2019.

It was a gray spring afternoon, and the sky was covered with clouds. Matt was jogging in Lionwest, decked out in a blue tracksuit, along a sidewalk lined with beige buildings. He had no clue that the day was about to take a major turn as he approached the faded and worn crosswalk.

A gray sedan, flying down the narrow street at about 43 mph, suddenly appeared, and Matt was already halfway across the street when he glanced at it, now way too close for comfort [https://img.wattpad.com/5feba04d62e8768ebc2dd5bc07496ed7034ec4a1/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f344d57754b345956455458704c413d3d2d313438373033363934352e313830636339376434653461306634393233373035303139383137392e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

A gray sedan, flying down the narrow street at about 43 mph, suddenly appeared, and Matt was already halfway across the street when he glanced at it, now way too close for comfort. He made a quick jump to avoid getting hit, and the car brushed past him before screeching to a halt a little way down, leaving a light white smoke from the brake friction.

Two guys in their forties, of average height and looking rough around the edges, immediately jumped out and rushed toward Matt, who had just shaken off the scary moment and was staring at the crosswalk with wide eyes. The first guy was chubby, with a shaved head, a round face with bushy eyebrows, and a dark hipster beard. He was wearing a black leather jacket that was worn at the elbows.

The second dude, on the other hand, was skinny, with light brush-cut hair and the same kind of beard as the first one, but lighter and a bit shorter. He was dressed in a dirty gray t-shirt and ripped jeans.

«Hey, what the hell's wrong with you?» the first guy yelled, arching his bushy eyebrows and standing right in front of Matt, who was giving him a sideways glance. «You think you can just cross the street like that?» he said, pointing his finger.

«I was on the crosswalk; you guys should've slowed down!» Matt shot back, squinting and trying to stay calm as he turned his torso toward them.

«Huh? Slow down? Who ya think you're talking to?» the second guy retorted while circling around Matt.

«I'm talking to the ones who almost ran me over!» Matt replied, shifting his gaze from the first dude to the other.

The first thug then lost it and threw a punch at Matt, who dodged by stepping back.

«Whoa!» Matt exclaimed, his eyes darting around. He was trapped.

The two thugs then lunged at Matt at the same time and started throwing punches. Matt defended himself as best he could, raising his knees to shield himself and backing away, but as things started to spiral out of control, the young guy noticed two cops outside a parked police car a little ways off—one munching on a bag of chips and the other smoking a cigarette.

They did nothing to stop the fight. Instead, they just watched the brawl with grins, glancing at each other. Finally, three bystanders in their sixties stepped in and pushed the punks away from Matt.

«Hey, knock it off!» one of them said, stepping in between as he broke it up.

«Mind your own damn business, old man!» yelled the first thug as he tried to wriggle free.

«Not a chance! What's the problem here?» replied the second bystander, who also jumped into the chaos.

«This idiot thinks he owns the road or something!» explained the second thug, pointing at Matt after spitting on the ground.

«I was on the crosswalk! You almost hit me!» Matt shot back, taking a breath first.

«Everyone just chill out,» added the third bystander, spreading his arms and looking at both Matt and the thugs.

Once he had stepped away and was left alone with his thoughts, Matt retraced his way home.

What's the point of having cops around if they don't even stop a fight right in front of them? he thought, kicking a plastic bottle on the ground. I thought their job was to protect us, but all they do is watch what goes down in this city like it's some kind of entertainment... he kept thinking as he walked with his hands in his pockets.

Evening had fallen, and Matt still didn't want to head home, so he made his way to the nearby park to chill out.

This city is so violent, he thought again after opening the park gate and strolling with his head down. It's like danger is lurking around every corner. Too many punks... he continued to reflect, blinking and staring at the wooden path ahead.

Then the young man lifted his gaze, looking at the trees to his right, as a gentle breeze brushed against his face.

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Maybe I should move somewhere else, but I don't wanna leave my friends behind, he kept mulling over, sighing and placing his hands on his hips. If only I were rich... I'd take everyone outta this crummy city.

We deserve way better, he went on, shaking his head and hearing the sound of water bubbling from the nearby fountains.

After a short walk, Matt stopped to think about what to do next. He took a quick glance at his watch and realized it wasn't even dinner time yet. Then Matt sensed someone was watching him and spotted a young woman in her twenties sitting on a nearby bench. She had long brown hair and dark eyes, holding a book in her hands. She was dressed smartly, in a light purple blouse and light jeans.

She was dressed smartly, in a light purple blouse and light jeans [https://img.wattpad.com/bc805e7b1d34a201f979060578620cfd443dd283/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f746c6b795f577a6a7359394e48673d3d2d313438373033363934352e313830313136393038363131376338613730363139323336303636342e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

That girl... She's stunning, Matt thought, wide-eyed after he turned his gaze toward her, but she looked away and went back to her book.

