Twice a month, wow, go me. Comments are appreciated^^;;;

Hello, My Name is ___ | PG | 573wc 

Keeping earbuds in place whenever you’re out, music becomes the rhythm to which you pace yourself. Three songs in and you’ve reread the same paragraph multiple times already, but the point isn’t to look smart—it’s to look busy. You’re seated cross-legged in a semi-busy lounge—just wasting time. Your shift had ended a good 30min beforehand, but you weren’t keen on going home right away. It’s been a dreary day and you sense a presence approaching so you inch to the left thus facing away slightly.

A few moments pass before you realize that the stranger chose to sit uncomfortably close. Normally this would irk you, but today you allowed it. It’s why you were here in the first place. You craved attention.

There’s a light tap on your shoulder. You see it coming before feeling it and tug at one of the buds; it bounces on the table then your lap.

“There it is. You couldn’t hear me.”

You haven’t addressed the stranger yet, simply turned your head in their direction slightly, looking down instead of their face.

“I’ve been trying to get your attention. Well, more like repeatedly saying ‘Hello’ till you noticed me.” He chuckles.

You look at his face now. Cheerful, nose and cheeks nipped, probably came in not too long ago, no drink in hand—not at all what you were expecting.

“Mind if I sit?” He motions and you shake your head, gesturing to the empty seat. You hold off from reinserting the earbud. Waiting.

The man r