I sighed, leaning back and resting my head on the wall. I had been sitting here for about three hours now and I didn’t have any intention of moving anytime soon. Half of the reason being my body was partially numb, it was freezing. I placed my coffee up to my lips and let the steam warm my face, sending chills down my back as well. I watched as people walked past me, the streets weren’t as crowded as they usually were though. I wondered who every person was, if they were married, if they were sick in any way – I wondered how their life was in general. This may seem odd to you, but I find it fascinating. I took a sip of my coffee before setting it down beside me once again, my gaze never leaving the window across the street. I watched as a couple argued. What they were arguing about will forever remain a mystery to me but I watched intensely as if I was trying to hear what they were saying. Which was impossible, the streets of downtown Chicago were too loud and busy. I tore my eyes away from the window once the man struck the women, I cringed at the sight. Memories began flashing back to me causing me to pry my body up off the frozen ground and run, run as fast as I possibly could. I didn’t know where I was going though, and at this point, I didn’t really care.

I found myself by the harbor within minutes and I stopped, there in front of me was yet another couple. This couple seemed happier, they seemed genuinely happy. I felt my lips form into a small smile. The memories that haunted me just mere minutes ago now vanished. I studied this couple, just like I had done the last but this couple made me feel more at peace. This couple didn’t bring back memories of my past but they brought visions – visions of what I hoped my future would look like. I shoved my hands in my pockets and breathed out, my breath crisply visible. I looked down for a moment, recollecting my thoughts only to find out that the couple was now gone, once I looked up. The smile that was just sitting on my face had now faded and I walked on. Still, I did not know where I was going but I did know that I needed a place to sleep. I looked around empty buildings for a while but found nothing decent. Every building was already occupied, and I did not feel like having a roommate, or had a rotten stench and I wasn’t too fond of the idea of having to deal with it for the rest of the night. I made my way underground, to the subway that is, and basically threw myself down into a corner. I pulled the sides of my beanie down to cover my ears a bit more before pulling my hood over my head, it just meeting my eyes. I could see only the feet of all the people walking, from a distance though. I sighed, which was something I seemed to be doing a lot lately, and slowly closed my eyes. I let myself drift off to sleep, the sounds of rats squeaking and scattering around along with people filling my ears.

I stumbled along the sidewalk, tiredness still filling my system. Every single day I wander around the city, never having any intention of going anywhere specific. I just go wherever my feet take me. Today, I found myself in the park. I plopped down on the nearest bench and let my eyes fall closed. I was not falling asleep, just sitting, letting my mind wander. You know, the usual, that is, until I felt a shadow begin to hover over me. I opened one eye and raised an eyebrow, a bit irritated, looking up at the stranger. It was a girl. “May I help you?” I spoke. My voice sounding raspier than usual due to the fact that I haven’t spoken to anyone in a while. I also came off a bit harsher than I had meant to. I noticed the girl stepped back a bit before responding to my question. “Um, are you okay?” She spoke, quiet yet meaningful. I sat up and opened both of my eyes completely, wanting to get a better look at this stranger. “Yes” I began. “Why wouldn’t I be?” I rose an eyebrow once again, it was another one of my bad habits. “I was just asking, not all nice people have become extinct you know.” She spat back, now sounding a bit irritated herself. I felt intrigued by this stranger though. The breeze blew her wavy shoulder length black hair just enough to where small strands flew in front of her big blue eyes. I looked at them once before staring at her forehead, knowing that if I looked into her eyes any longer, I would get lost in them. “I know that. I just didn’t think that there were any left in Chicago.” I smirked while getting myself to my feet. I was a bit taller than her but not by much, she stopped just where my nose began. “You have a bit of an attitude.” She replied as she sat down on the bench, where I just was. “Do I know you?” I questioned her after a silent pause. It wasn’t an awkward pause, it was just silent. “I don’t think so.” She swung her legs back and forth as if she were a child. I shook my head and began walking off. “Hey!” I stopped and turned on my heels, only to see this mystery girl now standing behind me, her arms crossed over her chest. “Where do you think you’re going?” She questioned me in a serious yet what seemed to be a playful tone. “Why?” I let a slight chuckle slip out. Her arms dropped and a small smile formed on her face. Her full pink lips now revealing her straight white teeth. “Uh, you want to hang out?” She asked, but I was a bit taken back. Why would a complete stranger want to hang out with…me? I thought to myself. Apparently I took too long though. “I’m waiting for a response. You haven’t forgotten how to talk now have you?” Sarcasm flowing through her words as she spoke. “Sure!” I practically shouted, fake enthusiasm filling my words. “I mean, spending a day with a COMPLETE stranger should be fun, right?” I said with sarcasm. She’s not the only one who knows how to use it. “Always has been for me.” She shrugged while skipping towards me. Today should be interesting.

