The Girl Who Fell In Love With A TikToker - The Benji Krol Story

Chapter 2: In Pursuit

   As Benji dashed through the throngs of people, his eyes darted in every direction, searching desperately for a glimpse of the mysterious girl who had captured his attention earlier.  Despite his efforts, she seemed to have vanished into the bustling streets of Los Angeles.  Frustration gnawed at him as he slowed his pace, his chest heaving from exertion.  Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks as he heard his friends calling out his name.  He turned around to see Nic and Nils as they were catching up to him, their expressions a mix of amusement and concern.  "Hey, slow down, man," Nic said, as he tried to catch his breath. "You're gonna give yourself and us a heart attack."  Benji gave them a brief smile, though his mind was still consumed with thoughts of the girl.  "I can't believe I lost her," he admitted, his voice tinged with disappointment.  Nils clapped him on the back, offering a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Benji.  We'll find her," he said with confidence.  Together, the trio continued their search, retracing their steps through the bustling streets of LA.  As they walked, they couldn't help but speculate about the girl, who had left such an impression on Benji, that he would scour the city looking for her.  "Did you see the way she looked at him?  I hadn't seen Benji that flustered since the last time he was drunk," Nic mused, his eyes lighting up with excitement.  "I haven't seen Benji this desperate to find a girl in ages."  Nils chuckled, nodding his head in agreement and amusement.  "Yeah, she definitely left him with an unforgettable encounter.  But where could she have gone?"  With each passing moment, their hopes of finding her began to fade.  Their conversation was interrupted by the sight of their hotel looming ahead.  With a shared glance, the three friends exchanged a silent nod and walked on.  If they couldn't find Ruth on the streets, perhaps she had gone to stay somewhere or was with a friend.  They walked through the elegant doors of the hotel, Nic, Nils, and Benji scanned the surroundings.  As they walked through the lobby of the hotel, their spirits were dampened by their lack of success.

     As they approached the front desk to check in, Nic's eyes widened as he caught sight of the girl they had been searching for.  Nic nudged Nils, as Benji was speaking to the receptionist, Nic motioned for Nils to look over at a chair in the corner of the lobby.  Nils looked to the spot where Nic had motioned, and he grinned.  Benji turned to his friends, but before he could speak one word, Nils grabbed Benji's face turning it toward the corner chair in the lobby.  Benji could hardly believe his eyes, there she sat.  She was sitting so serenely amidst the chaos of the bustling lobby, her eyes focused intently on the pages of her Bible as she sipped her coffee.  A sense of awe washed over Benji as he watched her, his heart fluttering at the sight of her once again.  "We found her," Nils whispered, his voice tinged with excitement as they observed her from a distance.  But their moment of triumph was short-lived, as a group of (at least 10) children burst into the lobby, their parents walked in behind them and sat down across from Ruth.  The children's laughter echoing off the marble floors as they ran around in a playful manner.  With each squeal and shout, the peaceful atmosphere of the lobby was shattered, and Ruth looked up from her Bible with a gentle smile toward the parents, seemingly unfazed by the commotion.  The noise in the lobby escalated, Ruth's empathetic nature kicked in.  Upon hearing a man complain about the children to the receptionist, and sensing the growing tension among the other guests, she decided to take action.  Within a quick moment, she asked the mother to call her children over to where they were sitting.  When the children didn't listen to their mother, Ruth, with a gentle smile but firm voice, said to the children as she walked over to them.  "Hello little ones," Ruth called, her tone warm and inviting, her words carrying across the room like a calming breeze.  "Why don't you all come sit down by your parents for a moment, please."  The group of young children looked up at her, then looked to their parents for reassurance.  Their mother and father nodded to them, then drawn by her soothing voice, they turned their attention to Ruth.  Immediately and obediently, they made their way towards their parents to sit on the floor in front of Ruth.  Their expressions a mix of curiosity and interest.  As they gathered around her, Ruth knelt down to their level, her eyes twinkling with kindness.  "I know you're all having fun, but we need to be considerate of the other guests here," she began, her words as kind as possible.  "Can we try to keep the noise down a little?"  The children nodded eagerly, their enthusiasm undimmed by her gentle reprimand.  Ruth smiled at the children and asked, "Have any of you ever heard any Bible stories?"  The children shook their heads, as ruth looked to the parents for consent to speak.  They nodded approvingly, before launching into a captivating Bible story, her voice empowered by the Holy Spirit.  As she spoke, the children and parents listened with full attention, hanging on her every word as if spellbound by her storytelling.  With each story she shared, Ruth imparted valuable lessons of kindness, forgiveness, and love, leaving a lasting impact on the impressionable young minds gathered around her.

     Meanwhile, Nic, Nils, and Benji watched in awe from a distance, their admiration for Ruth growing with each passing moment.  It was clear to them now that she was more than just a chance encounter; she was a beacon of light in a world filled with darkness, and they were grateful to have crossed paths with her.  As she continued her stories, Benji's heart swelled with admiration as he watched her interact with the children, her kindness and patience evident in every gesture.  He couldn't help but feel drawn to her, the connection he felt toward her growing stronger with each passing moment.  As the lobby busyness continued around them, Nic, Nils, and Benji lingered in the lobby, content to simply watch the girl who had unwittingly captured their hearts.  And as the afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the scene, they knew that their encounter with Ruth was just the beginning of an unforgettable journey.  A journey they had no idea would take a turn, from the life they knew to one they had yet to discover.

*Hey everyone,  I kinda forgot about writing for a while.  Plus, I got a new job, so things are picking up in busyness for me.  I definitely want to try to write more for this book, but it probably won't be very often.  I might try to write two chapters each time I go to publish new parts.  Thanks for reading! - GodLover