A Thousand Moments

A Moment in Time

After debating if I should stay and let the elephant in the room take a seat, I couldn't stand in the room with Corey while he waited for an answer out of me. He expected too much out of me, or maybe I expected too little of myself.

I let myself out of the flat as I heard him call my name. It was almost as if my legs were in control and my head was too focused on running instead of walking back. I couldn't remember what I was thinking, it was clouded, and I stayed on track, to the one place I knew would make me feel relaxed.

The city of Leeds never failed to impress me; the lights are on, even the stars burned bright on the dark night sky. The air was peaceful, yet I knew sooner or later, roaring university students were about to head out for a night out they'll never forget. I could even hear the faint sound of Mr. Brightside from somewhere as I head towards my favorite place here: Knight's Way Bridge.

It was only September, though it was cold enough for me to tighten my grip on my sweater as I paced towards the middle of the bridge, passing in between the two huge rods. The autumn breeze grazed my cheek once I settled myself, overlooking the river that witnessed moments like these, blessed one or maybe even bitter ones.

Maybe I'd been overreacting. Was it immature of me to have just left him hanging? Maybe I should've turned back. But what would that mean? What would I have said after hearing those words come out of his mouth? How do I respond to that? I wasn't angry, I wasn't sad. I was, well, maybe bewildered at the thought.

Maybe I did need time to think. Was he willing to give me that time though?

I turned when I overheard faint snaps of a camera, noticing that not even a few feet away, was a blonde man, maybe in his early twenties, taking a few snaps of the gloomy river. For someone who needed a clear thought, the snapping sounds couldn't be more therapeutic enough.

"Shouldn't you be out on a night out like all the other students?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

Fixating his eyes on the viewfinder and on the buildings, he replied to me in a slightly thick Yorkshire accent, "Shouldn't you too, as well, American?"

"My mentality wouldn't even handle a night out," I sighed out, holding onto the railing as I pull myself back as a habit of mine, "Can't figure out a better nickname?"

"Would 'basic bitch' do?" he smirked, taking a good look at his work with pride. The only left to do was to roll his eyes at him.

"Sorry, stranger," I scowled, "But the only reason why I even started a conversation is that I wanted to kindly ask you to put your camera on silent mode or find some other place to snap a picture."

The man looked at me with the most baffled of looks, wondering why some girl who's clearly not from England scowling at him as if she knew him her whole life. I apparently surprise every person I meet. Heard that before.

I sighed, coming to the realization that I was probably looking more and more like a wacky person than normal. "I'm sorry," I sighed out, leaning forwards towards the railing, "personal problems."

"Enlighten me."

With a double-take, it took me a couple of seconds to comprehend what the man said. He was a stranger in my eyes, and he just volunteered to listen to what I had to say. I was getting help from a complete stranger.

I was completely sure I wasn't even in Leeds anymore.

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

I raised my eyebrow up, questioning him, "How do I know you're not some criminal or something? I'm positive I've never met a man— wait, no, a person ever who wanted to hear a stranger ask for details about their shits."