So, Matt mustered up some courage and decided to approach her. With slow steps, he sat down next to her on the bench, and once he got settled, his eyes fell on the book she was reading: "A Dance with Dragons." He already knew it. After a few minutes of hesitation, Matt leaned back to relax more and swallowed before shifting his gaze to her on his right.

«Excuse me, but is that "A Dance with Dragons" you're reading?» he started, scratching the back of his neck with his right hand. «It's one of my favorite books...» he said, flashing a smile.

The girl raised her dark eyebrows after hearing his words and smiled back as she pulled her gaze away from the book and turned it toward Matt.

«Oh, yeah,» she replied, laughing with her eyes. «Finally, someone who appreciates it as much as I do. This series is amazing.»

Matt chuckled and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees while keeping his eyes on the girl.

«Oh, it really is. I read it a few years back. You know, I could give you some spoilers if you want,» he joked, tilting his head toward her.

«Well, as tempting as that sounds, I think I'll enjoy the suspense,» the girl replied, smiling and leaning slightly back, returning her gaze to the book. «I'm Martine...» she added after a pause, shifting her eyes from the pages to Matt, who wore a thoughtful expression.

«Matt,» the guy replied, blinking as he broke his gaze into space. «Nice to meet you, Martine,» he said, reaching out his hand for a shake.

The girl stretched out her right arm and took Matt's hand with a warm grip. The handshake was brief but felt loaded with warmth that seemed to go beyond just that simple gesture. When Martine slowly pulled her hand back, the smile on her face widened, revealing a perfect set of teeth.

«Nice to meet you, Matt,» she said, holding his gaze.

«Uhm, have you seen the TV series yet?» Matt asked after pulling his arm back.

«The writers took some liberties with it.»

«Oh, I'm a huge fan of the show!» Martine replied after closing her book, resting an elbow on the bench's armrest and lightly touching her temple. «Yeah, they changed some stuff, but I still loved it,» she continued, squinting a bit with a smile.

As they discussed the TV adaptation, the conversation shifted to their hobbies and dreams.

«I'm a photographer. I'd love to travel the world and take tons of photos. How about you?» she asked, leaning forward.

«That's cool,» he said, lifting his head a bit before looking down at the park ground and clearing his throat. «I do dog-sitting, but I'm still trying to find a good job with a degree,» he continued after a pause, staring at the trees in front of them.

«I can imagine how tough that is, especially in a city like this,» Martine replied, shaking her head and looking where Matt was staring. «I've heard about the rise in crime rates and how hard it is for people to make ends meet,» she continued, scrunching her lip. «It's awful.»

Matt sighed after a long breath and lowered his head again.

«Yeah, it's not easy,» he said, rolling his shoulders back. «The wages here are often too low to cover the cost of living. And the crime...» he continued, gritting his teeth at the memory of the recent event. «Well, let's just say you gotta be careful, especially after dark,» he added, keeping calm and tilting his head toward Martine.

«It must be frustrating to have a degree and not find decent job opportunities,» Martine replied after scratching her lips with her fingers. «But I believe things can change. Sometimes, it just takes one opportunity to turn everything around.»

«You're right,» Matt said, nodding. «Maybe meeting you tonight is the start of something good,» he continued, shrugging and smiling.

After a few minutes of silence, Matt decided to take the plunge.

«You know, Martine, I really enjoyed talking to you tonight,» he started, speaking slowly while avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment. «How about we... exchange numbers?» he asked, scratching the back of his neck.

Martine smiled at his awkwardness and pulled her phone out of her bag.

«Of course, I'll give you a ring so you can add it,» she replied before unlocking her phone.

«Okay, sounds good,» Matt said as he took his phone and gave her his number.

When the phone rang in her hands, her face lit up, and Martine saved his contact.

«All done,» she said, putting her phone back in her bag. «Can't wait to keep this convo going,» she said, laughing.

«Don't get me started, haha,» Matt replied, laughing too and leaning back against the bench.

The two then got up from the bench and headed toward the park exit, exchanging glances and smiles. It was already time for dinner. When they reached the park exit, Matt opened the gate and let her go out first, then let the gate close behind him. The two stopped and looked into each other's eyes, as if trying to etch that moment in their memories.

«I'm heading over there,» Martine said, tilting her head slightly in the direction of her house. «Where do you live?» she asked.

«On the other side,» Matt replied, rolling his shoulders back. «Let's catch up later, okay?» he asked, putting his hands behind his back and looking at her with a warm gaze.

«Sure, see you later, Matt,» Martine answered with a shy smile.

«See ya, Martine,» Matt said before turning to head his own way.

How far was the beginning of a love story?