She had never failed to surprise him.
He still remembered the day he first saw her. He had just arrived in New York City. It was his dream to be there because, ever since he was young, he had hoped to go to the Big Apple. He just never figured out why. He was at the airport with his parents. His mother was a beautiful woman with flowing brown hair and his father had the most stunning blue eyes. He inherited both, and was the family's favorite. Seven years old and dragging along a blue suitcase, little Danny was thrilled. Being so excited and all, he carelessly bumped into a girl about his age. She had red hair and brown eyes and looked very nice.
"I'm so sorry!" Danny's first reaction.
The girl stood up with his help and she brushed her jeans. "It's okay." She smile sweetly. This wasn't the reply that Danny expected. Back in his old school in Ohio, girls treated him like rubbish. They kicked him around a lot and he never felt wanted.
He stood in front of the girl dumbfounded until the redhead offered her hand. "I'm Henley," she said, "Henley Reeves."
"J-Jesse Atlas." He stuttered, shaking her hand. Henley looked at his suitcase. "Are you new in the city?"
"Yeah... I'm from Columbus, Ohio."
"Welcome to New York City, then!" Henley grinned. "Nice to meet you!" She passionately hugged Danny before returning into the crowd. The last Danny had seen of her that day was her uniting with her mother.
She had never failed to amaze him.
He was way too nervous when he stepped into his new school. He didn't know the first thing about the school; his parents were sometimes a little too protective and caring. "Second floor, third door to the right..." He murmured to himself. He reached the classroom and someone immediately caught his eye. "Henley!" He called out. "Jesse? Hey!" The redhead was grinning widely. "I can't believe we're in the same class!" Henley was saying when Danny was pushed towards a vacant seat next to hers. "It's empty anyway." Informed the girl. Danny took the seat and placed his school bag down. The classes started and Danny was glad that he had Henley to lead him through the new school life.
It was seven years later, when both of them were fourteen. Danny was bullied in his new high school, and he didn't fight back; he wasn't strong enough. Out of the blue, he saw his savior. The redhead who had been his friend for seven years, the girl that never failed to amaze him. Henley told the bullies off as if she was their mothers. That was also when he started to learn magic. He just bought a deck of playing cards one day after school and he started twirling the cards in his hands. Shuffle them. Flip them. Every movement had to be perfect. A set of chains left the magic store the same day his cards did.
He had never failed to remember her.
It was a month after he graduated from college. Danny knew that his resume wouldn't look good so he started performing with his cards. He'd stand at the corner of the street or somewhere in Central Park and he'd start doing his tricks. People would gather and clap their hands when a trick is finished. The one face that Danny wanted to see among the crowds wasn't his biggest fan or anyone else. All he wanted to see was Henley. He missed his best friend dearly. After all, they had been best friends for eleven years before she left to go to Los Angeles. UCLA, she told him. She was going to UCLA.
Danny changed his name. He didn't want to have anyone else except Henley to call him Jesse. so J. Daniel Atlas became his name. Or rather, a way for people to call him without properly using his first name. He waited and waited. Four years he had been learning and performing magic tricks and four years he had been in NYC waiting for her to come back. She never did.
She had never failed to surprise him. Ever.
It was summer of 2005. Danny was packing his stuff up when his phone rang. He picked it up and almost dropped the device hearing the voice he had hoped to hear for years.
"Missed me, Jesse?"