyes closed tightly, she inhaled deeply while slowly lifting her fingers one by one off the guard rail. The man who had been quietly observing her knew it was time to make his move. "It's a shame you know," the man uttered softly as he stepped under a dimly lit street lamp on the other side of the railing, "Over the years I've watched many young girls such as yourself throw their lives away on this very bridge." The man paused, shook his head and sighed, "It's always such a tragedy, that it is." The young girl suddenly tightened her grip on the railing and glared at the person intruding on her privacy. "What are you? Some kind of old pervert who likes to watch young girls jump off bridges?" The man smiled slightly. "No," he answered mildly, "I'm not a pervert and I can assure you that I don't get pleasure out of watching innocent people die. It does puzzle me, however, as to why a beautiful young girl like you would want to destroy your life. You look to be no more than 20 years of age. Surely your life can't be that bad." "What do you know about my life," snapped the girl. "Judging from your appearance, I'd say you're nothing but a penniless wanderer." "Ah yes," smiled the man, "but I'm not the one jumping am I." The young girl became flustered, frowning at him in response. "Go away! Can't you see I'm busy trying to jump!" "Well don't let me stop you. Please, go ahead and jump." He took his hand and gestured toward the icy waters below. "I will," scowled the young girl before turning her attention back to the waters thrashing loudly against the steel girders. She closed her eyes again and inhaled deeply in order to concentrate. The man quietly inched closer to the young girl. "Excuse me again Miss but I...." The girl snapped her eyes open in frustration. "What! What do you want this time!" "May I ask you a question? I was wondering what is troubling you?" The girl narrowed her eyes at the man. "Why do you want to know?" "I'm just curious as to what led you to this course of action." "My life sucks okay," she answered harshly. "It just sucks!" The man studied the young girl's face for a moment before speaking again. "Please tell me what you dislike about your life?" "Everything," she snapped. "My life is really screwed up and that's all I'm going to say. Now go away and leave me alone!" A cool silence ensued between them. The man glanced over to the girl again before turning his attention toward the clouds in the sky. He smiled as he watched several large billowy clouds drifting lazily across the moon. It reminded him of something from his childhood. He began relating his childhood experience aloud. "When I was a little boy, I use to have dreams about riding the clouds on a magic carpet. My mother used to tell me bedtime stories about Aladdin and his magic lamp. Once the stories were done, she would kiss my forehead and tell me to go to sleep. I only pretended to fall alseep so that she would leave the room. After she had left, I would quietly tip-toe to my closet and pull out my magic lamp. Actually, it was mother's old tea pot, but to me it was a magic lantern." A small smile appeared on the young girl's face as she continued listening to the man's story. "I would take my "magic lantern" and sit on the mat by the window. The old worn out mat served as my magic carpet. I wanted to be ready to fly when the genie appeared. After rubbing the magic lantern several times, I'd sit and wait patiently for the genie to come and grant my three wishes. I must have waited by the window for hours but the genie never came. By morning, I found myself safely tucked into my futon. I never remembered getting back into it though. When I got older, mother told me after she had left my room, she would hide in the darkness of the hallway to watch me. After I had fallen asleep, she quietly entered the room and tucked me back into my futon. She would then return my "magic lantern" and "magic carpet" to its proper place. I laughed after finding out what she had done." The girl let a small chuckle escape her lips as she kept attentive to what the man had to say. "Sometimes, while staring out into the clouds, I wondered if it were really possible to have our wishes granted." He paused briefly and shifted his eyes to the girl. "Tell me, if you were granted the power of having a wish come true, what would it be?" The young girl blinked twice in surprise to his question. "Huh?" "I said, if you could have anything you wished for, what would it be?" "What would I wish for," the young girl repeated softly. The man nodded. The girl began eyeing him suspiciously. "Hey... what are you? Some kind of guardian angel that goes around granting people wishes before they die or something?" The man shook his head and chuckled lightly. "No, I am definitely not an angel. See," he turned his back to her and pointed, "no wings." "So... who are you," the girl asked curiously. "I'm no one special," he stated simply. "I was just wondering if you had an opportunity to have whatever you wanted, what would you wish for, that's all." The young girl began to think