Disclaimer: I own nothing...

Confidence

I slept in a phone booth that night, or I guess the early morning. I awoke when a young couple knocked on the glass window, waking me to get inside and make their own call. I smiled and tried to comb my hair with my sweaty hands as best I could. I was a wreck, and even though the two never asked if I was alright, they had starred at me the entire time with a concerned look on their face. I tried to explain to them the phone wasn't working, as it had only been a few hours since the city's power failure, yet they refused to listen to me, digging into their pockets and pulling out a shinny coin. I bet they would have lended me my own coin if I asked and explained my situation, but I really didn't want to get into it. I looked like a homeless woman at the point anyway.

It had been a tough night; I finaly found a bathroom in an old gas station an old man let me use, even when I wasn't buying his gas. The mirror was cracked and dirty, yet I managed to clean my alchol stained shirt, and turn the sweatly blanket still tied around my naked waist into a decent mini skirt. I slipped my hair into a messy bun, letting my greasy bangs dangle in front of my eyes. I pushed them aside, as I waved to the man at the station, continuing my journey through the unknown town.

It wasn't long before I figured out I was in the country of Italy, such a beautiful place. I had no clue Ben had taken me so far away from Germany; and my friends. Although it wasn't the best town in the country, the streets flocked with people, of all different colors. Some woman wore tight red, cotton, shirts, and pants that squeezed their hips so tight, their three inch waist's looked fat. Men wore green and orange tops, with denim jeans, just a bit loser then the girls. I felt out of place with my baggy, black tee shirt; However the plaid blanket-skirt seemed to fit well with the theme of the city. It wasn't as cold as it had been during the night, and now that the fall sun had appeared in the thick sky, my skin now showed a warm, October glow. I walked with confidence down the streets of citizens, cars pulled aside with two wheels on the side walk. A few street performers played their music loudly in the center of the plaza, with a large circle of happy people clapping around them. I smiled, recognizing a few instruments from Risembool, as I joined the circle pushing my way to the front. I started to move my hands together, tapping my feet to the beat, as many men and woman threw silver coins at the music players. I laughed and sang to the familiar beat they played, as well as everyone else. Suddenly, the beat changed to a fast love song; Everyone turned toward their partners and began to dance. Forgetting about my past, a young man around my age with long, black, hair and dark, olive, skin turned toward me, and asked if I would like to dance. I nodded with out thinking, as he grabbed my hand and waist, spinning me around as the music began picking up. The steps came natural to me as if I had knew them my whole life, practicing them everyday. I laughed with the man as another smaller circle appeared around us, singing with smiles as my handsome partner and I continued to dance, showing off our steps.

"Your pretty good." The boy whispered in my hear, with a deep, Italian accent as he spun me in a tight circle. I giggled slightly.

"Your not half bad your self." I chuckled into his ear. He smiled, as we realized it was almost time for the music to come to an end; This was the finale, our steps had to be perfect because everyone watching. Everyone was watching every small thing we did, and were all into the perfect beat the street performers played, something they had put their hearts into as much as our dance. And it was then he through my back against his arm taking a pose, as I tossed my head back to the ground, my eyes facing the sky, finishing the beat with my graceful hand across his check. We froze as everyone cheered and applaused; Even the street performers rested their instruments on their knee, clapping as me and the mysterious man took a long bow, our hands locked. We stepped out of the circle, gaining back out breath, as he released my hand, with a trusting smile.

"Thanks for the dance Miss. May I have your name?" I opened my mouth to speak when a dark, skinned girl, with long tight, brown, locks appeared from the crowd, locking arms with the boy who stood in front of me. They looked at each other with eyes that only spoke the word 'love'. And I knew they were together, it was all for nothing.

"That was amazing." She whispered into his ear. Then her eyes met with my own. "Thank you for such an amazing performance." I forced a smile, and turned away from them to the crowd; After that, at the boy's strong, black eyes. He still wanted my name, after he had showed me his girl friend, and toar my heart apart even after we had shared such an amazing dance.

"I'm sorry, maybe we will meet again one day. Thank you." I looked back to the circle of people as the couple disappeared into Italy's enormous crowd, the sun shining bright on her brown hair, bringing out hidden, golden highlights.

And it was them I felt a cold hand on my shoulder, startling me as I knew it had to be Ben. I didn't turn around, for if it was to be him; I knew it was over. I knew that as a fact, and I was so sure of it, I would let them write it on my grave for when ever I may use it. But the hand wasn't just cold, but hard and soft at the same time. How was that possible, for something to be hard and soft. It just wasn't. Yet the thought crossed my mind even when I tried to push it away; It almost felt like a cool piece of metal, with a thin glove covering the entire thing. But who wear's gloves this early in the fall?

It wasn't that cold.

xxx