She looks at me, eyes full youth and wonder. Her cute face scrunches up with the happiest of smiles. Someone who looks at the world in a greater light, and manages to find even the slightest good thing about anything.
 
Certainly this can't be coincidence if we ran into eachother again.
I just got out from checking on an order from a store I frequent. Sadly, the items in question are still in-transit to the store. Trains won't be operating for another hour, so I'm stuck here for awhile.
 
Just my luck.
 
"Hi!" she chirps, standing a few centimetres away from me.
 
I stare at her directly.
 
My eyes, however, were that of a weary soul, fed up with the world and its failure of society. Were that of an introvert only going outside to fill basic needs. Were that of someone who hardly had anyone, and preferred it that way. Were those atop a tired face, darkened bags sitting neatly under them from countless hours of declaring war on dreams.
 
"Fancy meeting you again." she says, obviously content with my greeting, if it could be called one.
 
Just what is it? Social interaction is difficult for me. I can't speak the words I want to say in fear of moving forward and doing unknown things. I don't like to go outside, there's too many people I prefer to sit in the comfort of my computer chair and flick through various pages, coffee in hand.
 
"How are you?"
 
Tired, I can't sleep. Scared, what will happen if I screw even this up?
 
"Fine." I reply after a short while, the weary sound of my voice reaching her.
 
She looks up at me and stares at my face for a few seconds.
 
"I see." she replies, scratching her forearm.
 
Silence reigns as lord over the two of us for about a minute, both trying to find the right words to say to the other. I'm not very good with words. Well, words to other people.
 
The light of the afternoon sun starts to slowly fade. I look up at the sky and see a bunch of storm clouds floating over the horizon. I frown. Winter storms are horrible. I shrink into my sweater, hoping to find refuge from the cold. I don't think it works that way. Brilliant. Gonna have to duck into a cafe or something and wait till the trains are coming.
 
Enough of that, more pressing matters to attend, like this girl before me with a questioning look on her face.
 
My frown loosens, and I give her a blank expression. I'm fine, please go away I want to get on with this and go home.
 
"I saw you out here today, and I thought I'd pop up and say hi." she says, trying to get something out of me.
 
"Cool."
 
"You don't sound too happy¬" she responds, tilting her head to the side, as if to view me differently.
 
I'm not. It's gonna rain, I'm tired and I want nothing more than to go home and chill out. Sleep is out of the question, no matter how much I may want to dip into it's warm folds. I... can't.
 
The familiar pitter-patter of falling raindrops appears underneath the sounds of a bustling city. I could feel them tapping me on the head as they fall, making my hair heavier with every second.
 
"Oh, crap! It's raining." she says, clothes starting to absorb the moisture greedily, growing heavier with every second of torrential exposure. She quickly darts across the wet street and ducks under a nearby shop awning, not too far from me.
 
"Seems so."
 
"My place isn't far from here, come and get out of the rain for awhile?" she asks, holding out her hand.
 
I freeze. I tone her out, the chattering of the cityfolk, and the rain too. A cold fear clutches my throat, rending me unable to speak. Anxiety strikes. This isn't good. I just want to go home, get out of here, away from you and in the comfort of my own room and play videogames and drink coffee and relax and be comfortable and oh god goawaygoawaygoawaygoaway-
 
"Hey." she taps me on the shoulder, and pulls me under the awning. My clothes are rather damp at this point, dripping water onto the concrete floor.
 
I breathe and take a few seconds to calm down. Or try to calm down as best I can, given the circumstances. I can't deal with this.
 
"Are you alright?" she questions, a worried look on her previously chipper face.
 
"I'm fine." I get things under control enough to reply.
 
I'm never fine.
 
"You are not! That didn't look like fine!" she pipes up, a hint of anger in  her voice.
 
Is she worried about me?
 
"I've... got it under control. I am fine, really." I respond, flustered.
 
I don't know how to deal with this.
 
"I don't think so, mister. You're coming with me." she pouts, grabbing my hand and dragging me down the wet street.
 
If I go along, maybe she'll give up. But what's gonna happen if I do go with her? What happens if I say something wrong? What happens if she hates me, like everyone else has? What if... What if I'm alone again?
 
I stop and tug her hand. She stops in her tracks and turns to face me.
 
"What... is it you see in me? What do you want? Clearly the first few times we bumped into each other were chance occasions, but now..." I trail off, running out of things to say.
 
