The warm streets on a Tuesday afternoon had become colder, and the bustling city view that has a promise of life kept rolling from day to day.

On a busy work day, I burn cigarettes on a sidewalk with my grubby hands of ink and ash from a cigarette that had gradually stuck on my cuffs dirtying it.

I was sitting on a bench in the middle of Russell square unlike the streets a wee bit far, this has a serene feel to it. Very few people would walk here on a weekday and it was the best time of the day to ponder on the greens and smell the fresh air.

The fresh ink splatter made blotches of dyed black on my cream pages, trying to brush them off with my thumb but it makes it messier eventually getting on my coat sleeves and painting half of my hand.

"Ugh, damn.. What the hell.." - Bible

It's specially chillier today, as my breath blew making smoke in the air. Bloomsbury always has this melancholic feeling when you visit these Victorian themed parks like you would go back in time in just a flick of your thumb, eerie yet classy with a sense of familiarity. It struck over me.

I ripped the dyed page and threw it making 3 pointers on the bin. I could not save the other pages but oh well do a writer like me have a choice, paper was cheap, yeah but if you're trying to get by just for every day it's a fortune to waste just one notebook.

I've never been one to use electronic stuff as I prefer this method, it gives me feelings and flows differently on paper than on screen. My laptop was left at my desk in my small apartment anyways collecting dust.

I thought I had to write soon before I get mentally frustrated at something again. Experiencing a block is common for us writers and well, it's very common to me. I need a subject, I need inspiration and lately it's burning me out I can't think of anything and nothing in particular pique's my interest.

I didn't realize that there was someone already standing beside me as I stared blankly out in the open. He just sat there not minding me at all. I would look over him, there are empty benches near me so why. Then I would sigh I thought this would be a peaceful afternoon but it's not. The heavens must be punishing me for being a prick, I should have taken business instead as my parents would but no my dramatic ass wanted to be such an awesome writer I took up literature and this is what happens. I resigned sighing more loudly than before.

"It must have been hard?"- Jeff

"Huh?" - Bible

That deep voice that made me flinch a little sent goosebumps on my skin, almost silky voice that my sense of hearing solely focused on. I looked at him and he was tilting his head as if waiting for my reply with that handsome smile of his it made my cheeks hot for a moment, I didn't realize he was such a hottie, he looked ordinary at first when he was just wearing a cap. Now he had taken it off his shoulder-length hair cascading to his neck. He had these expressive grey eyes, one confusion painted over them and then worry. His lips in a fine line almost in a pout that made me want to know how'd it taste against mine.

"I'm sorry did I disturb you?"- Jeff

What the fuck! Bible get a grip what just popped out of your mind. I was a bit startled when he spoke again like a child caught with a cookie jar out of the kitchen and he looked like he didn't mind as I lowered my head.

"Ah no, I was just resting its no bother" - Bible

"Do you want me gone?" - Jeff

"No No I didn't say anything like that, Please just stay"- Bible

I frantically raised my hands as his brows shot up and crumpled in a questioning manner that I wanted to straighten them with my fingers.

"Oh good, I thought... Haha I hope you don't mind" - Jeff

"No, I don't it's alright... Uhh" - Bible

"What's got you sighing about?"- Jeff

"Uh .. Haha... Life?"- Bible

I scratched my head embarrassed that I was being pretty honest with the stranger in front of me.

"Mmmmm... Yeah life sucks yeah?"- Jeff

"Indeed it is indeed" - Bible

"But..." - Jeff

He turned to look at me with a soft smile on his face, a smile that makes you want to hold him tight and never let go. It feels as if being comforted and enveloped in a ray of warm sunshine on this cold chilly afternoon. It was home and it felt all too familiar I wanna hold onto it no matter what.

"You should be thankful you get to wake up every day and feel the sun on your skin, life is hard, yeah but there are little things that make us thankful we keep going to life's threatening tides. I hope you don't give up"- Jeff

He said as if angels were singing morning praises on a Sunday. His deep voice rang in my head and I never wanted him to stop talking. I was mesmerized looking at him that I went silent even my breaths numbered it's slow very different from my thrumming heart.

"Are you still there?"- Jeff

He looked worried his expression changed to one and into another in a few seconds.

"yeah still here" - Bible

"Thanks" - Bible

"oh, don't thank a rumbling man like me" - Jeff

He looked straight at me piercing me with his gaze. He did smile again this time a twinkle in his eyes was there an orb of delight and wonder mixed in colors were in his eyes. But the hint of loneliness did not escape my eyes.

"You best be going it's quite chilly as evening approaches" - Jeff

"Maybe later, I had to write some stuff first." - Bible

"Oh a writer I see, well then I should go ahead they might be looking for me now" - Jeff

"Mmmm okay"- Bible

I felt disappointed he couldn't stay. But I know I can't take his time as well. He was about to stand and go on about when I asked him.

"what's your name?"- Bible

"My name hmmmm... I will be a stranger for now." - Jeff

"Why?"- Bible

" I want it so that the first time we meet would be memorable, so I am a stranger for now. " - Jeff

"How do we meet?"-Bible

"If by chance one day God would permit it, I will tell you my name, Bible" - Jeff

He smiled mischievously at me as his back turned around to walk away. He sure left and then dawned upon me that he was clutching a walking stick in his right hand tapping the ground as he walked away to the streets and out of sight. The stranger was blind and yet he looked at me like he can recognize me. It gave me the chills or was it because of the chilly afternoon?

Bible remained at the bench sitting and pondering about the mysterious stranger that decided to play a game with fate.

And then his fingers would work an endless flow of thought flooded his mind relayed to the pen he was holding a burst of ideas that he started scribbling like crazy the stranger was at the back of his mind and the warm smile made him smile.

------

Jeff and Bible were involved in a car crash that resulted in Bible losing his memories of his lover Jeff whom he had been with for 2 years, while Jeff lost his sight because of trauma protecting Bible until the very end, they were sure he'd die that day at the heavy injuries he suffered. A broken left leg, a concussion, a broken arm, and two broken ribs. He went to therapy for a year up till today. Everything was going by smoothly during his recuperation and he had to be thankful he was still alive. Bible forgot about Jeff and lived like how he was before he knew Jeff a writer in the dumps as he would whine to Jeff at times. They met and were together for 2 years till the accident and then got separated for a year because of Bible's condition. Jeff focused on recuperating till he could walk and be used to not seeing.

Just like that, he appeared like a stranger to Bible all over again, but he will do it all over again. Waiting, waiting for Bible no matter how long it takes.

Waiting with a warm smile on his face as he trudged on the pavement out of the park that he and Bible would sit on, on that very bench at that certain time. Even if it's not his "Hello Love" but his "Hello stranger" next time they meet.

-Fin-