Nymphaea

Kind stranger

After about a minute of being hugged by the kind stranger who was now caressing my hair, I pulled out of the hug, curios to see who was my savior. 

I was greeted by a pair of emerald green eyes looking at me with relief and what seemed to be curiosity. I was hypnotized. I swear I never in my life imagined such green eyes existed. They were an intense color of green mixed with turquoise. I was mesmerized.  

*Do you wear contacts?* I asked trying to come up with a reason for the unusual color of his eyes. 

He looked at me amused and just shook his head. 

*Well thank you for rescuing me. Have we meet before?* I asked again, trying to piece together his words:"You scared me." and the familiar feeling I had around him. 

*The pleasure was all mine, love. No, I don't think we have. Why do you ask?" He looked puzzled.

*Never mind, I thought you look familiar...* I started to offer a lame excuse as I felt the wind bring his perfume closer. He smelled so good I shut my eyes for a second as I breath in his amazing scent. It was something familiar about his scent to, and I frowned trying to remember what it was. 

*Are you going to pass out?* He asked concerned, grabbing me by my elbow to make sure if I fall he will catch me. 

I opened my eyes reluctantly, and shook my head breathing in his scent one last time. I tried to take in as much details as possible about the appearance of my savior. 

He had black hair, it was short but I could still see it was curly and I felt the need to run my hand thru it. It looked so soft. He was taller than me, with big hands and the skin like honey. Dressed with black jeans and a black hoodie, headphones on. I couldn't quite figure how old he was, he had that ageless look. I placed him somewhere between twenty and thirty.  

*Do you need a ride home?* He asked interrupting my contemplation.

I was tempted to say yes, as he was so cute and I felt drawn to him like a magnet, but my better judgment said he was a stranger,and as much as I wanted to trust him I said: *Sorry, I can't. Mom would kill me if she new I got in a car with a stranger. Besides I live close. It will take me only about ten minutes to get there.*

*Very well. Would your mom mind if the stranger walks you home instead? I just want to make sure you get home safe.*

Was he really just concerned about my safety? I felt like I could trust him and I really wanted to talk more with him so I nodded. I wasn't in any danger walking with him as it was a busy road, so if anything weird happened I could just scream.

*Ok. You can do that. Well, let's go then. It's this way.* I said as I started walking. I felt him by my side as he matched his pace with mine, walking beside me down the street.

For a few moments it was silence, as we were each immersed in our thoughts. He was the one who broke the silence:

*So what were you thinking about that it made you so oblivious to the car almost hitting you?* He asked with a puzzled look.

*I don't know. I was just listening to some music, I know I shouldn't be listening with both my earphones on while crossing the road, it's a bad habit.*

*You should get yourself a car if you like listening to music that much. It would be safer for you.*

*I do own a car, but it's a short way to walk from my home to the mall and I love walking.*

*You do? Why you never go hiking in the forest near the city then?*

*How do you know I don't?* I asked jokingly but after the words were out I saw a strange twinkle in his eyes. He stared at me innocently, just barely smiling, waiting for me to continue. *Well my friends are not interested in hiking, and I don't want to go alone.* I answered his question again curios about the identity of the stranger. I was just about to ask his name when he said: 

*Very wise of you. The forest is a dangerous place if you're not used to it.* He paused as to decide if he should tell me something but decided against it as I stopped in front of my house.

*This is me.* I said pointing at my house.* Thanks for the walk aaa.. I don't know your name.* I said, coming face to face with him. Again I was enchanted by his eyes. 

I mean, I know I am no beauty. With my black hair, black eyes and to white skin I look strange in a town where it's always sunny and everyone's got a tan. My face is full of freckles, another oddity, so I was used to people staring at me. What I was not used to, was people looking at me with curiosity. Almost like I was a puzzle. He took his time studding every inch on my face before reluctantly answering: 

 *I know you don't. It's for the best, trust me. It will be best for both of us if we spent as little time together as possible.* 

Buddy whaaat? I looked at him confused as f**k. Was he some serial killer or FBI agent undercover? I laughed at that thought. Maybe he is a vampire? So that's how Bella felt like. I thought to myself. I guess he decided I was not pretty enough for him or something. To be honest, it kind of hurt me, but I wasn't about to let him know that so I just said:

*Well, thanks for the walk then. Have a good life.* and I entered the house without looking back. 

What a weird night  I thought to myself as I walked to my bathroom to turn on the water in the tub.

Starting my bath ritual I poured lavender oil, a few drops of mint oil, and tea tree oil in the tub and dropped a lily bath bomb. I played some chill music and went in the tub welcoming the heat of the water. I loved how relaxed it made me feel and I almost forgot that I had been rejected by a stranger just moments ago.