Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
Ororo stood patiently on the platform, waiting for her train. All around her, people rushed by hurrying to slip between the sliding metal doors before they whooshed shut. She checked her watch. Ten to eleven… her train should be here in five minutes.
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
She couldn’t believe how busy this station was, even on a sunny Saturday morning. She watched the business men and women jog by, wheeled suitcases following closely behind. A train zipped by her, whipping her snowy hair free from the scarf she had tied it back with. Ororo watched with a frown as her favorite scarf was blown away from her down the platform, twisting and twirling over the heads of the crowd, in the wind created by the passing trains. Muttering under her breath, she dug through her purse for a hair band, pushing her wild hair out of her eyes so she could see.
She missed the man standing in the shadows only a few feet down from her snatch the scarf from the air.
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
‘Finally,’ Ororo thought, finding a lone hair tie at the very bottom of her purse. Taking a quick look at the monitor to her left to see if her train was next, she pulled her hair back, securing it with the tie.
The platform had mostly cleared with the departure of the last train. Ororo glanced around at the small crowd left waiting with her and hoped her train wasn’t packed. If it was, she would just wait for the next one. She wasn’t in any rush to get where she was headed. One minute to go.
Ororo took another look around her. She felt as if someone was watching her.
Aaaaaaaah
Her train eased into the station, the middle car stopping right in front of her. The small crowd waiting pressed in around her, sweeping her along into the train. With a sigh, Ororo slipped into one of the seats, turning to stare out the window at the bright blue sky beyond the station. Seconds later the doors shut and the train took off down the track. Soon, neat houses with trimmed lawns melted into tall apartment buildings and sleek winding roads. Telephone poles, connected by long black wires whizzed by her patch of plexiglas, but she ignored it all, preferring to stare up at the clouds.
Screaming from the top of buildings
"You’re gonna get what’s coming"
And I don’t know how to react
Or if I should fight back
An angry female shout snapped Ororo out of her daydreaming. She kept her face towards the glass, but watched the couple at the front of the car begin to bicker, shouting insults as if no one else could hear what was happening. She never understood how people could have a personal argument in public. Some things should be left behind closed doors.
The argument got more heated and Ororo almost felt as if she should step in to at least try to get the couple to calm down. With a slight shake of her head, she blocked out the shouting, the clouds calling to her again. It wouldn’t do any good if she stepped in and with any luck, they would get off the train at the next stop.
As she gazed out at the clouds she felt eyes on her again, like she had back on the platform now miles away. Turning, she immediately locked eyes with a man sitting sideways only two seats in front of her on the opposite side of the train. Most of his face was hidden by the shadow created by the low brim of his Stetson, but she could just make out dark eyes staring back at her. A shiver went down her spine as his lips quirked up into what she hoped was a friendly grin.
Ororo quietly said hello, surprised when he returned the greeting by tipping his hat. She took one last glance at what she could clearly see of his face – his nose and lips still grinning framed by the scruff along his chin and jaw – before turning back to the clouds.
She still felt his eyes watching her.
Stab me in the gut
Bleeding on the floor
Shoulda kept my mouth shut
The train slowed to a stop at the next station. Ororo watched as the still arguing couple stood and left the train. She could almost feel the sigh of relief from the other passengers. They all seemed to be waiting for them to leave as well. All except one.
Ororo snuck a glance at the man hidden beneath the Stetson as the train lurched forward, continuing down the track. He was still watching her. She caught a glimpse of even white teeth as he chuckled. Ororo quickly looked away.
Was he laughing at her?
Or if I should fight back
She forced herself to ignore the feeling of his eyes on her. He was just some strange man on the train. Her stop was next and she would never see him again. Ororo watched the tall buildings of downtown blur past her, listening as the driver announced the next stop. She adjusted the strap of her purse back on her shoulder, standing from her seat as the train began to slow down.
Ororo carefully walked down the aisle, gripping the poles to keep her balance on the still moving train. She stood in front of the sliding doors, waiting for train to reach her stop. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head just in time to see the man in the Stetson walking towards her. She turned away, staring through the windows.
It had to just be coincidence right? Ororo focused on the advertisements on the platform. As the train stopped at the platform the bright pink and blue Baskin Robbins logo jumped out at her from an ad hanging from the roof. The doors slid open and Ororo walked out, slipping through the crowd.
She hadn’t been for ice cream in a while. That was as good an excuse as any other.
Ororo ambled down the street, window shopping as she made her way to Baskin Robbins. People rushed by her, running off in different directions. She stopped in front of a boutique as a sky blue gown caught her attention. Ororo was considering going in when a familiar white flash caught her eye. Slowly, she turned to her right and frowned.
