New York City, a place full of people, all different in almost every way. The cars honk
and sit as millions of people travel place-to-place. Lilli LaSmith, one of the citizens of this
overwhelming place, lives a normal life for a girl right out of college. Student loans, a job that
she loves, but pays minimum, and a small apartment the size of most people's living rooms. She
is curious, wanting to find more in this brilliant place, full of booming businesses and great
people, but is stuck in her situation. She is too scared to talk to new people and hardly ever tries
new things. Lilli wants to change but has to overcome these obstacles to find a new meaning in
life and live life to the fullest.
Sitting in the subway car cold subway car, just off work, she noticed she is the only one
on the cart besides a man sitting on the opposite side with his hood on. At first she doesn't really
notice him due to the cold seats. It's 10 o’clock in the evening and this is not the usual. The carts
are usually full at this time on a Friday. She sits and its as she nervously waits if anything will
happen. It was so quiet that you could hear the chatter of other people several carts over.
Suddenly he stood up and walked over to the seat across from her and didn’t speak. She waits
patiently but feels uncomfortable not knowing what he is going to do.
“This ride's been kinda awkward.” Lilli couldn't believe he actually said something and
responded a few moments later,
“My names Lilli.” As they became more comfortable with themselves they continued the
conversation. For 20 minutes the two went back and forth not knowing time was flying by. The
train comes to a stop. Kyle got up and walked backwards squeezing in every word he can before
he would leave Lilli. “It was nice talking to you. Will we talk again?” Lilli winks at him not
giving him an answer but hoped one day she would see him again. She wanted this day to come
tomorrow.
On her walk home through the frigid winter nights she was thinking about him. Some
way, some how, she would make this work. Four blocks away from her apartment she hears a
faint yell. She could but the sounds together so she kept walking. The noise grew louder and she
stopped. “Help!” a man's voice whispered but somehow Lilli's ear caught it. She looked around,
paying attention to every detail trying to see who was calling for her. She continued walking
after developing frustration, but she picked up the pace. 30 seconds later she heard the unusually
sound again. She didn't stop. She started to worry and feared she was in trouble. She finally got
to the apartment and ran up the stairs to her room, 311. As she got ready for bed after her long
day she got excited again thinking about Kyle. She truly believed this was the guy that could
satisfy her in every way. As the clock past 12 she heard it again. “Help!” was whispered into her
ears. She panicked. Did someone follow her to her home. She kept asking herself who it could it
possibly be but couldn't figure it out. She laid there for around an hour listening to every sound
around her waiting for something to happened. She covered herself with her blanket as if it were
a shield stronger than steel. She eventually fell asleep, feeling as if the threat she felt was gone.
When she woke up she didn't remember the night before. Not one thing about the night
was recalled. The worst part of this was she didn't remember Kyle. She began her day just like
the day before with a quick breakfast and was out the door. She went to work where her job was
a dance instructor. She taught younger kids and sometimes adults trying to find a new hobby.
She loved it. It payed minimum wage but everyday she was happy to be there because it was
what she loved to do. After her 8 hour day filled with 5 classes she began her usual walk to the
subway where she entered the cart and sat. Again the seat freezing cold and the cart almost
empty.
Her stop would take a while to reach so she put in her headphones and listen to her
music. Kyle entered the train the next stop and he smiled but she had forgotten who he is. He sat
next to her and started the conversation, “Nice to see you again, how was your day?” For some
reason she couldn't remember who he was and why he was sitting so close. She sat there shaking
and trying to recall this random person. She soon realized who he was after several minutes. She
couldn't figure why she couldn't remember because this was a highlight to her week. Something
went wrong but she couldn't figure it out. They talked for the whole train ride again. Laughing
like hyenas and smiling cheek to cheek. They became friends in the matter of 2 conversations.
As the trained came to another stop and man stepped on to the cart. He was short and was paler
than the snow. His boy was skinny like a string and had dark brown hair that was put up into a
bun. He looked like a hippie. His name was Jacob and was usually quiet around other people. He
sat on the other side of the cart because he didn't want to make Lilli and Kyle feel awkward with
his presence.
The trained stopped at Kyle’s stop and he hugged Lilli. This had been the closest Lilli
had been to a boy in a while. She like it. They exchanged numbers and made sure they would get
together some time. Lilli sat there not realizing the other guy was sitting there. His name was
Jacob but Lilli didn't know.
“Help!”
Lilli turned her head in shock.
“Who said that!”
Jacob told Lilli it was him and explained he needed help tying his shoe because he never was
taught. Lilli couldn't believe it. The calls last night were this man, Jacob. She thought back and
came to the conclusion that he had to of slipped onto the train while she was talking to Kyle. He
began explain himself and told her that he followed her home last night because he really needed
it tied. She couldn't help but stare with her mouth open.
“ I was worried sick. I thought I was being stalked.”
“I was just asking for some help.”
The cart came to a stop and Lilli got off. Her day was extra weird because of her encounter with
both Jacob and Kyle. First, somehow she forgot Kyle, her soon to be boyfriend, and second, she
realized that the man's voice calling for help needed his shoes tied .