Below is a story about the lovely Jane Douglas. Co-Editor and host of Outside Xbox, website and YouTube channel, if you're not familiar with her, it is well worth looking her up. Anyway, please enjoy the story!
Thank You
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It was a bitterly cold day on the streets of London. The snow was gently falling and I enjoyed the winter scenery around me as I walked through them. I entered my hotel and proceeded to head through the lobby. The air became warmer as one would expect, I admired the opulence of this great London hotel. The architecture stood out and was certainly a thing of beauty.
Once inside my room, I kicked back with a whisky in my hand and admired the view outside my window. London, a great city with immeasurable history stretching back far through the sands of time. The skies were mostly dark as the afternoon was rolling slowly into night. The snow continued to fall and temperatures were dropping further below zero.
The night slowly passed and I eventually turned in for the night. I slept the sleep of the dead, I awoke late the next morning. I looked out the window and some winter sunshine had emerged. I got myself refreshed and headed outside to continue my exploration of London.
Time had passed and I had started to get a little hungry. So, I stopped by a restaurant for something to eat. I got myself a table and began to enjoy a meal. I had grown accustomed to eating alone. Sure, I wouldn't mind a beautiful lady joining me, but reality does not always comply with one's wishes.
I took heart knowing, I was seeing the world which is something not a lot of people do in their lifetimes. I scanned the room and took in snippets of people's lives as they sat consuming their meals.
My attention got caught by a woman as she snapped a photo of herself. It wasn't an uncommon act, however the ring light atop her phone certainly was unique. I glimpsed her face, a mix of features both Asian and European. A second later I recognised her, her name; Jane Douglas.
She was adorned in clothing for the weather. A thick black winter coat around her body with a fluffy white scarf nestled on her collar. Her jeans were thick and long with black leather boots most definitely made for walking.
I was enamoured by her beauty as I had watched countless videos of her on YouTube. However, now I looked upon her in the flesh and she looked beyond amazing as she snapped away on her phone. I was mesmerised but decided I should leave before she caught me staring. As luck or circumstance would have it, I had to walk past her table to get to the restaurant's exit.
In what felt like a moment made for cinema, her phone somehow left her hand and began to fall. I caught it and gently handed it to her.
"Thank You."
"You're most welcome."
"Hmm, you are not a local, are you?" the woman named Jane Douglas enquired.
"No, I'm a tourist," I replied.
"Where about?"
"South Africa."
"First time here?"
"Yes, first time and having a wonderful time here."
"That's good to hear, I'm Jane," She said extending out her hand.
"Bill, a pleasure to meet you, and might I say I'm quite the fan."
"Thank you, I appreciate that."
She asked me to join her and I gladly did. We continued to talk and enjoy one another's company. It felt surreal to me. I had watched her countless times, and now she was here in front of me. Somehow, nothing was holding me back that day.
She was even more delightful than I could have imagined. We connected so quickly and so well. Our love of gaming seemed to have laid the foundation for our connection. We were together in that restaurant, and it seemed things were looking only up.
Soon though, Jane had to leave but she wanted to see me again while I remained in London. I agreed, and we arranged to meet again in two days. I was over the moon, scarcely believing what had happened. A bright light now shone on the dark parts inside of me.
I had met a woman whom shared in one my biggest lifelong passions. It was something I never found in all those years that I searched fruitlessly for a companion. After I had relegated myself to a life of emotional solitude, I did not think anyone would shake me from it. Sure, I had liaisons and flings here and there, very little meaning came from it.
Although I certainly did.
I continued the next day and a half exploring the sites. I wanted to compare what I had seen in movies and games to the reality. The differences and the similarities made for interesting findings. However, all of it was ruse I had used to calm myself. I felt cool and collected when I was talking to Jane but I was a complete wreck of nerves afterwards.