deeply. "Hmm... What would I wish for? No one has ever asked me that before.... Hmmm.... Yes! I know what I want!" She turned back toward the man in ernst. "If I could have whatever I wanted, I would want to have my father back. Life was good when my father was alive. We had so much fun as a family. I loved my father so much." A single tear drop trickled down her cheek. "But then he died and everything changed." "I'm sorry to hear about your father. May I ask when did your father die?" "years ago," the girl answered with her head lowered, "when I was fourteen years old. It was very hard on mother and me back then. She had to work two jobs just to make ends meet. I really didn't mind being poor. We were still happy, but then things got worst." The man noticed the frown upon the young girl's face. "What happened... if you don't mind my asking." "Mother remarried," she answered sourly. "We lived in a bad neighborhood. We were robbed twice. Mother thought if she had a husband, we wouldn't be such easy targets. She married a big strong man named Zack Jackson. He was a horrible man. Zack pretended to be nice while he was dating mother, but after the wedding, he turned out to be a real creep. He gambled and drank all the time. I watched him sneak into my mother's purse, after she had fallen asleep and steal her hard earned money. Zack would then sneak out of the house and gamble all her money away. Whenever he lost a bet at a poker game or the race track, he would come home drunk and beat mother. I tried to protect mother from him but she wouldn't allow me to. She would lock me in my room and go back and take all the beatings. One day, things went too far between them. Zack saw my mother hiding the rent money. He demanded the rent money from her. She refused. The landlord had threatened to put us out if we were late with the rent one last time. Mother tried to explain that to Zack, but he wouldn't listen. They got into a big argument. He finally wrestled the money out of her hand and left the house. Mother chased after him. She caught up with him in the middle of the street. They began arguing and fighting again. Unfortunately, the roads were very slippery that night due to the heavy rains. A man driving down the street suddenly loss control of his car and hit my mother and Zack. Zack suffered minor injuries whereas my mother was killed upon impact." Tears began to stream down the young girls cheeks. "Things has never been the same since mother died," the girl uttered sadly through her tears. "Zack stopped drinking and gambling for a while. Mother's death apparently affected him in a small way. However, after the settlement money from the accident came in, Zack reverted back to his former evil ways. He started drinking and gambling heavily. Within in a matter of months, he lost all the money from the settlement. Zack began beating me, the same as he did mother. That creep went so far as to promise me out to a couple of his gambling buddies after losing several bets to them. I overheard him telling his disgusting friends that I wasn't his real daughter so he had no problem with letting his friends have sex with me as payment. I knew then that I couldn't stay in that house any longer. I hurried and grabbed all the money that I had secretly saved up and quietly snuck out my bedroom window. I ran as far away from my house as I could. It's been over three weeks now and I haven't gone back." The young girl turned to the man with tears in her eyes. "Don't you see," she sniffed, "I have no more money. If I go back, Zack will beat me for running away and then sell me out to his friends to support his gambling habit. I have no where else to go. That's why I'm here," she sobbed, "I don't know what else to do." The man lowered his head. "That poor girl. She lived such a hard life." "I.... I'm so sorry....," he started. "I don't need your pity Mister," she snapped, "I just want to be left alone!" She turned her head quickly so as to hide the fresh tears streaming down her face. The cool night wind whistled silently between the two lonely souls standing on the bridge. The man cast his eyes towards the moon. "I too have lived a horrible life," he uttered softly. The young girl turned her face slowly toward his. She sniffed quietly as she listened to him relate his story. "My father and I couldn't get along. My mother use to say that we were two of a kind," he said with a sad smile. "I wanted to join the local gang. I tried to convince father that the gang I was joining was to protect the neighborhood. Father said the gang was nothing but a bunch of street thugs. He began speaking negatively about my new found family. I became angry and pulled out a switchblade from my back pocket. As I pointed the razor blade into my father's face, I demanded he apologize for insulting my new family. I heard my mother crying in the background. She knew that neither of us would back down at that point. Father, being an experienced fighter, knocked the switchblade out of my hand and wrestled me to the floor. After the fight, father dragged me by