Now... it's just plain uncanny. We first met by me picking up some parts from a shop around here. The box was far too big, so I couldn't see where I was going. I knocked into her and almost dropped the box, and spilling the components all over the place. I tried to apologise but she offered to help me carry it. I declined, and said that I could handle things on my own.
 
She smiled, and said "Okay." and left me to my musings.
 
Other times I'd be out getting food or some other necessity and she'd wave hello, bags of her own to carry.
 
She smiles, and grips my hand tighter.
 
"You seem... lost. Like you understand the world but don't feel a place in it. You don't know what to do, or how to fix it."
 
How does she know how I feel? I run into her a few times around here and it's like she knows me. Lost, huh. Does... it really look that way?
 
"But that's okay. We're... roughly the same age, right?" she gives me the once over, head to toe.
 
I nod.
 
"You've got a long way to go. You just need... a push in the right direction." she patted me on the shoulder.
 
"I forgot we're both soaked." she says, giggling.
 
I laugh a little too. I... guess I forgot what talking to someone on my level felt like.
 
"I was like you once. Then a kind person helped me. I kinda feel... like I want to help you. Being like that... isn't really good and having someone there for you helps a lot." she says. She glances at me and looks wistful. Like she was remembering her past? She just looks... sad. I think I'm the designated depressed one here.
 
"But... you don't look as if you have someone, do you?"
 
I shook my head.
 
"Can't... say I have." I say, meeting her stare halfway.
 
By now I'm freezing, clothes dripping onto the pavement. Regardless of being under cover, the rain decided it was going to pour diagonally, and blow under the awning we are both under, and the various other locations on this side of the street. Most of the shoppers have either moved indoors, left the area or are hurriedly escaping the rain, holding bags or whatever else they can find as substitute for an umbrella.
 
"Ahh, I'm so cold now!" she shudders, wrapping one arm around my neck. Her touch was slick with rain, but soft and emanating a feint warmth. I tense up, surprised. She relaxes her arm, and I become accustomed to the new weight on my shoulders.
 
"Ooh, you're warmer than you let on!" she says, snuggling into me as close as possible. I can feel her heartbeat through my clothes, softly thumping. I can feel her slightly shuddering too.
 
It feels... nice. Reassuring. I'm not sure why, but it does.
 
She swings her free arm upwards and raises a finger to her lips, and furrowed her brows in obvious thought.
 
"You feel like a... comfy person. Yeah, that would be the word I'd use. Someone to laze around with. Someone to have by my side on a cold day like this."
 
She releases my shoulders and locks one of her arms with mine, clutching on for dear life. Or sheer cold. Or- whatever.
I don't think she's done yet, so I remain silent.
Things... feel familiar. Not familiar as in happened before but I can't recall, but a "this is okay" familiar. I'm not freaking out or panicking. It's...
 
Familiar is the only word I can think of.
 
"Someone I can spend the day with, but do absolutely nothing. But... it's fine, because we're together. She looks away from the cold, wet concrete and up to me, giving a shaky smile.
 
I can feel a tinge of redness spreading across my face. How can she say things without knowing me? How can she say things that make me feel alright when I don't know her? It's mind-boggling.
 
She tugs my arm and starts walking through the rain slowly, grinning weakly albeit the undesirable situation we're in.
 
"Cmon, can't stay out here all day."
 
For better or worse, I respond.
 
"Okay." I can feel myself smiling too.
 
Slowly, but surely, arm in arm, we trudge on through the wet streets.
 
Just who are you?
 
Can't really ask that if I don't understand one of the most important questions.
 
Who am I?
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 We arrived a multitude of minutes after walking through the downpour, and came to a rather classy-looking apartment building. The sun has most definitely gone on its way to set, sky darkening with every moment. Wide glass doors were greeting us at the entrance of the complex. Not wanting to be outside at all, even more so since it started raining, I was pulled inside. By now, I was as awake as a person can be with no sleep, covered in cold water.
 
The floor in the lobby was made of glossy black tiles, and the walls were painted with different patterns of branches, flowing this way and that, with many leaves jutting out here and there. At the counter was a man swinging on an office chair.
 
She nodded to the man. He looked at the both of us, and then looked outside and laughed heartily. He waved her through, and I followed in tow, what with her arm being still entwined with mine.
 
A short lift ride later, and we arrive at our destination, what with her stopping at a door and producing a key from her pocket. Before she unlocks the door, however, she nudges me with the key, slipping off her sneakers with her heels before raising one leg and pulling off her socks.
 
"Might wanna leave these outside, man. The less water, the better."
 