He was following her.
Turning away from the shop window, Ororo continued on to Baskin Robbins a few doors down, hoping that she was only being paranoid.
Ice cream is gonna save the day, again
She walked into the shop, smiling as the sweet smell of ice cream and waffle cones greeted her. Ororo was surprised to see the shop mostly empty, considering it was a rather warm day. She headed over to the display case, gazing down at all the flavors, even though she knew exactly what she wanted.
Smiling at the teen behind the counter, Ororo placed her order. A double scoop of butter pecan in a waffle cone. As the girl started on the order, Ororo dug in her purse for her wallet and glanced out of the corner of her eye. Sure enough, the man with the white Stetson was leaning against the telephone pole just beyond the front window. Now he was smoking a cigar and watching her through the glass. Ororo turned back to the girl, pulling out a few extra bills.
Who doesn’t like Oreos?
Grinning to herself, Ororo walked out of the shop carrying two cones. Without hesitation, she walked right up to him and held out the double scoop of cookies n’ cream. He raised an eyebrow, but took the cone from her hand. To the people passing on them on the street it must’ve looked as if he had just been waiting for her to come out of the shop with their ice cream. Who could’ve guessed they had barely said a word between them?
With a quick nod, she crossed the street, trying her best to ignore the electric tingles running up her arm from the brief contact of his finger brushing hers as he took the cone.
I just wanna dance with my shirt off
And I don’t want no other
I just wanna dance
The biggest park in the city. That’s where she’d been headed all day. And just like Baskin Robbins, it was empty. But Ororo didn’t care why no one else was enjoying the grass and sun. With a sigh she slipped off her sandals and tucked them into her purse. Slowly she walked through the grass, eating her ice cream. It had been so long since she had been here to this small patch of nature surrounded by skyscrapers and speeding cars.
Ororo twirled around once, noticing that her new shadow was still following her. She didn’t understand why he was following her, but at least now he didn’t look so threatening. She chuckled to herself once her back was facing him again. A cowboy hat, cigar and a waffle cone.
Too bad she didn’t have her camera.
Stab me in the gut
Bleeding on the floor
Shoulda kept my mouth shut
Perhaps she shouldn’t have said anything to him on the train. But she had a feeling that he would’ve followed her regardless. There wasn’t much she could do to change anything now, so she ignored him.
Closing her eyes, she twirled again, focusing on the taste of her ice cream and the sun on her face.
Or if I should fight back
He had followed her this far and she was perfectly content to wait until he made the next move. Until then she might as well enjoy her time. Still ignoring him, she sat down on the grass, stretching her legs out in front of her and watched the clouds go by over the lake in front of her, eating her cone.
She could see a few sailboats out on the water and she smiled. At least someone else was enjoying the day.
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
Woooooooo
Aaaaaaaah
Some time later a shadow fell over her. She looked up to the left and saw the man in the Stetson looking down at her. She saw that he no longer had the cone and his cigar had disappeared as well. Ororo stared up at him as he stared down at her.
The wind whipped through the trees, stirring the branches and whispering through the leaves.
Ice cream is gonna save the day, again
Ororo looked away first, fiddling with the Baskin Robbin’s napkin she still held in her hands. Should she ask what he wanted or if he knew her from somewhere? She was sure she would’ve remembered someone like him if they had ever met before.
Soft music flowed from between the trees behind them. It sounded like swing or jazz to her.
The man cleared his throat. Ororo looked up – surprised that she had almost forgotten he was standing there – and saw that he had extended his hand towards her. She hesitated for a second, but placed her hand in his. He helped her up and took her other hand.
Ororo looked at him, finally able to see his face without shadow. Deep blue eyes stared back at her.
(I don’t need a number)
Ice cream is gonna save the day, again
(I just wanna dance with my shirt off)
Ice cream is gonna save the day
(And I don’t want no other)
Ice cream is gonna save the day, again
(I just wanna dance)
He led her in a simple dance to the music flowing around them, grinning as she laughed. She moved her hand to his shoulder and he placed his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer as they spun. Ororo heard him chuckle as they kept spinning. He twirled her away from him when the song picked up, pulling her back before their fingers slipped apart.
She smiled, meeting his eyes again, not minding the sparks that danced underneath her skin. He circled them again, careful to avoid Ororo’s purse on the ground.
Ororo knew she should introduce herself and get his name, but decided there would be time for that later. For now she would just enjoy the dance.
(Ice cream is gonna save the day)
I just wanna dance with my shirt off
(Ice cream is gonna save the day, again)
And I don’t want no other
I just wanna dance