the collar and threw me out of the house. As I lay bloodied and battered on the front lawn, father disowned me in front of all the neighbors and forbade me from ever returning home. Mother begged and pleaded for father to take me back. Father ordered her to go back inside the house and to stay quiet. He turned and took one last look at me before going back inside the house. From that look, I knew that I had really screwed things up with my parents. There was no turning back at that point. Life on the streets for a sixteen year old gang member was very hard. It was nothing like I thought it would be. I went many days without food and slept wherever I could find shelter. Our gang fought all the time. At first it was to protect the neighborhood, then it turned into something else. Whenever the gang became bored, they held fighting contests to see who among us was the strongest. Those were the worst times for me. I hated fighting against my blood brothers. But if I didn't, I would have been branded a coward. I was considered one of the strongest fighter, next to our leader, Jake Vess. I could take out most of the gang pretty easily. However, whenever I fought Jake, it would end once he'd broken a couple of my ribs. Jake Vess was the strongest leader there was. The man was unbeatable." The young girl stared at him for a moment then hesitantly asked, "Is... Is that how you got that scar on your left cheek?" The man stared out into the dark night and shook his head as the brisk night winds whisked through his hair. "No. My scar is a result of a fight I had with another powerful gang leader. His name was Nick Summit. I had never fought anyone like him before. Someone had started a rumor that I was trying to take his girl Ashley Lockart. Ashley was indeed beautiful in her own way, but I had my own girl at the time. Her name was Kyla Chapman. Kyla wasn't part of the gang I hung out with. I met her one day outside of one of the bars I frequented. I had gone into an alleyway to take a leak. As I finished, I heard footsteps approaching from behind. It was someone from Nick's gang weilding a knife. His name was Frankie Wheeler. He specialized in various forms of knife torture. We fought each other for what seemed like hours. Finally, I ended up stabbing him several times with his own knife. He wasn't dead, but he definitely wasn't going to be moving for a while. It was at that moment, I sniffed a faint scent of a woman's perfume. It smelled like White Plum, the fragrance only upper class girls wore. When I looked up, there she was. Kyla was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. She had long black hair and skin that seemed to reflect the paleness of the moonlight. Her eyes were dull but yet caring. To me she was truly a quiet beauty. Without a word, Kyla bent down and took her blue scarf off her neck and began wrapping my bloodied wrist. As I looked into her eyes, she simply stated, "You're bleeding." I had no words for her then. I just kept staring at the beautiful girl who was attending to my wounds and wondering why she was helping me. Never in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined an upper class girl like Kyla would fall in love with a street thug like me. She seemed to be so perfect. However, after a few weeks of dating her I discovered Tomoe had a dark side. She kept it carefully hidden from her family. Kyla liked frequenting bars, going to underground rave parties and hanging out with anyone who had a taste for trouble. I guess that's why she became attracted to me. She liked dating bad boys. Kyla's family didn't know that I was part of a violent street gang. Whenever I went to visit her, I acted differently so as to make a good impression on her family. Her parents accepted me with open arms. However her brother, Richard Chapman, could see right through me. He hated everything about me. It was he who set me up that fateful night." The man briefly touched his scar as he continued on with what happened next. "Richard told Nick that I was trying to steal his girl. He had taken letters that I had written to Kyla and altered them putting Ashley's name on them. When Nick found out, he came after me with a vengence. We fought long and hard. Nick was almost as strong as Jake, however, Nick fought dirty. In the middle of the fight, Nick bit me on the neck and then sprayed a chemical mace into my eyes. I was blinded temporarily. Two of his gang members jumped me from behind and held me down. Nick straddled over me and said, "Pretty boys always get the girls. Guess I'll have to fix that pretty face of yours so that you can be less attractive... like the rest of us ugly guys." Nick grinned wickedly at me before snatching one of Richard's knives and carving this hideous scar on my face." The man traced the scar on his cheek, bringing tears to the young girl's eyes. After a moment of silence, the man went on to relate his story. "By the time Nick had finished, I felt as if my whole face was on fire and covered in blood. I was in severe pain and agony. Nick and his gang ran off leaving me on