I don't really see what little difference it's gonna make. Water has been trailed everywhere since we got inside, both our clothes are still soaked.
 
I just rely on nodding. I think that'll get us out of this faster.
 
The door opens with a feint click as she turns the key and twists the handle.
She shut the door behind us and locked it, dropping her keys onto a small table beside a wall near the door.
 
The walls, as far as I could see were a pale cream colour. Different frames were plastered over the walls, bearing depictions of various cartoon characters and videogame posters. Rather... different if you ask me. I was expecting pink things and the like.
 
"Wait right there, I'll grab some towels." she says, ducking through a doorway near me. Shortly after, my vision is impaired by a flash of white. I grasped the towel before it falls to the floor.
 
"There you go!" I hear her call out from what I think is the laundry room, a feint giggle in the background. I sponge off as much water as I can from my exposed parts of my limbs and face. My clothes are too drenched to even bother trying. A small puddle is forming underneath my pale feet, silently screaming out for warmth like the rest of my body.
 
She pokes her head around the corner and groans. She's now sporting a towel atop her head, her hair looking lighter than before as it slowly siphons the remaining moisture away.
 
"I don't think drying ourselves is working."
 
I smile a little, amused.
 
"You think?" I reply.
 
She pouts, and points at me.
 
"Yup, which is why you're coming with me. It's bath time."
 
She grabs me by my arm, now slightly less wet than before thanks to the trusty towel, and drags me through the apartment. Most of the floors are laminated, in the image of dark wood, adding a rather nice contrast to the walls.
 
Her grip on me is comforting, like having hot chocolate on a cold morning.
"Why are you still holding my arm?" I ask, these words being some of the few I've uttered today. Thinking about what you say is hard. Usually it doesn't matter to me, because I'm not around people. Today is just a rather odd exception.
 
She stops tugging my arm, and holds it limply in her hands.
 
"Are you sure you aren't going to run off alone somewhere?" she asks, wistfully.
 
I... don't know. I've been whisked away from where I should be and because of shitty weather, I've ended up in a rather upper-class apartment with a girl I "coincidentally" bump into again. How it keeps happening is beyond me.
But doing all that with someone else would probably make me have a panic attack so hard I'd die.
 
It's... concerning but I... I'm okay. She makes me feel... better? At ease? Something along those lines.
I wearily try to wrap my arm around hers instead. Don't ruin this. Please, don't let me ruin this.
 
"I don't think so." I say. Her face started to flush in embarrassment, not expecting my forward action.
 
She turned her sad face into a smile, trying to dispel the red tinge. "Glad to hear it."
 
We enter a room with squishy, soft royal blue carpet. A... Queen? I think it's Queen anyway- sized bed is in the middle of it all, with a purple blanket draped neatly over the top. Around the room and strewn across the bed were a multitude of plush animals, some as large as a small child, and some small enough to rest in my palm.
 
Opposite the bed is a TV stand, with a large flat-screened TV sitting atop. Stacks of various game cases, DVD's, CD's and their ilk were stacked neatly into the shelves of the stand and the bookshelf in the corner, also sporting a couple of shelves of novels of various colours and sizes. Game cases aside, consoles were spaced in the shelving reserved for DVD players. By now, everything can play DVD's so does it really matter?
 
Adorning the walls are- yet again, more posters. Gotta add a little colour, I guess. Staring at blank walls all night isn't enjoyable.
 
Before I can stop and examine, she drags me towards the door in the opposite corner of the room. She opens the door and retracts her grip on my arm.
 
"You go first. Just place your clothes outside the door and run a bath or something while I throw them in the dryer."
 
Can't argue with that. Wanting to be as warm as quickly as I can be, I enter the bathroom and close the door behind me. I take off my drenched clothes, hide behind the door, open it slightly and slide them out the small crack.
 
"Oho! What a gentleman! Leaving a lady to her imagination, hm?" she jabs on the other side of the wall.
 
I blush, embarrassed by that thought.
 
"Y... Yeah. Something like that." I say.
 
I hear her laughter getting softer as she leaves the room.
 
Adorned with similar black tiles as the lobby, the bathroom is rather large. This must be a very expensive apartment. Or something. To the right of me is a shower, and in a smaller offshot with a door, the toilet. The sink is a little to my left, with a bench adorning it and the bath is a few steps in front of me.
 
Twisting the knobs, I get it to a much warmer temperature than my body heat, and slip in shorty after it's done filling up.
 
