Ready, Set, Go (Chapter 6)

A fresh breeze blew when Anika and Steve stepped out of the bakery. Both set to turn Anika´s idea into reality. Determined and positive to find each other in between these masses of people. “Let the game begin”, Steve announced. And this was the moment when their path parted for the next few hours.

The bakery was located at 672 9th Ave, from there Anika decided to first walk to the Plaza Hotel and then continue to take a stroll through Central Park. When Anika was a little girl, Home Alone used to be her favorite Christmas movie to watch. It became a tradition to watch the movie with her parents every 24th of December. She remembered how Kevin, the main character of the movie, checked in at the Great Plaza Hotel in the second part. Ever since she watched that movie for the first time, she dreamed of visiting this place. She was excited to go and check out if the hotel really looked as stunning in real life as it did in the movie. Quickly making her way, Anika didn´t even think twice about how she had just left her boyfriend. Anika loved to be around Steve but she didn´t mind spending time alone either. Actually, she enjoyed being by herself once in a while. In her past relationship, this has always caused problems because Peter would always want to do everything together. But Steve was different. Steve was okay with Anika taking her time for herself, and he never judged her for that. However, Anika sometimes felt bad for feeling that way. It was just that every now and then she felt like she needed some time alone with her thoughts, or otherwise she would go crazy. Anika was an overthinker and overthinking was mind draining especially when she was around people. Some days Anika felt the urge to share every of her thoughts with the people she was with. Other times the thoughts consumed so much space and energy that she was unable to talk at all. That’s why a little time outside, walking by herself felt almost meditative at times.

Steve, on the other hand, had no plan at all where to go. He enjoyed this partially strange, partially fun game, which came totally unexpected. Before Anika and he left the bakery, he ordered another coffee to go. His coffee addiction was the result of his need to stay awake until late at night during workdays. It slowly became a bad habit, but he eventually gave in and accepted his coffee obsession. Sipping on his new, freshly brewed coffee, Steve followed the hastening residents. He took pleasure in watching these people hurrying from one place to the other and was simply grateful that he could lean back and take it easy, enjoying his vacations. Although, the moment when Steve had seen Anika leave, he felt a little bit left alone in a huge unknown city. Something that he would never say out loud. Before giving his emotions even the slightest chance to appear on his face, he shrugged them off his emotions and put on his straight poker face. Probably another side effect of work, where poker faces are an essential part of the business at court. Alright, he told himself while taking another sip of his coffee. You can totally do this. Just follow the people and let them guide you. Fit in. Be the fish swimming with the swarm. It’ll be alright. Steve was guided by faith.