the streets to die. A short while later, Jake had found out that I had been attacked. He and the rest of the gang came to where I layed. Instead of helping me up, Jake just stood there glaring down at me while smoking his cigarette. After flicking the ashes of his cigarette over my body, he told me that he had received word from a reliable source of my fight with Nick. He yelled down at me saying that I went against gang rules by trying to steal another gang member's girl. I tried to sit up and tell him it was all a lie but I was in too much pain. Jake took out two letters from his pocket. He knelt down and shoved them in my face. He said that it was my handwriting and it was proof of me trying to steal Nick's girl. He ripped the letters up and threw them at me. Jake rose to his feet slowy and said the two words I thought I would never hear, "You're... Out." I was totally devasted. I was being kicked out by my blood brothers, my family. It was at that point that Alex Blanton, Jake's younger cousin, asked if he could teach me a lesson before they left. Jake stood silent for a moment. He then slid his hand inside his top pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. After taking out a stalk, he dangled it on his bottom lip while reaching in his jean pant pocket for a lighter. He slowly lit the cigarette and took a long hard drag. As he exhaled the smoke, Jake snapped the lid to the lighter closed as a means of signalling his cousin and the others to do as they wished. Jake Vess walked away leaving me at the mercy of Jason and the rest of the gang. They were quick to administer punishment. The gang began pounding thier fists into me saying that they were going to make me pay for disgracing Jake's gang. By the time they had finished beating me, I had bruises and blood all over my body. I heard their jeers and rancid laughter as they ran off into the darkness. The gang I once viewed as family, had now disowned me in the same sense as my father. I had no where to go, no place to call home. I laid on the cold dark streets for hours praying for my death to come. The next thing I knew, I awoke in a hospital. I was told that I was found on the streets by a man named Jay Moore. He was a former kendo instructor who devoted his time to reeducating troubled youths. When I was better, I was released in his custody. He took me off the streets and took care of me. My teacher gave me a second chance at life." The young girl looked at him thoughtfully. "That poor man. He's had a hard life too." "What happened to your girlfriend? Did she try to find you?" The man shook his head and smiled sadly at the young girl. "Kyla tried to find me, but I stayed hidden. I was too ashamed of having been beaten and of the ugly scar that was left on my face. Kyla eventually married a really nice man by the name of Joey Moto. The last I heard they had a beautiful little girl. I'm sure she looks like Kyla." He paused for a moment to look down into the waters below. "In a way, everything worked out for the best. I always knew Kyla deserved someone better than me." "How can you say that," the girl argued, "I'm sure you would have made her a good husband." The man turned to the young girl and met her concerned stare with a warm smile. "You're very nice to say that, but I'm not worthy of such kind words. When I was in the gang, I committed a lot of violent crimes. Beating up innocent people, while thinking all along I was doing the right thing. I don't deserve happiness." "Stop saying negative things like that," the girl scolded. "You are a good person. You deserve to be happy just like everyone else!" Warm brown eyes bore into a pool of blue. "What about yourself? Do you think you deserve happiness," he asked in response. The young girl froze. "Do I... deserve happiness?" She shook her head violently and began stuttering. "Wa... Wait a minute! I... We're... this is not about me," she finished lamely. The young girl turned her head abruptly from the man. A few drops of rain began to fall from the sky. The man looked up into the clouds. "It's beginning to rain. Shall we go before the rains become heavier." The young girl turned back to see the man extending his hand to her. She smiled sadly as she gazed into the depths of his warm brown eyes. "I know you think you can save me, but there's nothing left to save." Tears trickled down her cheeks as she turned her head away from his. "What is your name," he heard her asking. "Tony, Tony Jones," he replied softly. "My name is Heather Deaton. Thank you for listening to my story. You sound like a person I would have wanted to know." "It's not too late," Tony replied as he inched closer, extending his hand up further to her. Heather shook her head and smiled sadly before pushing her body out and releasing her grip upon the railing. Tony stood in horror as he watched Heather's body falling downward. The loud crashing waves below signified that the young girl's body had made contact with the icy cold waters. He stared at his hand in disbelief. The hand that only moments ago was so close to saving