Back To The Streets

Keely Adams checked her hair in the mirror, satisfied with how she looked, she stepped out of her ground floor apartment, onto the cold tiles. Her black pumps hitting the floor with every step. Her hips swayed as she walked. Her long dark brown hair, blowing in the wind behind as she walked.
Jon Walker stepped out of his house. His hood up and sunglasses on. Talking quietly and quickly on his phone to friends in Vegas. He walked with his head down. His eyes raised. His mouth tight shut while he concentrated. Opening only when he wanted to add into the conversation.

The sun shone in the sky, casting shadows along the street. Frustrated drivers honked the horns of their cars. The sidewalk was full of people, all of them walking oblivious to another stranger. Except for Jon and Keely.

They walked past each other every day. Always noticing, never saying anything. Most people would call it deja-vu. They both did too. Keely just thought he was the dude with the stubble and hoodie. He thought she was the brunette with the pretty smile. Every day they passed each other, every day they just smiled. Not one word was spoken between them.

Keely walked down the busy Chicago street, as she walked he caught her eye and she smiled. Even though his phone was pressed against his ear, he looked at her and smiled back. The usual morning routine. She looked away and carried on walking. He stopped walking and watched her walk down the busy street in the opposite direction; he stared at her back until she turned the corner. Regret panged through his insides, he wanted to shout her, say something to her, chase after her, but he knew he'd lost her in the busy street. Sighing in defeat he carried on walking.

Keely turned the corner and sighed, why didn't she say hi for once, a simple one syllable word, get a conversation going, get to know him a little, exchange numbers and go their separate ways. She sped up her pace, not wanting to be late for work she carried on down the street. She arrived at the multi-story building she was accustomed to and went inside, greeting the various people whom she worked with.

Jon slammed his apartment door, he was frustrated. His friends were being no help in his situation, all they could so was laugh and say things like, "better luck next time dude," or "man seriously, if shes as hot as you say she is, she wouldn't want you." He threw himself onto his sofa; he didn't know her name, so the phone book was out. He couldn't walk into the street and randomly ask anybody if he knew her by describing her physical appearance, there were probably a thousand girls in Chicago like that. All he could do was walk down the street in the morning to see if she was walking down it. He smiled, forming the plan in his head.

Keely answered the phone, putting on her polite, formal voice as she passed the caller onto the boss. She looked out of the waiting room window, directly opposite to her reception desk, it was sunny outside, and no doubt it would be warm too. She thought of the stranger she bumped into this morning, with his black hoodie and stubble, that piece of hair falling into his eyes. She smiled and leant back in her chair, she got dragged out of her trance by the phone ringing again, she took a message for her boss and hung up. Still thinking about the stranger, wondering if he would be walking back down the street in the morning. Smiling, she picked up her jacket and went for her lunch.

Standing up, Jon went over to the fridge and opened it. Empty. He closed it and turned to the door, picking up his wallet and hoodie, he left his apartment. He jogged down the few flights of stairs and out of the main doors. He zipped up his hoodie, even though the sun was out, it wasn't warm out. It was a crisp Chicago afternoon. He ran across the street, almost getting run over in the process, and continued down the road.
Keely laughed down the phone as her friend told her about some random guy she met. She threw her head back when she laughed and tripped up. She didn't hit the floor, she fell into someone.

"I'm so sorry," she said, she looked up and her eyes widened when she saw who it was.
"Hey," Jon said to her, smiling.
"Hi," Keely said, smiling back.
"I'm Jon Walker," he held out his hand
"Keely Adams," she shook his hand, "hey, I'd love to talk and all but I have to get back to work,"
"Yeah, sure," Jon said, stepping out of her way so she could go the way she was going.
"I'll see you around Jon Walker," Keely said, taking a step and smiling.
"Yeah, see you around," he stood still and watched as she walked, talking down her cell.

Keely got back to work with a steaming hot coffee and a Tuna Panini. She walked past her desk, smiling at the girl who worked there while she was on her lunch and went into the staff room. Sitting down at the empty table in the almost empty room, the exception being the creepy guy that worked on the fourth floor, she ate her lunch, thinking about Jon Walker. She finally knew his name; the stranger with the stubble had a name. Keely smiled to herself. She looked around as another worker came in, smiling at her, Keely moved up a seat, ready to be questioned about why she was smiling like a Cheshire Cat.

"So, is it like stalker-ish if I look her up in the phone book?" Jon asked his friends William and Mike.
"Not really dude," William said, leaning forward and taking a potato chip from the bag on the table.
"Think about it, how many Keely Adams will there be in Chicago?" Mike said
"Encouraging dude, real encouraging," Jon said, sliding into his chair and putting his head in his hands.
"If you see her tomorrow morning, just ask for her number," William said.
Jon looked at him and fell back heavily into the chair.

Keely checked her hair in the mirror, like she did every morning, taking extra care today. She walked out of her apartment and smiled. The chilly Chicago air made her feel cold and she pulled her jacket tight around her. She walked quickly down the street, wanting to get to work quickly and get out of the cold.

