Here I stand, in the middle of the pavement, strangers pushing me aside and calling me to move on, shoulders touching mine.
But I stand still, in my dark red summer dress that gets brushed by people's bags rushing by.
I'm speechless, my throat dry, deaf to the city sounds, blind to anyone but the back of a tall, dark haired man that smoothly makes his way through the crowd.
Two days ago, I was half walking and half running down the street, being late for my five o'clock class. I teach Italian for a foreign languages school in town from businessmen to college students. It was a dream job, easy for me as I have an Italian mother and a degree in Italian Literature, plenty of time in between classes, flexible working days and hours and a decent income.
But now I had made a bad decision not to take the bus and get some exercise walking to work. Obviously, I didn't calculate the distance correctly and I was running late to a class
I shouldn't be running late again. I had another incident that kept me a quarter of an hour late last time with the same student and I was told by the school manager that my student had made an issue out of it so I had to be on time. Yeah, right, I was power walking now, luckily in my All Stars and my jean shorts, but still I would be at least five minutes late. I had to run, to speed it up. I made my way through people cursing me when, damn it, that sharp pain, I twisted my ankle. Fuck!
I instantly felt sweat covering my whole body. On the edge of tears, I tried to get up but my foot refused to obey. I bit my lip hard to keep the cry inside; now I was hurting on my lips along with my ankle.
A slim yet strong hand got hold of my rapidly growing ankle.
"Stay still. You'll feel pain but your ankle will be as good as new in a while."
Mmm, a deep voice and a masculine scent were transmitted from this dark haired man, who got a hold of my ankle and was pressing it with all his might.
"I can't afford 'a while' here. I have to get up now. Oh!" A dull pain numbed me and cut my phrase in half.
I turned my head and bumped into a stunning face framed by long, dark hair, a considerate look in his deep brown eyes and a tempting, sexy mouth. Pain and class were forgotten for a second, only to come back with more vigor the next one.
"Oh!" I exclaimed. Fuck! I was on the edge of the road in a very compromising position, with a face distorted from pain, having a gorgeous man handling my leg.
He cautiously stood me up, steadying me from my waist and shoulder, taking most of my weight on his hands so I could at least try to put my foot down.
"Oh!" I repeated myself.
It took him one motion to lift me off the street into his arms and ask me "Where to?"
My naturally talkative personality was replaced by a mute version. I opened my mouth but, as no sound came out, I raised a finger to point to the right direction.
"It hurts that bad, ha?" He deducted from my no speak state.
I nodded. Frankly, I would have nodded to anything he would have said.
The class was cancelled and I forced my professional self to care. In vain. I postponed 'the talk' with my boss and, having my hurt leg up, I asked my laughing savior "Coffee or tea? My treat with my deepest gratitude."
"A glass of beer somewhere near because, you know, as much as I'd love to be, I'm not a super hero!"
"You are the hero of the day for me" I promptly replied, finding my talking self again.
So, leaning against him, we managed to reach the all day pub where I ungracefully dropped myself on a chair.
He was a charm. He focused on my stories, he chuckled at times, he tasted my tea and he touched my slightly swollen ankle just to make sure it would heal properly.
He was an actor, having done some small jobs here and there, teaching acting in some schools and going to auditions whenever possible.
He insisted on returning me home, again steadying me from the waist, with a more possessive grip I have to admit.