her. But now, she was gone. Tony let out a blood curdling scream. "Noooooooo!! I won't let it end like thiiisssss!!!" He jumped off the bridge and plunged his strong lean body into the depths of the Tokyo bay. The moment his flesh made impact with the icy waters, he felt a sharp stinging pain all over his body. Tony ignored the searing pain and continued in his search for Heather. He prayed hard that he would be able to reach her before it was too late. Heather felt her body falling deeper and deeper into the waters. My body… feels... so heavy…" She closed her eyes and let the darkness of the waters engulf her. "At last... I will have.... peace..... " When Tony finally spotted her, he realized it was too late. Her body had grown limp and was steadily falling downward. He swam into the direction Heather's body had been falling and wrapped his body around hers protectively. There was no warmth left inside her. "Why did you let go... I could have made you so happy..." Several tears escaped his eyes and began to mingle with the salty water. He glanced downward at the lifeless body still wrapped protectively into his arms. "I'm sorry that you had to live such a horrible life. But I do make this promise Miss Heather, I will not allow you to die alone." Tony closed his eyes and let himself be pulled downward into the cold dark watery grave with Heather. The next day, the bridge was closed off by the police. News had spread throughout the community of a man and woman who jumped off the bridge. There were some speculations that the two were lovers trapped into a forbidden love. No one was able to solve the mystery that surrounded their death. From that day forward, whenever young lovers crossed over the bridge, they would toss flowers into the waters for the fallen couple, wishing them happiness and eternal love.

I can still remember it as if it happened yesterday. I was standing in the middle of Times Square in New York City admiring all the tall buildings. The bright lights from the various billboards bounced off the tall buildings causing a spectrum of colors to flash across the sky. It was indeed a beautiful site to behold. I whipped out my camera and started taking pictures of everything in sight. My boyfriend, at the time, glanced down at me in sheer annoyance. He peered over his dark glasses and whispered, "Stop acting like a tourist Heather. You're embarrassing yourself." "Tourist," I questioned. "Come on Nick, where's your holiday spirit? I mean it is New Year's Eve after all." Nick pushed his dark glasses back upon the bridge of his nose and turned his head. I used to hate when he did that to me. But, on that day, I was determined not to let his indifferent attitude dampen my spirit. I wanted to have fun. This was the first time that I had ever been in Times Square on New Year's Eve. First time you may ask? Yes. Like most typical New Yorkers, New Year's Eve was not to be spent in Times Square. You either went to a private party or cuddled up with your lover in front of the TV and watch a never aging Dick Clark ring in the new year. But for some reason, last year, I wanted my New Year's Eve to be different. So I dragged Nick downtown in freezing weather to ring in the new year in Times Square. The closer it got to midnight, the more distant Nick had become. I could sense we were nearing a break up. I felt it coming for a long time. It was not as though when we met, it was love at first sight. I would say it was more of a relationship of convenience. He needed a place to stay; I needed the extra money for the rent. Over a course of six months, we fell in love. It was nice at first, having someone to spend lonely evenings with after we got off work. Nick and I did everything together. From taking simple strolls through Central Park, to riding our bicycles over the Brooklyn Bridge. Nick and I had some good times together. Unfortunately, it all changed when he switched jobs and acquired some new "friends". One of his friends was named Ryan. He told Nick that he was missing out on life hanging out with one woman. We were both 23 years old. Ryan teased him a lot. He would taunt Nick whenever I insisted he come home after work. He told Nick that he was totally whipped. In order to prove that he wasn't "whipped", he began staying out late and coming home drunk or high. Nick wasn't a drug user. He would smoke a cigarette or two but nothing more than that. So when he came home stoned out of his mind, I would just freak out. Naturally, that led to numerous arguments. Nick finally moved out and moved in with his new "weed smoking friend" Ryan. Surprisingly though, we didn't break up after that seemingly major fight. We managed to stay together, just barely. I was hoping that something special would happen between us that night in Times Square. With all the crowds and excitement, I figured Nick would get caught up in the spirit of things and we would be a happy couple again. Boy, was I wrong. At 11:50 pm, ten minutes away from midnight, Nick leaned over and whispered the most horrifying thing in my ear. He said, "Heather, I