Chapter 1 - Olivia

Olivia POV

I Love New York City, I am a teacher assistant at NYU. That was a dream come true, obviously, I would like to teach my own class, but I had to start somewhere. I am Professor Lucas’s assistant, I grade the exams, prep the classes, basically I do all the work and he takes the credit, but I honestly don’t mind, that is how I am going to learn how to be the best teacher I can. Oh, I forgot to tell you, we teach a business class. Lucas is the CEO of a big tourism company in America.

New York is not a safe place to live, there’s a lot of crime happening. There’s always something on the news, someone got killed, someone got mugged, someone got raped, and drug dealing that went wrong... You obviously have the safe areas in Manhattan. The lifestyle of the rich and famous from the upper East and Upper Westside. I live across the bridge in Brooklyn and you can get on with your life in Brooklyn. The Dumbo area is one of my favourites and I am lucky enough to be able to live in that area. 

One of my favourite places in the world is the MET. I could live there. My dream has always been to go to the MET GALA. But obviously, that will never happen as I am not famous, rich, or know anyone from that social circle that could take me as a date. 

Dating in New York is difficult. Especially when you only have enough money to pay your 1 bedroom flat’s rent in Brooklyn and pay for your food, I don’t even dare to go out for meals or to a bar, usually, my friends and I just hand out at each other’s flats, I just can’t afford going out as much as I would like, I always bring my packed lunch with me to work.

*********************

I just finished class and decided to walk to Central Park, avoid the subway and try and enjoy the sunshine on this spring day. There’s something about the park that makes me feel alive. I like to just sit near a tree (and it is always on the same spot, near the model boat sailing lake) and read listening to some music, watch the couples pass by holding hands, I even saw some people proposing. I think it’s a magical place.

When I noticed the time it was getting dark and it was time to go home, I get up and I can feel like someone is watching me, but I shake the feeling and start walking towards the exit of the park so I could get to the subway to Brooklyn. As I walk up the steps I feel someone get a hold of my bag and pushing it. In shock, I fight back and within seconds I have a gun pointed at me, automatically I let go of my bag and look at the floor avoiding eye contact. It’s either the fight or flight, isn’t it? I tried the fight but didn’t work.

He starts running with my bag and I and I fall on the floor shaking my head. I don’t know how or where from but a man comes running past me and pushes the criminal to the floor kicking him in the stomach. I close my eyes and scream but no sound comes out. I can feel my body shaking, my hands trembling. I was having a panic attack. Oh, fuck sake Liv get a hold of yourself. 

“Are you alright?” - I hear a low and husky voice that gives me chills. 

“Oh, y-yes, I think so.” - I start to get up and my legs fail and I fall on my knees feeling a shooting pain on them and automatically I feel a liquid down my legs. A pair of strong arms get a hold of me and grab me married style and carry me to a bench close by.

“I’ll call 911 for you” - as he was grabbing his phone.

“No, please. I-I can’t go to the hospital, my insurance won’t cover it, I’ll get a cab home and I’ll clean the wound and I’ll be fine” – I say trying to understand why I am explaining myself to someone I don’t even know.

As I look up to see the stranger that helped me my heart skips a beat. He is tall, and when I say tall I mean really tall, 6'8 tall, tanned, mesmerising sky blue eyes, jet black hair and scruffy beard. He is dreamy, he’s sex on legs. I recognise his face from somewhere but I can’t put my finger on it. 

“Let me give you a ride then” - he says waking me up from my imagination that was flying high. 

“Oh, don’t worry really, I’ll get a cab” and I stand up but I Start limping my way to the street as I can't bend my knees, especially the right one "well done you idiot" - I say to myself.

His eyes follow me, and he makes a sign for the cab to stop, he opens the door for me and when I sit he looks at me dead serious in the eyes. I feel chills down my spine, “Brooklyn please” - I say

“Move to the other side,” he says. As if I am under his spell I move and he sits next to me. 

“What are you doing?” - I ask

“Making sure you get home safe”

I stay in silence, I couldn’t understand why a stranger would want to make sure I was safe, my anxiety started to kick in and I started to bite my nails. 

I give my address to the cab driver and all the way there we stay in silence. My mind keeps flying just thinking how perfect that man was. 

“You’re biting your lip” – He says looking deep into me.

I blinked looking at him while I stop biting my lip. 

“We’re here miss, it's 57$”

I open my wallet to get money out and I notice I don’t have enough, I start to go bright red thinking about the closer ATM for me to go get the money from.

“Here, keep the change” - he says giving the cab driver money.

We get out of the taxi and still looking at my wallet I say “let me pay you back, I can go to an ATM and get some money out”

I can hear him laughing “I don’t need your money”

“But, you need to get back to the city and you might need your money back and I am not a charity case”.

“Don’t worry about me, and I didn’t say you were a charity case”.

I start limping towards the door of my building and I look back and say “I’m Olivia by the way”

“I know” - he says and answers his phone in a rude tone of voice “Dumbo Brooklyn” and turns the phone off.

“How do you know my name?” – I ask looking at his face trying to remember where I know him from.

“I know everything I want to, and I could see your ID on your wallet” - he says.

“Well, thanks for your help... I don’t know your name”

“Raphael” - he says looking a little surprised.

“Thank you Raphael” - I get in the building closing the door behind me. 

When I get inside my flat I throw my bag on the sofa and take my shoes off and I cry “fucking hell this hurts”, I walk to the freezer grabbing a bag is peas and I throw myself on the sofa and put the bag on top of my right knee, I don't even want to look at it at the moment...