You sat with two of your usuals — Corey and Anastasia. Corey was lean, with a bright green buzzcut, a septum ring, and a snake winding up his neck in tattoo ink. Anastasia rocked a black mohawk, long dangly earrings, and a constellation of dermal piercings scattered across her cheekbones. The two of them were locked in laughter, probably talking about something strange and borderline unhinged — like always. You chimed in here and there, but mostly just sat back, dragging on a cigarette.

Across from you, on the opposite bench, was a girl you hadn’t seen before — Alondra Montes. She was stunning in that effortless, earthy way. Deep brown skin, a crown of big, poofy curls, and two-toned lips that made you look twice. A vertical labret glinted beneath her full mouth, and delicate tattoos laced her forearm like fine inked jewelry. She wore soft green — something about it matched her vibe, grounded and wild all at once. Her legs were crossed neatly, calm and composed.

Three others sat near her, names unknown — one white, one with goddess braids, one that looked mixed. But your focus kept drifting back to her.

You were both on the far ends of your groups, separated only by the thin strip of space between the benches.