didn't want it to come to this, but I don't want to bring in the new year with false hopes of love and happiness between us. Let's stop pretending that we love each other and move on with our lives." I was totally mortified. I cried out, "Nick how could you do this to me! Not now! Not tonight!" He didn't look at me anymore. In a cold and distant voice he uttered, "Goodbye Heather and… happy new year." After that, he walked out through the crowds and out of my life. I felt my whole world crashing in. It was now 11:56 pm. The crowd around me was geared up with total excitement. The famed New Year's Ball, with it's thousands of pieces of lighted cut glass, began to burn brightly throughout the darkened sky. Soon it would descend off its high perch and fall bringing in another year. I, on the other hand, stood like a solid block of ice, oblivious to everything around me. I couldn't believe that Nick could be that cold hearted. He knew how important that midnight kiss was to me. Traditionally, on New Year's Eve, a kiss at the stroke of midnight with the person you are in a relationship with, symbolizes the love you would like to have or expect more of in the new year. I guess that's why I really wanted to be there with Nick. But things didn't turn out that way. Instead, I stood alone, amongst the crowd, with no one to share my love with. As the count down began. I stood there in tears, not able to move from the spot where Nick and I broke up. In the background I could barely hear the crowd counting down the old year. Ten… Nine… Eight… Seven… Six… Five… Four… Three…. Suddenly, everything seemed to stop. I felt myself being pulled by strong arms into a warm embrace. I had been crying so much that I hadn't taken notice of who was pulling me in. Frankly, I thought it was Nick coming to take me back. I closed my eyes and reveled in the warmth of his chest. I felt a gentle hand wiping away my tears. I knew at that point, I wasn't in the arms of Nick. I was in fact, in the arms of a stranger. This stranger wore a wonderful smelling cologne. It smelled of sandlewood. I know that I should have pushed away from him, but I needed to be comforted by someone at that moment. I didn't want to be alone. As the crowd continued the count down, I gave all caution to the wind. "Two… One… That's when it happened. As the crowd shouted, "HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!!!" I was deeply engulfed into the most passionate kiss I had ever experienced. I didn't want the kiss to end. When I opened my eyes, I saw the most handsome man that I had ever seen in my life. He had long fiery red hair tied low into a ponytail. His eyes were a warm violet. And his smile? His smile was very gentle and kind. I was taken back by the man before me. He suddenly blushed deeply, I guess as deeply as I was blushing. "I… I've never done that before," he said apologetically. "I'm sorry for being so forward. I guess I got caught up with the crowd." "It's okay," I smiled back as I was pressed even closer to him by the frenzied crowd. "After all, it is New Year's Eve!" "Yes," he smiled in response. "So it is. Umm… Happy New Years!" "Yes, happy New Year's to you too," I replied hoping to keep the conversation going a little longer. "Well, I guess I better go." "Yes, it is rather late," I smiled. "We all know how crazy New Yorkers can get after midnight on New Year's Eve." We both chuckled. I could tell that he didn't want to leave either but slowly he started to back away. "Wait!" I shouted. My heart began to pound harder as he turned toward me. "God he's so handsome!" I thought dreamily. "Yes?" "What…. What is your name… if you don't mind me asking." I can't believe how bold I was. He smiled and replied, "Tony.. Tony Jones. And your name?" "Heather Deaton." He extended his hand toward mine. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Deaton." "You can call me Heather." "All right, only if you call me Tony," he answered back with a smile still holding on to my hand. We both seemed afraid of letting go of each other's hand. It felt so good touching him. "I guess I better give your hand back," he joked. "You'll need it to umm..." "Wave goodbye with or something," I chuckled softly feigning a quick little wave. At that moment, I could have just kicked myself. I didn't want to wave goodbye, I really wanted to use my hand to write his phone number down. "Yes, umm... hands are good for things like that," he chuckled again while scratching the back of his head with one hand and feigning a small wave with the other. I could see that he was just as nervous as I was. I mean, there we were just standing in the same spot, pretending to wave goodbye to one another, while blushing like two complete idiots. Geez! At that point my mind I screamed, "Hey! Stop standing there and waving like an idiot and ask me out for a cup of coffee or something!" Believe it or not, I think he read my mind. He suddenly stopped waving and fumbled out so sweetly, "Umm… Heather, I was thinking... Umm... would you like to get a cup of cappuccino or something with me