9LoC Part 8 -Steven

Our story starts with a bench. It's no different from the other benches though, no more comfortable, no more ancient or worn down. It's green paint was chipping off here and there, but other than that it was in good condition, just like the rest. The reason why it was less used was probably because the way it was placed: For some reason it was right at the edge of the park, facing the busy street instead of the pond. Most choose to watch the ducks instead of the rush hour.

But there was a man that came to sit on this particular bench every now and then. There was no telling when he would come, or how long he would stay, it seemed as if he just got a random thought. He came without a warning, sat down, and left just as suddenly as he had come. Always on this bench, and always alone.

Until she came.

It was an evening just like the rest as the man once again came without an apparent reason to sit and watch the busy street. But as he got closer he was greeted with a surprise -the bench was not empty. On the further end sat a girl, no, a young woman, seemingly unaware of the man's presence. He stopped, unsure what to do -he didn't want to intrude, but he also didn't want to leave since he was already there. Maybe she was a mind reader, or maybe he just wasn't hiding his thoughts that well, but she gave him a look and moved half an inch away from his end, signaling that it was okay for him to take a seat. He sat down, and so there they were, two strangers, sitting alone together, watching the people walk by.

From now on she, too, would come at random. At first the man still sat alone most of the time, but in a few weeks their schedules seemed to synchronize, and whenever he came, the woman was there. They didn't talk, just changed a nod and a look before and after the silent