Branches Book

BRANCHES

Kayla Streiber

TRANSFIXED

James and I stepped out of the comfort of our warm hotel and started off in the direction of my brother Michael’s apartment. I hadn’t seen Michael in months, and I was relieved I would finally be back with the little family I had left, but it was hard being back in New York. I wasn’t used to the overcrowded streets and blistering cold, and had become accustomed to the every day sunny 72-degree weather of my new home in Santa Monica. When I was 18, I moved across the country to go to UCLA Medical School and never came back. My boyfriend was not prepared for a New York winter either. “Why did we decide to walk again?” James asked jokingly. Light drops of white powder covered his curly caramel hair and tainted his wide frame glasses. “It’s romantic!” I said. “C’mon, it’s Christmas Eve in New York City and it’s snowing!” I spun around and around, laughing like a little kid. I grabbed James’ hand and made him spin with me. We continued giggling like children, basking in the winter bliss as we continued on our way. I released James’ hand from my tight grip to fix my hair and became panicked when I felt nothing against my neck. “James, my locket. It’s gone.” I immediately turned around and began scouring the streets, looking through the brown slush below me. Suddenly, the snow didn’t seem so beautiful anymore. I tapped random passersby on their shoulders, frantically asking if they had seen anything, but was met with shrugs and “sorries!” “Tessa! Wait up, I found it!” I felt the tension in my chest release and turned around to see James running towards me. “Here it is,” James said, holding it up like a prize, “I knew we would find it.” I pulled him into me tight and kissed him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I said. “We wouldn’t leave New York without it,” he said, placing the locket safely in my hands. He knew just what to say to make me smile. “Wow, Tessa. This is beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it off your neck before.” The locket was beautiful: simple and elegant. It was a classic heart shape, covered with intricate engravings. To anyone else, it may have seemed ordinary, but it meant the world to me.

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