before you go back home?" I paused for a second, noting how cute he looked asking me out for a cup of cappuccino. His beautiful violet eyes were locked into mine, praying that I wouldn't reject him. How could I? I wanted this too. I finally smiled warmly at him and answered, "Yes thank you Tony, I would really like that." So we went to a nearby café and sat in a cozy little booth. The conversation went very well I would say. I really enjoyed his company. At certain points in our conversation, I caught him staring at me as I sipped my cappuccino. I wonder what was going through his mind. Tony stared at Heather on and off throughout their conversation thinking, "She's so beautiful and it felt so right kissing her. It's funny how I've never been one for acting on impulse. My best friend Kyle is the kind of guy who would do that. He'll probably die laughing when I tell him what I did. I guess maybe I felt sorry for her. I saw that jerk she was with from a distance. I knew he was a loser to leave someone as beautiful as her standing all alone in Times Square on New Year's Eve. When I saw her tears, it made my heart melt. I suddenly had the urge to wrap her up into my arms and kiss her with all the love I had to give. I never imagined that I would actually do it. But I'm glad I did. So what happens next? I don't know. I have my own issues to deal with at the moment. I just got out of a bad relationship and I know I need some time to see where my life is headed before starting another one. Heather is really a fasinating woman. The brief time we've spent together has been wonderful. I really hate for it to end. I wished I knew more about her. I want to know her hopes and her dreams, her fears and her happiness. But, I suppose now's not the best time to explore all of that. What if that jerk she was with earlier decides to come back into her life? Will she accept him back?.. Tony you idiot! You just met her and you're already showing signs of jealousy... What was that? I better quit spacing out and pay attention to this beautiful creature before me. It may be the last time I ever see her." We smiled plesantly at one another after finishing our cappuccinos. As I stood up, I quickly grabbed a napkin off the table. It had the name of the little café imprinted on it. I wanted to remember this place... our place, I thought wistfully. Tony and I strolled over to Grand Central Station. And then our special time together was coming to a close. "I had a wonderful time Tony," I said trying not to blush too deeply. "Yes, I did too," he smiled in response trying to hide the blush that crept upon his face also. As my train came into the station, I gazed into his beautiful warm violet eyes and said, "I hope to see you again next year in Times Square on New Year's Eve." "Oh god! Why did I say that! I'm being too…" He suddenly interrupted my personal reprimand by saying, "Yes I'll be there too." Tony leaned forward and kissed me in the doorway of the train. The conductor signaled for the doors to close. I quickly ran to the window and put my hand against the glass. I heard him say through the glass pane, "I'll be waiting for you Heather. I promise," he finished as he followed the train to the end of the platform. "I'll be waiting for you!!" Those were the last words I heard spoken by Tony Jones. Common sense told me that I would never see Tony again, but for some reason, my heart told me otherwise. ONE YEAR LATER.... "Hey Tisha, what are you planning for New Year's Eve?" "I don't know. This year Tommy's already got something planned for just the two of us. Knowing him, it'll be a quite dinner at home." "That sounds so nice and romantic," Heather said as she stepped out of the dressing room wearing a sexy black dress. "So, what do you think?" "Whoa Heather! Got a hot date tonight?" "Well... maybe," she smiled. "Wait a minute. Don't tell me you're going to Times Square tonight just find this mystery guy you've been raving about for the past year." "Come on Tisha. Can't a single girl in New York go out by herself and have a nice time?" "On New Year's Eve," Tisha questioned. "I don't think so." "Listen, I'm going to Times Square tonight to have a little fun and ring in the New Year. It beats sitting at home with my goldfish and stuffed animals." "Yes I know," Tisha replied feeling a little sorry for her friend. "Hey, I got an idea! Why don't you come spend New Year's eve with Tommy and..." "Forget it Tisha. Tommy planned something special for just the two of you. Don't you remember? Two's company, three's a crowd?" "Yeah, I know," she said defeatedly. "I just feel..." Heather took her hand and rested it upon her best friend's shoulder. "Don't feel sorry for me. I know how to have a good time by myself. I've been doing it for the past year since Tisha and I broke up." "Well okay," sighed Tisha. "But if you change your mind...." "I won't," smiled Heather. "We'd better hurry and pay for these things. Tommy is waiting in the car for us. You know how he get's when he doesn't see you." Just then, Tisha's cellphone beeped. Heather smiled as she