Stranger // [Justin Bieber]

Prologue

First Edit: 10/07/2017

* * *

There it is.

34 Street Penn Station.

The subway entrance. If it is possible, I'd probably queue the angels choir to sing Hallelujah right now. I've been searching for this station the last fifteen minutes.

"Finally," I whisper in relief.

I guess it's not the worst thing to move to a new city, but in my books it's not just a new city that has my nerves swinging on a wrecking ball these last few months. I moved to a whole new country. Trust me, New York is a far stretch, as in oceans apart type of stretch, from the town I grew up in - which is in South Africa.

New York is a bit overwhelming at times. 

I picture the amount of people that roam these streets as tiny ants, whose nest just got destroyed; and they need to work overtime to fix the thousands of tunnels. Not to mention the gigantic skyscrapers and buildings that tower over the human ants 24/7, or the intense amount of traffic that orchestrates a symphony of honking cars, pedestrians and drivers alike shouting at each other. My favourite thing though, is when NYC transforms into its own galaxy of stars when the city lights twinkle at night.

I know the last thing I should do is wander around like I am doing right now. I look and act like a tourist if I don't walk fast to my destination, which is the subway entrance. New Yorker's hate tourists, well that's what Will always tells me if I walk too slow according to his taste.

After catching the train, I finally emerge from 42 Street Station, Times Square. My ears are welcomed to the never-ending hustle of the city's noise. It is almost 9 o'clock and if I don't hurry, I will be late for my first day at the new job.

I came to America with nothing but a duffel bag, not that I had much of a choice, but by some much appreciated help, I managed to get into one of the biggest publishing companies in the country, HarperCollins.

"You stand out like a damn sore eye in this city! And it's not because of your pale white ass!" I hear a familiar voice say behind me just as I am about to walk into the giant office buildings.

I turn to see Will standing with hands on his hips, pouting his lips. He shakes his head as if he is dissatisfied with my choice of outfit. Will has been my one and only friend I've met the day I moved into the apartment building across from where he stayed. He didn't give me much of a choice as he just barged into my apartment unannounced practically every day since we met and started hanging out with me.

I clear my throat and walk over to him, "What are you doing here?"

"Girl, I couldn't let your lost ass go working without helping you first," he says and takes off the bright red scarf around his neck, "this is the part where you thank me." Before I can protest, he swings the scarf around me; he ties it in a dainty-looking knot and smiles.

"Um, thank you?"

"Hmph," he eyes me from head to toe before his attention is turned to his shoulder bag, "Here, take a sip of this, it will give you a boost of energy," a small flask rests in his grip as he holds it out to me.

I'm too afraid to even ask what's in the flask. I try squinting my eyes to look into the container when I open it but Will sighs and shoves it to my mouth before I can see anything. The only thing I can feel is ice cold, but burning liquid making its way down my throat.

"Will! I can't drink alcohol on my first day!" I scold. The taste of vodka burns my insides and I can't help but let out a cough or two to ease the sting.