Shadows & Dust
Chapter 2
Spotting a vacant seat beneath a willow tree, Stevie threw her bag onto the varnished wooden bench before sitting beside it and slouching comfortably. Even though the numbingly cold January weather wreaked havoc upon her face and hands, causing them to turn red, she felt some slight warmth emitting from the afternoon sun, high above.
It was the first time she had seen the sun since the beginning of December. Throughout Christmas time, the weather had only brought them ice, rain, thunder and darkness.
Closing her eyes in the sunlight, Stevie rested her head on the brick wall, with which the bench was touching.
She began to reel in her thoughts, trying to figure out how she could help her sister out, without being constantly rejected and pushed away.
What was bothering her so much?
Why was she so sensitive, argumentative and depressive?
She never used to be like that.
Stevie’s thoughts were momentarily interrupted when she felt the bench move slightly beneath her, as if someone else had just sat down.
Opening one eye, she glanced over to her right and saw that a man in a black trench coat with dark hair and sunglasses was perched at the end of the bench, as he fiddled around in one of his pockets. He had a cigarette in his mouth, so Stevie assumed he was searching for a lighter or a box of matches.
Closing her eye again and ignoring the seemingly harmless man, she began thinking of the current situation with her sister again, although she did pull her bag closer to her. Just in case.
Perhaps Jade was being bullied at school.
Or maybe it was something more sinister?
It could be that Jade was….
The sound of someone clearing their throat loudly, brought Stevie out of her thoughts again, as she suddenly heard an American accent beside her say “Excuse me Miss?”
Stevie’s eyes shot open and her head lifted off the brick wall, as she turned to see the dark haired guy in the trench coat facing her.
“Yes?” Stevie replied unsurely, as the guy still had those sunglasses on.
“Do you have a lighter I could borrow for a sec?” he smiled.
“Oh umm, no sorry, I don’t smoke.” Stevie replied with a small smile.
“Ah, not to worry.” the man replied, as he faced forward again and began putting his cigarette back into it’s packet.
Stevie noticed the packet was an American brand too, as well as the fact that the man was wearing a wedding ring.
“You know, I make a new years resolution every year that I’ll quit smoking, but I never carry it through. I’m no good at sticking to my resolutions. It‘s the 1st of January today and look how I kick it off!” the guy smiled, as he looked at the packet of cigarettes in his hand and then back at Stevie again.
Stevie laughed a little. “I never stick to my resolutions either. In fact, I don’t think anyone does. One of my resolutions was to eat less junk food, but that went out the window as soon as I bought this.” Stevie told him, as she brandished a chocolate muffin out of her bag. “I saw it in the window and couldn’t resist. By the end of the year, you’ll see me waddling around the city wearing Bridget Jones style knickers with a ‘morbidly obese’ sign stuck to my arse.”
The man gave a hearty laugh. “Man, I would love to see that!”
Stevie grinned and put the muffin back into her bag, before deciding to introduce herself. She didn’t normally do this to strangers, but what the hell….new year, new her!
“I’m Stevie by the way. Stevie Anderson.” she said confidently, as she held her hand out for the man to shake.
Smiling, the man finally removed his sunglasses to reveal piercing hazel eyes staring back at her.
“And I’m Gerard Way. Pleased to meet you.” he replied, shaking her outstretched hand.
It was the first time she had seen the sun since the beginning of December. Throughout Christmas time, the weather had only brought them ice, rain, thunder and darkness.
Closing her eyes in the sunlight, Stevie rested her head on the brick wall, with which the bench was touching.
She began to reel in her thoughts, trying to figure out how she could help her sister out, without being constantly rejected and pushed away.
What was bothering her so much?
Why was she so sensitive, argumentative and depressive?
She never used to be like that.
Stevie’s thoughts were momentarily interrupted when she felt the bench move slightly beneath her, as if someone else had just sat down.
Opening one eye, she glanced over to her right and saw that a man in a black trench coat with dark hair and sunglasses was perched at the end of the bench, as he fiddled around in one of his pockets. He had a cigarette in his mouth, so Stevie assumed he was searching for a lighter or a box of matches.
Closing her eye again and ignoring the seemingly harmless man, she began thinking of the current situation with her sister again, although she did pull her bag closer to her. Just in case.
Perhaps Jade was being bullied at school.
Or maybe it was something more sinister?
It could be that Jade was….
The sound of someone clearing their throat loudly, brought Stevie out of her thoughts again, as she suddenly heard an American accent beside her say “Excuse me Miss?”
Stevie’s eyes shot open and her head lifted off the brick wall, as she turned to see the dark haired guy in the trench coat facing her.
“Yes?” Stevie replied unsurely, as the guy still had those sunglasses on.
“Do you have a lighter I could borrow for a sec?” he smiled.
“Oh umm, no sorry, I don’t smoke.” Stevie replied with a small smile.
“Ah, not to worry.” the man replied, as he faced forward again and began putting his cigarette back into it’s packet.
Stevie noticed the packet was an American brand too, as well as the fact that the man was wearing a wedding ring.
“You know, I make a new years resolution every year that I’ll quit smoking, but I never carry it through. I’m no good at sticking to my resolutions. It‘s the 1st of January today and look how I kick it off!” the guy smiled, as he looked at the packet of cigarettes in his hand and then back at Stevie again.
Stevie laughed a little. “I never stick to my resolutions either. In fact, I don’t think anyone does. One of my resolutions was to eat less junk food, but that went out the window as soon as I bought this.” Stevie told him, as she brandished a chocolate muffin out of her bag. “I saw it in the window and couldn’t resist. By the end of the year, you’ll see me waddling around the city wearing Bridget Jones style knickers with a ‘morbidly obese’ sign stuck to my arse.”
The man gave a hearty laugh. “Man, I would love to see that!”
Stevie grinned and put the muffin back into her bag, before deciding to introduce herself. She didn’t normally do this to strangers, but what the hell….new year, new her!
“I’m Stevie by the way. Stevie Anderson.” she said confidently, as she held her hand out for the man to shake.
Smiling, the man finally removed his sunglasses to reveal piercing hazel eyes staring back at her.
“And I’m Gerard Way. Pleased to meet you.” he replied, shaking her outstretched hand.