As Fate Would Have It

I never thought that living in such a large city could be this lonely. The thought had actually never crossed my mind. Maybe my notions about moving here were a little naive. I would find myself in some fancy apartment, make tons of new friends within just a matter of days, even meet some cute boy that would sweep me off my feet. None of these things had happened. In fact, I lived in a mediocre apartment all by myself, only met a few acquaintances that I worked with, and the only man that gave me a second look was the night janitor who I am forced to sit and have a conversation with every night when the rest of the employees leave. What a life. I left my small town living for the city of Pittsburgh in hopes of finding so much more. Instead, I have nothing, and no one.

Loneliness had its own special way of seeping into your life and refusing to leave. Almost like a fungus that attaches to your shower curtain and won't come off. That's how I've always seen it anyways. Everyone has their own way of dealing with being lonely. Mine was pretty simple. The feeling usually hit once I got off the night shift at work. I moved to Pittsburgh thanks to a job offer at one of those fancy hotels. You know the kind I'm talking about. High class. Everyone that walks through the door is made of money, and you're just the ant who scurries around trying to fulfill their every desire. Luckily for me, I got handed the night manager job. It's not what I had been offered, but it turned out the night manager quit as soon as they hired me, and that position paid more than the assistant manager position. Being a night owl was nothing new for me, since I wasn't even a year out of college and still found myself staying up all hours of the night for no particular reason. The only thing that I found to suck about the job was the lack of human contact. Like I mentioned before, there was Steven, the fifty something night manager who stole a look at my ass every chance he could, and the occasional drunk that wandered through the doors a little after two a.m. Either way, it wasn't anyone I could really hold a conversation with, if I tried.

Early morning walks seemed to always do me good after a night of nothing. That's actually where I found myself now. I take a familiar route back to my own apartment, stopping for a morning bagel and cup of coffee at the same little cafe. The workers are probably the only ones in this town that even know my name, and that's because I tell it to them every morning when I order my drink.

"Savannah," the barista calls as my coffee is placed on the counter.

With a smile, I grab the cup and sit at a small round table by the window. It's my usual home on these early mornings. I find myself staring at the people who pass by, and even make up stories about them if they look particularly interesting. My breakfast is always the same. A tall cup of coffee, that I can only choke down with the addition of a few sugars, and a plain bagel smothered in cream cheese. You would think after two months of the same thing, they would at least recognize me by now. Then again, it's not like I'm anything out of the ordinary. This place is swarming with people most of the time, and I'm just another face. No big deal.

As I sit at my window seat, stealing glances at the people who pass by, I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I jump a few inches from my seat and feel my hand go straight for my heart. My eyes lift up to see a man standing next to me with a huge grin on his face. He almost looks smug, in a way. "Hello," he greets, as though we've been friends for our entire lives, "I see you sitting here almost every morning. I was wondering if maybe you'd like some company."

The request has caught me completely off guard. Who is this man and why on earth would he want to join me for coffee? By the look of him, he must be on his way to work. A black suit with a Carolina Blue tie. I commend him on the tie choice in my mind before realizing that I've let the silence drag on for entirely too long. "Um. Sure thing. Have a seat," I somehow manage to let escape my lips before I sit myself up a little straighter and brush the crumbs from my fingers. "You said you notice me?" The question slips out before I have time to stop it. I feel the heat rushing in my cheeks quickly. Stupid move Savannah.

"I'm sorry. Was that a little too forward?" He asks, a look of guilt painted on his face. "I just meant that you seem to be here a lot. Almost every morning I'm here, you are too. I pay way too much attention to other people. It's been a bad habit since I was a child. Tends to scare people off even. And now I'm rambling. Anyways, my name is Ian Miller," He finishes, thrusting his hand in my direction

Does he really pay that much attention? Or do I radiate misery so much that he couldn't help but notice me. It seemed much more like the first option, not the second. I've noticed the sympathy looks from some people. That poor, lonely girl who sits by herself almost everywhere she goes. The mere thought makes me cringe. I haven't always been like this. Back in North Carolina, I was the life of the town. Every time I came home on my breaks from school, people were blowing up my phone wanting to grab a drink or a cup of coffee. When I moved back home after graduation, I was always doing something; working, playing, drinking. I couldn't seem to find time to be alone. But here, that's all I ever was.

Reaching for his hand, I shook it with a smile. "Savannah Quinn. And it wasn't too forward. I just expected to go practically unnoticed around here."

"Unnoticed? A pretty girl like you? I don't think that is possible at all."

Blushing. I could feel the redness brighten my cheeks. He was a charmer, that's for sure. And not bad looking either. His sandy brown hair was combed to the side, but with the suit I supposed he didn't have much choice in the matter. His blue eyes shined brightly as the sun hit them through the window. You could make out the outline of his jaw, but his cheeks held a bit of chubbiness in them. Though it was needed. Every time he smiled, he flashed a dimple. Overall, Ian Miller was cute, and he was also the first friend I had made here in the city of Pittsburgh, PA.