heard her talking. "Tommy, stop worrying. Heather and I will be out in one minute. Oh and Tommy.. I love you." She blew kisses into her cellphone. After turning off her cellphone, Tisha looked over to Heather. Heather started giggling and then began to mock her. "Oooohhh Tommy! Kissy... kissy..." Tisha blushed furiously. "You just wait Heather! When you find that someone special, I'll be the one doing the kissy-face at you," she chuckled. "Believe me, I won't be as bad as you two. You and Tommy are just hopeless." Both girls laughed as they paid for their items and left the store. It was 10:00 pm. Heather was on the train to Times Square. As she sat quitely, staring out the window, she began to think about Tony. "I wonder if he will be there? I know it's really stupid of me to put my trust into a complete stranger I met on New Year's Eve. I've only known him for an hour. But that hour was the best hour out of the whole year. I tried to start another relationship, but I couldn't. I just can't get Tony Jones out of my mind. I don't know, maybe his New Year's Eve kiss was actually some kind of curse or something." Heather giggled inwardly. "Now I know I'm crazy." After walking over to Times Square, she began to intermingle with the crowd. "I can't believe how many people are here tonight. It must be over 500,000 people. I'll never find him here," she sighed. The mayor of New York stood up to make a short speech before it was time to press the button releasing the traditional New Year's Eve Ball. Heather looked around trying not to appear frantic. "He promised," she sniffed, "that he would be waiting for me." The crowd had started the countdown. Heather stood in the same spot where she had met Tony the prior year. Ten… Nine… Eight… "Who am I fooling," she sniffed again. "I should have known better than to put all my trust in a stranger. He's probably somewhere enjoying New Year's Eve with someone very special wrapped into his arms while I'm standing here like an idiot waiting for a person that will never come." Seven… Six… Five… "Why do I always set myself up to be disappointed. I should have stayed home." FOUR… "Where is she! I've got to find Heather! I promised to meet her here," Tony said loudly as he pushed his way madly through the reveling New Year's Eve crowd. "I've got to find her before midnight!" THREE…. "I have to kiss her! I have to let her know that she's the only woman I've been thinking about all year. I need her! I must be with her! Heather! HEATHER!!" TWO… He suddenly saw her standing in "their spot". HEATHER!!! HEATHER!!! She can't hear me! The crowd is too noisy! Please god let her hear me! "HEATHER!!! HEATHER!!!!" Heather turned upon hearing what sounded like her name. Tony?? Tears poured down her face upon catching sight of him. "TONY!!!" she screamed loudly trying to get through the crowd. "Please let me through! I've got to get to him before midnight! I want to be with him!" "ONE…" Suddenly, as if time stood still just for the two of them, Tony was upon her. He grabbed her into a tight embrace allowing her body to melt slowly into his. Tony gently wiped the tears from her eyes and whispered huskily, "I told you I'd be waiting for you." More tears streaked down Heather's face as she smiled up at him. He then took her lips hungrily and possessively as the crowd shouted, "HAPPY NEW YEAR'S!!!" As the firecrackers were set off above their heads, their hearts were generating and different kind of sparkle. He kissed her passionately, exploring all that she had to offer. After breaking the kiss he smiled lovingly at her. "I was so worried I wouldn't find you in time," he said as he wiped away her stray tears. "I was afraid you wouldn't come for me," she uttered softly while gazing into his warm smile. "I promised that I would come back for you Heather," he assured her while hugging her closer. "I know this may sound strange, but I... I've been thinking about you a lot over the past year. From the moment we had our first kiss, I knew I wanted to be with you forever." "I feel the same way too," she whispered into his chest. I could feel the smile on his face growing wider, I would say, just as wide as the one on my face. "You want to go for a carriage ride in Central Park?" "Yes," she exclaimed happily all the while clinging on to his arm not wanting to ever let go. Tony hailed a yellow taxi to take them to 59th Street and 7th Avenue. There he had prearranged to have a white carriage waiting for them. As Heather got out of the cab and looked at the white horse and carriage, she couldn't help but shed tears of happiness. Tony helped her into the carriage and pulled the blanket over both their legs. The carriage pulled off slowly. "This is the happiest moment in my life," Heather said as she leaned into Tony's chest. Tony nudged her back gently to gaze into her beautiful blue eyes before uttering softly, "It's only the beginning." He lifted her chin to meet his before tenderly kissing her. As they deepened the kiss they both thought in unison, "At last I've found the one who can mend my broken heart."