"Hey! Keely!" She looked around and saw Jon Walker.
"Hey," she said to him.
"I never got a chance to ask you yesterday, he said. Would you like to go to dinner with me?"
"Yeah sure," Keely said, smiling.
"Cool, um, can I walk you to work?" he asked.
"Um, sure," Keely said, still smiling.
"So, um..." Jon said.
"Well, this is awkward," Keely said
"I know, right?" Jon said laughing slightly.
"So, what do you do?" She asked.
"I'm in a band,"
"Would I have heard of said band?"
"Maybe, its called Panic! At The Disco,"
"My niece loves that band! She thinks your lead singers pretty hot," Keely said.
"Brendon is pretty hot," Jon said and Keely laughed.
They carried on walking down the street laughing.
"So what do you do?" Jon asked.
"I'm a receptionist at Cooks and co."
"The lawyers?"
"Yeah, its not the most exciting job, but it pays my bills,"
"Well, mine isn't really,"
"You're in a band, you go on tour, you make records,"
"That bits pretty cool, but when were on a break like we are now, I pretty much sit around the house all day"
"That sucks," Keely said and Jon nodded, "Well this is me," they stopped outside the building.
"Okay, well, I'll see you soon," Jon said.
"Wait!" Keely said and Jon looked at her "Do you have your cell phone?"
"Yeah," Jon said.
"Could I have it for a second?" Jon looked at her sceptically but passed her his phone anyway. She put her number into it and passed it back. "Call me sometime, we can arrange that date,"
"I will do," Jon said, smiling at her, "What times your lunch break?"
"12-ish,"
"How about we organise dinner over lunch?" Jon said.
"I'd like that," Keely said, "I better get in, before I'm late,"
"Yeah, you should, see you at 12,"
"See you at 12," Keely said, turning and walking into work. Jon watched her and smiled slightly.

He carried on down the street to his friends apartment, trying not to smile so he didn't look like he was insane. He got to his friends building and buzzed up.

"Hello?" His friend said.
"Hey Sisk, its J-Walk,"
"Come on up dude," Jon went through the doors and up to his friends apartment on the first floor. As he reached his friends door, it opened.
"What do you want dude?" His friend Adam said as Jon went into his apartment.
"Bill here?" Jon asked.
"Why do you assume hes here?"
"He lives here,"
"Hes in his room," Adam said, shutting the door behind Jon.
"Yo Bill!" Jon shouted through the apartment.
"Hey Jonny boy," William said, coming out of the room, "did you need me?"
"Yeah, you know that girl I was telling you about?"
"The one you pass everyday but never ask out?"
"Yeah,"
"Yes, I know of her,"
"I just asked her out, twice,"
"Twice? Dude, thats desperate,"
"Not when she agreed, both times,"
"Ahh, your first date is when?"
"Twelve," They went into the living room, where Adam was busy watching cartoons.
"Surely, hes not nineteen," Jon said laughing and sitting down.
"You were nicer when you worked for us," Adam said. Jon ignored his comment and turned to William. "is he going on his date dressed like that?"
"Whats wrong with how I'm dressed?" Jon asked, looking down at his jeans, t-shirt, hoodie and for once in his life, converse.
"Nothing,"
"Sisky, stop being an ass, you look fine dude," William said.
Jon pulled a tongue at Adam and laughed.

Keely smiled as she sat down, a couple of people walked by her, criminals clients and a couple of the lawyers. She smiled at them as they looked at her. They just walked past. She pulled a tongue at their backs and looked at the clock opposite. Only a few more hours she sighed.

Jon said goodbye to his friends and ran out of their apartment, he ran down the street, not wanting to be late, he saw Keely and smiled. She looked around and saw him.
"I thought you weren't going to show," She said, slipping her arm into his. Jon laughed slightly.
"Well, if I didn't come now, wed never be able to have dinner, would we?"
"Nope," Keely said, shaking her head.
"Well, I didn't want you to think I'm an ass, and I really like you Keely," She blushed at his remark.
"You know what, I really like you too,"
They smiled; Jon led her into a restaurant. The manager showed Jon and Keely to the table as soon as they stepped in.
"You didn't make reservations did you?" She asked.
"Would it be a problem if I did?"
"Well, everythings so expensive," Keely said looking at the menu.
"Its no problem, its on me, and no I didn't make reservations, I know the manager,"
Keely smiled. "Seriously you're willing to spend this much on me," she asked, eyes wide.
"My band mates make pay every time they come here, its fine," Jon said reassuringly
"Tell me about your job," Jon said after they ordered.
"I'm a receptionist; I answer phones, forward emails, read emails. Nothing much really,"
"Well, the people where you work are lucky,"
"Why?"
"They get to see you every day,"
"Well, who's to say that you cant?"
"What are you implying?" Keely bent over the table and kissed Jon.
"That."