It was now around six o’clock in the evening and the sun was setting. I had spent the whole day with this girl, and over the short period of time, I grew very fond of her. She was an interesting person, and I had a good day with her. Mind you, I haven’t had a good day in a while. Also, I wasn’t quite ready to let her go and face the risk of never seeing her again. We were walking through a part of the city that most people wouldn’t even dare to walk through, neither of us really cared though. She was talking about a band that she liked while I drifted off into thought, trying to think of a way to spend more time with her. This went on for a good five minutes before I felt someone grab my arm and jerk me back. “What are you thinking about?” She asked me, I still haven’t found out her name. “Nothing” I began, rather quickly. “Hey, uh do you want to go to a party?” I finished, my speaking slowing down as I went on. She hesitated but eventually said yes. I smiled and looked down at my shoes, probably a bit over joyed that she said yes.

I leaded her to the small, abandoned building that the party was at, I pushed open the half broken door and stepped inside, pulling her in with me. I stood there for a moment to look at all the people dance around, drinks in their hands, with the music blaring and cheap strobe lights bouncing around the walls. I looked down at my new friend and gave her a reassuring smile, I could tell she was a bit nervous about being here. She had told me that she hadn’t really ever been around Chicago, like I had taken her around today. She just moved here last year, from what she has told me. We shared a lot of our secrets while spending the day with each other. It was odd but not uncomfortable. We opened up to each other, even though we had just met. She told me about the death of her mother, which is why she moved here to Chicago with her father. She didn’t seem too upset about it, she brushed it off right after she said it. I told her about my parents, how they were abusive to one another and me, which is why I ran away. I had never told anyone that, no one at all. I was always afraid they would turn me in or use it against me in some way or another but I told her and I didn’t regret it. I trusted her.

I intertwined my fingers with hers and lead her through the crowd of sweaty drunk people who probably couldn’t even tell their ass from their elbow and towards the back of the building, where there were still a handful of people dancing but not nearly as much. “You want to dance?” She stood on her tippy toes and shouted into my ear, so I could hear her over the music. “Sure.” I shouted back down at her. The song wasn’t some crazy club song but wasn’t a slow song either, it was just right for the moment. Although, we did not dance like the rest of the people were. She wrapped her arms around my neck while my arms found their way around her waist as we moved along to the music. This moment, it felt so right but in the back of my mind, I knew it was so wrong. I was dancing, so closely, with someone I had just met this morning yet had already told everything to. Everything felt and was so insane, yet I enjoyed every minute of it. I looked down at her, only to realize that she was staring back up at me. I looked into her big blue eyes and lost myself within them as if I were drowning in the ocean. And at this moment, I felt like her and I were the only people in this room, in this city, in this world, even in this galaxy. It was just us two, everyone else tuned out, the music tuned out. I felt infinite and I hoped that she felt the same. “I really want to kiss you right now.” I spoke unexpectedly. I certainly did not intend to let these words out of my mouth even though they were the only thing soaring through my mind that is usually crowded with many different thoughts. My mind told me to shut up and it also told me to leave, get out of there before what you just said makes everything drastically change but instead, my body inched closer to hers and I could now feel her warm breath beat against me. I was expecting her to yell at me, using every foul word imaginable considering the fact that we just met but, to my surprise, she didn’t. “Kisses are poison.” She whispered back at me. “They release venom and they hurt you.” She finished. I looked at her, a bit taken back. If this were any other girl, I probably would have agreed. I knew love existed but I did not believe it. With her, it was all different. “Maybe poison can be a good thing.” I whispered back to her, not trying to convince her but to lighten and lift her spirits. It seems that we are both untrustworthy of what kisses or affection may hold for us. “How could poison be a good thing?” She loosened her grip on my neck but I just pulled her closer. “Venom can have different kinds of effects” I didn’t exactly know where I was going with my words but they flew out so naturally that I didn’t even care. “What are you getting at?” She looked at me. I could tell she was a bit confused by the facial expression that rested on her face. “There are two kinds of poisonous kisses” I started “One, can lead someone to do things that they may eventually regret but others” I inched my head closer to hers “can lead to something magical. Now, you can’t tell them apart. You just have to take that risk.” I looked into her eyes, hoping my words made sense because they were all scrambled up in my head. “I guess I’m willing to take that chance.” She said while inching closer to me and I did the same, letting a smile form on my face in the process.1

Our lips brushed and we both looked down before regaining ourselves, looking into each other’s eyes once more. Suddenly, our lips crashed together and it was as if a million bombs had exploded. It was a soft yet passionate and genuine kiss that we shared, I felt her smiling through it though and I was doing the exact same. We pulled apart and stared at each other, both of us smiling like flaming goofs. “I should get home.” She was the first to speak. “Need me to walk you?” “No, it’s fine but want to meet up again tomorrow?” I smiled to myself. “Sure. Meet me at the same bench, same park?” I spoke, trying not to sound too excited or eager. “Sounds like a plan.” She smiled, as did I, as she began walking out, leaving me in a daze. “Hey, I never caught your name?” She stopped and spoke up, now across the way from me. “Holden” I shouted so she could hear. “Meredith” She shouted back before walking out.