I hate finishing up at work early. It's 8:30pm and everything at the bakery is ready for Johanna tomorrow morning. Sometimes I think it was a curse inheriting that bakery in Hell's Kitchen, but hey, at least im away from my abusive mother who lives in Long Island. The only reason I believe it may be a curse is because the hours are awfully lonely. It also doesn't help that I live in one of the loneliest cities in the world, New York. I have few friends here and my family is scattered around the country. Johanna was my first friend here; she was the first to apply for a job at the bakery so I hired her immediately. She is also my roommate in the small two room apartment above the bakery. Her boyfriend Gale is an assistant musical director or something like that. He has his own, much larger place but Johanna is one of the most stubborn people you will ever meet so he's often over at our place. I've lost count of the number of times I've walked in on them having sex on the couch; it has become such a common occurrence they don't even stop if I walk in on them.

I'm not ready to go upstairs just yet, mainly because I don't want to deal with a sexually frustrated Johanna. Gale has just started work on his first major Broadway production, this could be his big break so he has been working a lot more than usual and hasn't been able to satisfy Johanna as often. I swear if that girl goes one day without sex shit hits the fan, unlike me it's been several months and I'm fine I mean I wouldn't mind it but I remain unfazed. Gale tries to set me up with actors and extras from the musicals his working on all the time but I normally shut him down before he can even utter their name.

I decide to walk around the corner to the Shake Shack and grab a meal instead of going home to eat real food. I grab my bag and lock up behind me then carefully head down the icy stoops before heading left. The unfortunate thing about New York in the winter is that it rarely snows but ice is everywhere. I've slipped down the stairs countless times; I'm pretty clumsy and heavy footed. On my way to Shake Shack I walk past Haymitch, a homeless drunk who has set up camp a few houses down from the bakery. I often bring him old bread and throw him a few dollars here and there, on New Year's Eve we even shared a disgusting bottle of supermarket vodka. I was having a pity party for myself that night and found comfort in Haymitch's wisdom. Barking mad but clever that man is. He was sleeping when I passed him just now so I sat a bagel I was saving down next to his head. I have plenty more where that came from.

I continue walking and speed up a little when I see my destination in sight, I didn't realise how hungry I was till now. As I break the threshold of the fast food joint my stomach growls from the smell of grease. I walk straight up to the counter and order a large meal with a peanut butter shake, I'm going to feel gross in about an hour but I don't care so I add an ice cream on to my meal. For some reason it's really quite for a Saturday night so my meal takes mere seconds to prepare and I take a seat down next to the window. I down my food and dessert in minutes, an action I immediately regret. I feel as though if I move I'll throw up so I stay seated and pull out a book from my bag and start reading from where I left off. I'm struck by the thought of how weird this probably looks to other customers and people passing by, people don't usually pull out books and start reading in fast food joints, especially the Shake Shack off Times Square, but you know stranger things have happened. I make myself comfortable in the rigid plastic chair and begin to get lost in my book.

I'm unaware of how much time has passed when I look up again. The place has become crowed with young drunk people, I didn't even notice them come in. After a quick glance at my phone I see that its 11pm. Shit, where did the time go? I'm surprised I haven't been asked to leave yet. I pack my book away and tuck my chair in and head for the door when I'm instantly dumbfounded by a girl sitting by herself just beyond the door. If I had a type, she would be it. Her long brown hair hung over her shoulders and her big grey eyes lost in thought staring off into space. She must be waiting for someone. I quickly realise I'm staring; I duck my head and dash out the door praying to god that she didn't catch me checking her out. No, that's not what I was doing; I was admiring her… equally as creepy, good one Peeta.

On my way home I begin to question why I didn't go talk to her, I'm not usually a shy person but this girl had me running to the door. Fuck, I should have at least given her my number or something! I'm an idiot, and the worst thing is I'll never see her again. This is New York, you hardly ever see the same person twice and if you do it's safe to assume you're being stalked. I don't dwell in it too much though, she was most likely waiting for someone. I'll forget about her by tomorrow morning anyway no big deal. I'm ripped from my thoughts when my phone starts ringing, I take my phone from my pocket and look at the caller, Gale.
"Hey man." I answer the phone
"Hey bro, are you still at the bakery?" He replies in an urgent tone
"Nar, just grabbed a bite to eat. I'm heading back now though, what did you need?" I don't dwell on the fact that my bite to eat lasted about two hours, he would definitely think I was out with someone
"Do you think you would be able to come and get me? I don't want to wake Johanna and the trains are down" He seems desperate, probably been trying to find a lift for a while
"Yeah no problem man, where are you?" Please don't be far please don't be far
"The rehearsal hall in Brooklyn" I let out a deep sigh and reply in a somewhat annoyed tone,
"Yeah, sure. Give me like 45"
"Thanks bro! You're the best! I owe you big time" Now his excited.

I hang up and start digging around for my keys, normal people don't own cars in the city and neither do I. I own a big ass van with the words 'Mellarks Bakery' printed on the side with an image of some bread, we were very lucky with the van as there is a parking garage across the street and the owner set up a deal where we can keep the van there in exchange for free bread for him and the employees whenever they wanted. As I climb into the driver's seat of the van we only really use for deliveries I internally curse Gale for having some kind of weird aversion to buses and taxis. This isn't the first time I've had to pick him up and it certainly won't be the last. He was right about waking Johanna though; waking her is like asking for a kick in the balls and a slap up the back of the head.

Soon I arrive at the rehearsal hall in Brooklyn, after navigating through the concrete maze that is this city. I pull up next to the curb and Gale who is standing by himself quickly jumps in the passenger side of the van and slams the door closed. He breathes a sigh of relief and looks at me, smiles and says 'hey'. I don't think he realises how inconvenient this is for me, I simply nod at him and start driving back towards Manhattan. He starts babbling on about the production his working on and how there are so many girls he could set me up with. I tell him I'm not interested but he keeps going, I swear his trying to live vicariously through me in regards to girls even though his with Joanna.

I pull into the car park and turn off the van, turn to Gale and blurt out
"Look man, I appreciate the interest in my love life but please stop! I'm not interested in any of your actor sluts, never have been never will be. If I never want you to set me up I'll ask okay?"
He looks stunned by my outburst but simply replies "It's been a long night bro, let's just head upstairs"
We get out of the van and I slam my door and walk ahead of him, pull out my keys and unlock the doors to the bakery. I wait for him to get inside so I can lock the door behind him; he heads straight for the stairs at the back of the bakery and whispers good night before ascending to Joanna's room. I don't reply, Its 1:30am by this point and I just want to go to bed. I climb the stairs and make a bee line for my room, I flop on the bed and pull off my shoes, undress down to my underwear and climb under the cover. My room is nothing interesting, just a blue square with a double bed in the middle surrounded by some band posters and paintings.

I look out the window to the hazy dark orange sky that will never be black due to city lights and let my mind wander until I think about the girl from the Shake Shack and my mind is suddenly buzzing with thoughts about her, I know I won't get to sleep for ages now so I pull out a notebook from my night stand and begin doodling her large grey eyes. I eventually fall asleep with the pen still in my hand and the notebook fallen to the floor. With my last ounce of conscience I internally wish to be over this girl I don't even know the name of in the morning. I have a feeling the odds won't be in my favour with that wish.