Where paths cross

Chapter 5

After a long, difficult day, she was tired and had been struggling with a writing slump. She knew that she needed to find inspiration for a new book, but the pressure was weighing on her. Deciding that a nearby walk could be a perfect distraction and spark some inspiration, she set off on what she hoped would be a relaxing stroll.

As Astrea walked through the park, listening to the latest Taylor Swift album and taking in the picturesque scenery, she couldn't help but feel invigorated and excited. The cold, fresh air made her shiver slightly, yet the festive, holiday-inspired atmosphere gave her a sense of warmth and positivity. She felt incredibly inspired and motivated, and soon found herself mentally jotting down notes and ideas for her next book, drawing inspiration from the sights and sounds of the park. She couldn't wait for Christmas to arrive and bring even more cheer and joy to New York.

 The moment Astraea sat down on a nearby bench and started jotting down ideas for her next book, she heard the pitter-patter of paws on the snow and turned to see a small dog running towards her. The adorable little pup approached her with joy in its eyes, and she couldn't help but coo and pet the cute canine, instantly making her feel better.

The owner came running over to the dog, apologizing profusely for their dog running off so suddenly. Astraea, feeling awkward and unsure of how to respond, simply nodded and assured them that it was understandable. 

"Hey, I'm Theo."

"I'm Astraea. Nice to meet you! Wow, your dog is such a cutie! Aren't you baby" she coos at the dog scratching behind his ear.

 "What's his name?"

"Oh, his name is Maximus, but we just call him Max. He's a handful, but he's really sweet."

"Aww, he's so adorable!" she coos and blows raspberries at the max.

Theo, in a rush, says "Oh, I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I have an important appointment to get to right now. It was nice meeting you, Astraea!"

Astraea, calling after and waving, "It was nice to meet you too, Theo! Good luck with your appointment, and tell Maximus I say hi!"

Theo smiling, "Thank you! And I will!"

With that, Theo hurried off on his way, leaving Astraea standing in the park to finish her walk and enjoy the remainder of the day.

It was just like fate - or so Astraea dreamed - when she turned around and saw Magnus' familiar scowl from a distance. What were the chances that he would be in the exact same park, at the exact same time... but she wasn't about to let this golden opportunity slip through her fingers. She made her way over to where Magnus was, heart racing and mind racing with so many thoughts. She took a deep breath, and called out to him.

"Hey, Magnus!" she calls out

Magnus, surprised, answers with a simple greeting "Oh... Uh... hey, Astraea."

She chuckles, "Wow, we must be destined to be together, always coincidentally running into each other like this." 

Magnus, rolling his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, destiny... right."

 Astraea, grinning, continues"Or fate! Or maybe it's, uh... magic?" 

Magnus scowls, clearly not as amused as she is, "Please stop, I can't stand the cringe that comes with this kind of thing."

She half-jokingly, says "You know, maybe it isn't destiny or magic. Maybe... you're stalking me or something. Following me everywhere..."

"Stalking you? That's ridiculous. Who the heck do you think you are?"

Astraea, playfully giggles, "Ooh, someone's getting defensive! Maybe I'm not so ridiculous after all. Maybe... the truth is, you have some unexpressed feelings for me and that's why you always seem so grumpy. Maybe, deep down, you love me!"

Magnus, scowls again getting defensive, "I love you? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"I was joking, Magnus! There's no way you have feelings for me. It would be ridiculous if you did."

Magnus grunts, not looking her way.

After a second of silence, Magnus breaks it with the sound of him aggressively checking the time on his phone, and grunts, "I have to go right now." he says displeased

"Yeah, I should be getting back home too. Later, Magnus!"

"Later."

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