The warmth is bliss to me, as it stretches to every part of my body. It envelops me. I now realise. Re-realise? Anyway, I've had no sleep for a long time. The warmth coming back to me was a reminder, and I can feel the edges of my consciousness fading as I soak in the bath.
 
 
I feel something jabbing me in the face.
 
"Cmon, don't drown in there!"
 
I suddenly remember where I am and my eyes fly open in a heartbeat.
I see her face. Well, half of it. Her upper half covered with her hand. The other, however, was just being raised away from my face. She was kneeling beside the bathtub, clad in fluffy tracksuit pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
 
"Took your time. You're a heavy sleeper, yknow? Knocked on the door, called out, the whole package." she says, standing up and dusting her knees.
 
"Clothes are on the bench next to the sink
 
Taking note of my situation, I tap her on what I can reach of her leg to get her attention. I don't think she can see very well with her makeshift hand-blindfold.
 
"When I can actually sleep, yes. Also, you might want to... Uh, leave so I can get out?" I say, shrugging.
 
Her cheeks redden slightly.
 
"Ah." she says, before turning around and-
 
Almost falling face-first into the ground. I say almost because I dashed out of the bath and grabbed her arm to stop her from falling.
 
"Th-Thank you." she stammers, hands still covering her eyes. I sigh.
 
"Whatever. Can I get dressed now?" I ask, starting to feel a chill around my legs as the water slowly dries. She ducks out of the room as fast as lightning and shuts the door.
That was... kinda cute. I can't believe she actually covered her eyes though. You think you'd slide them open a bit so you can peek, like in children's games to get the one-up on your peers.
 
Quickly drying myself and enjoying a well-deserved reunion with my, now dry, clothes, I enter her bedroom again.
Awaiting me on the bed was a rather dishevelled girl, with plates of sandwiches next to her.
 
"Rain's still not letting up, I see." I say grimly as I peer through the dark windows. By now the trains are long gone, choo-chooing back to the depot ready to start another day of terrible public transport. The street lights are on, and there doesn't seem to be anyone outside.
 
Gonna have to find a hotel around here somewhere. Most of this district is newly built so there's gotta be a cheap one around somewhere. I could catch a cab but I don't think I have the money on me.
 
She gets up and hands me one of the plates, stacked with sandwiches.
 
"Afraid so. Eat up, I can't be bothered cooking right now." she says, turning the main light off in the room before switching a lamp on, located ontop of the small table beside her bed.
 
I give her a nod of thanks as I receive the plate, taking a bite out of one. Ham and cheese? I live on stuff like this everyday. Delicious. She motions me to join her on the bed. I sit down on a corner and dig in. Enjoying the sandwiches heartily, a warm silence unfolds as we both tend to hungry stomachs.
 
"Hey." she calls. I look beside me in acknowledgement.
 
"I know this is gonna sound really stupid and clichéd but you should crash here for the night." she says, pushing a rogue strand of hair out of her vision.
 
Uh.
 
"What?" I inquire, not expecting this train of conversation at all. Either I'm still groggy from waking up, or too tired from lack of sleep. Or she actually did say that. That could happen too.
 
"It's raining still. You're clothes just got dried too. You aren't a bad guy. I've trusted you so far. Just crash here." she said, giving me a half-smile. I think she is tired too. She grabs a couple of pillows and sits up next to me, placing them behind her back. I do the same, hesitantly.
 
I don't think I have a choice. I can't understand it but... I'm comfortable here. I'm not breaking down or anything. I'm at ease. Like I am in the wee hours of the mornings, curled up with my laptop browsing forums or watching videos before passing out.
 
The feint noise of the rain is soothing as I lay here. She switches the light off and yawns. She pulls the blankets over herself and lays her head on my shoulder.
 
"Yeaaah... Comfy was the right word." she said sluggishly.
 
Maybe I don't know who I am right now. I'm a guy who has no one, and lives in the comfort of his home everyday without question. Except this one.
 
I think... I could find out who I am if I stay with her.
 
"Maybe we were destined to meet." I say, tucking myself in. Her head rested on my chest, I can feel the vibrations of her throat as she laughs.
 
"Destined to meet, huh. Funny... that."
 
She closes her eyes.
 
"Destined to meet and I still don't know your name."
 
She laughed softly.
 
"My name is..." she begins, but stops as she dozes off on my chest.
 
If I get to know her, maybe I can know myself.
 
Funny how bumping into someone someday could make me end up like this.
 
Questions and answers aside, I drift off to sleep alongside her.
 
Who am I?
 
I don't think I'll know for ahwile.