Mystrerious Stranger

Here I am, sitting on the bench in the middle of the park, reading my book. I always come here at this time, every day. It's so relaxing...the birds are singing, kids are playing in the distance. Not many people know about this place. Usually, there's a person or two, but today, I was alone. I sat there for a while. It was getting pretty late so I decided to go home. To get here, you have to go through the forest, so I always leave before the sun goes down. I don't want to get lost in it.

Tomorrow, I headed to the park again. As I pass the forest I see someone sitting on the bench. Not any bench. The bench I always sit on, nobody sits there but me.

"Who is that?" - I whispered to myself kind of angry and annoyed. If I go up there and say something like "that's where I sit" he would think I'm crazy. It's a public bench, but I never saw anybody sitting there ever since I found out about this place. Of course, there are other places to sit, but, the view isn't that special. I uncomfortably sit on the other bench across "mine". He isn't even enjoying it. He is just sitting there, without any clue how special that place is. I should be there, not him. He was wearing a black leather jacket and black leather pants. He looked like one of those bad guys with a motorcycle I roll my eyes at. I sigh out of annoyance. I tried to read my book but I couldn't focus on it. I saw him looking over me a couple of times. After a while, he decides to get up and leave.

"Thank God." - I said silently to myself once I couldn't see him anymore. I get up and sit on "my" bench.

The day after that, I showed up at the park a little earlier. My seat was empty. I sit there and read my book as usual. Time passed and I saw him again. He showed up there at the same time I usually do. Unbelievable. I got scared, I never talk to strangers, what if he comes up to me? Should I get up? My heart started beating faster as he started walking closer to me.

"Do you mind if I sit there next to you?" - my heart skipped a beat.

"Actually, I do." - I said with confidence although my legs were shaking. I have bad social anxiety. He smiled at me and walked away. I did it! I made him go away! I was so happy! He left the park.

Tomorrow I had to go grocery shopping so I couldn't go to the park. When I arrived at the grocery store, I saw someone in the cereal aisle. I saw his back so I couldn't tell who is he, but he looked familiar... Hey I remember that jacket! He is a guy that sat on my bench! Was he following me? He turns around and looks at me. I pretend that I'm looking at some sausages and salami. I don't even eat meat, I'm a vegetarian. You know what, he probably just moved here recently so that's why I keep coming across him.

I leave the story after I bought what I needed and head to my car. As I was going home I saw this car following me all the way from the grocery store. Is that him again? What does he want?! This is terrifying! I pull over to the gas station to see will he go and leave me alone. He kept driving, thank God.

That day, I got home safely and everything seemed fine. But today I'm going to the park. I showed up there at the same time as I usually do. There was only a girl playing with her dog and there was me. I was there for a few hours and nobody else came.

The other day, that creepy leather jacket guy showed up. Again. Every time I see him, he smiles at me. Now I was pretty sure he was following me all the time. I wanted to ask him what the hell does he want from me. Considering there was more people than usual I wasn't really scared. I've had enough. I walk up to him and ask politely - "Why are you following me?" - he looks at me and laughs

"Why are you following me?" - I repeat and raise my voice a little.

"What are you talking about?" - he looks at me smiling.

Well, what if I'm wrong. I just made myself look like an idiot. Still, I need an explanation why do I keep coming across him.

"Then why do I see you everywhere I go?" - I ask.

"Okay, look," - he stops for a seconds and sighs. - "I recently moved in this town and someone told me about this place. When I first got there, I saw you sitting on this bench" - he points at the bench and continues - "You caught my attention. You were the first thing I saw when I walked in. You were so focused on your book, that you didn't even realize I was there. I found that really cute. I knew you were special. I live next to the forest, where this park is, so I can see out of my window whoever goes there. I saw you out of the window every afternoon, at the same time, walking to this park, with your books. One day, I showed up there before you. I sat on your bench and waited for you. I knew you'd be confused.

"Why didn't you just came up to me?" - I interrupt him.

He smiles at me and ignores my question - "The other day, I noticed you came earlier, but I showed up later. That's when I walked up to you and honestly, I thought maybe you could let me sit next to you, but you didn't. I saw you were a little scared and anxious, so I gave up."

"Oh...I- I don't know what to say... Then how can you explain the grocery store? It's far away from the park!"

"It was a coincidence. It's the closest grocery store from here." - he replies - "That's why I didn't show up here the next day, I knew you freaked out. But I understand you."

"Well it does make sense... I thought you followed me home after, but now that you said you live close to the park, I see that we actually live really close to each other." - I say relieved.

He looks at me in the eyes and says - "I like you, today I was about to come up to you, I didn't expect that you'd come up to me. If you believe me, let me know your name. I'm Joshua.

"Betty." - I smile. I wanna believe him, I really do. It all just makes so much sense.

"Nice to meet you, Betty."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm sorry that I thought you're some crazy stalker guy" - I laugh.

"And I'm sorry that I made you think that." - he smiles at me again. He does that a lot. I think I might like him too.

5 months later, they ended up together. Call it what you want, a crazy stalker or a dreamy lover, big town yet so small, secret place or maybe not so much...This is a love story. And the bench that was then for one, now is for two.

Original story by Lana