North wandered the streets, restless. Discover… discover what? He had no clue. Travel? Tried. Seminars? Done. Nothing felt right.
He stepped out of his apartment, holding a soda to calm his thoughts. Maybe a walk would help.
Inside the convenience store, a presence tugged at the edge of his awareness. Something familiar, strange.
She was there, reaching for a high shelf, teetering slightly. He moved closer.
"Need a hand?"
She jumped, almost falling, and he caught her easily.
"You… you scared me!" she said, steadying herself. A small smile curved her lips.
"Sorry. Are you okay?"
She nodded. "Yeah… I guess. And… we meet again. Funny, huh?"
"Yeah," he said, trying to sound casual.
"From around here?" he asked.
She shook her head. "I go where I need to… or where I'm allowed. Not really a home anywhere."
"What brings you here?"
"Just… getting something to drink." She glanced at the shelf. "Could you reach that one? 555 Carne Norte?"
He handed it to her. She caught it gracefully.
"Thanks," she said.
"Anything else?"
"No, that's all." She gave him a faint smile, almost teasing.
"You're… hard to read," North said, unsure how to respond.
She looked at him steadily. "Some people live with comfort and never notice the struggles of others. I survive, and I see. That's the difference."
He stayed quiet, caught between admiration and confusion. She's different from anyone I've met.
"I talk too much," she said, stepping toward the counter. "Better I pay and go before I get carried away."
"I'll pay," he said, taking the items from her hands.
She laughed softly. "Then thank you… but remember, money doesn't measure everything that matters."
As she turned to leave, he grabbed her wrist gently.
"Oh?" she asked.
"I… can I ask your name? I'm North. You are…?"
Her eyes glimmered. Then a smile curved across her lips.
"Call me… nobody," she said. "Or maybe… someone you'll meet again."
She walked away, leaving North frozen, the warmth of her presence lingering.
"Who are you? " he whispered. You might be the answer to all the questions I've been asking…
….
She walked down the quiet street, the night air cool against her skin. The cans and soda clinked softly in her bag, a small reminder that she had survived another moment.
Damn… I shouldn't have talked so much. Her words had given him a glimpse of her world—a world she usually kept hidden.
He didn't understand. And maybe that was for the best. He shouldn't get involved. Not now. Not ever. Even if a part of her whispered he might be her savior.
Her pace slowed. The shadows around her stretched with the streetlights, pressing close like old companions. I'm better off alone.
Yet the memory of him lingered, soft but persistent. He had steadied her, watched her without judgment, and reminded her that not all the world was cold.
She clenched her bag tighter. No. I can't depend on anyone. Not him. Not anyone. Survival is my own, as it has always been.
Still, a small, almost imperceptible spark followed her through the night. One day… perhaps their paths would cross again. One day… perhaps she would understand why.