Bentley Mae was not one to like spending a lot of money. Especially seeing as she had so little to her name. At least not after paying rent and utilities for her first month in the Big Apple. She didn’t see how she could avoid spending money at the moment though. Her trusty pointe shoes had finally worn completely out and she couldn’t continue on with them. Her audition for the part of Odette in the production of Swan Lake was scheduled for the next week. She had to find a good pair of pointe shoes in this trip out onto the streets or else she wouldn’t have time to break them in. And she dared not audition in unbroken in shoes. That would be a disaster.

The streets were pretty crowded and Bentley had jumped head first into the chaos. She was beginning to regret that decision. She was thinking that maybe she should have gotten directions to the nearest dance supply store. By the time she finally gave in and considered asking someone for directions she was completely turned around and utterly lost.

She swallowed hard and told herself that she needed to be as confident as when she was dancing. The strong idea withered as she approached a complete stranger. Her voice came out quiet and shy as usual, instead of the strong, attractive voice she’d been aiming for. “Excuse me? Do you by any chance know where a dance supply store is located?” Her forehead scrunched making her appear hopeful. The hope evaporated as she realized that she’d probably approached the wrong person. The stranger didn’t even glance at her and just walked on by, as if no one had just spoken to them.

It stung and Bentley wasn’t too sure she could muster the courage to try asking someone else. She stepped to the side of the sidewalk and leaned against the front of a building in defeat. With all that was going on she was seriously beginning to doubt her choice of coming to New York to pursue her dream and to attend Julliard. The city was overflowing with rude people, and as she remembered how her new friend Rhythm had acted about the park at night she added, and apparently dangerous. She smiled realizing that she had met a few nice people. With that realization fresh in her mind, Bentley pushed off from the wall with her back straight and her head held high. She’d just have to try asking for directions again...

It wasn’t where he was supposed to be… Sam looked at the street sign as the crowded intersection started to die down as people made a path for the cars that were about to be granted passage from the green light. All moved but him for a moment. He was on the wrong street. The light turned green and Sam made his way to the sidewalk as he pulled out his phone and checked the GPS hoping his smart phone could shed some light on the situation.

School supplies, he promised a few of the kids he’d help them out with their art project but someone misplaced them and most of them fell victim to a mansion pet or a fellow mutant who seemed to be teething either way Sam was shopping for some art supplies and apparently there was a huge department store around here.

For a time now Sam had been noticing that an eye patch was a perfect way to keep to people from bumping into you, they avoided him by parting in front of him as he walked down the side walk even the tough big bald headed guys. It was funny to him, he could still see better than most just not with his other eye. Then again he never did attempt to use his heat sense with so many people around before.

Not wanting to try it now Sam kept walking in hopefully the right direction. ”Let’s hope you guys are as smart as you claim to be…” Sam said keeping his good eye on his phone screen not really paying attention to the people in front of him trusting the eye patch would do the job.

Bentley spotted someone who looked just as lost and out of place as she felt. A determined scowl had the man’s jaw set and his brow scrunched in concentration. He was eyeing his phone as if it was a map to buried treasure. The ballerina blew a strand of hair from her face and patted her front pocket, where her own phone was located. ‘Yeah, I know how reliable these pieces of junk are,’ she thought bitterly. There’d been a time about an hour before that she’d attempted to use her phone for directions. The hunk of plastic and wires had only gotten the poor girl more lost and muddled.

As the man approached, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, Bentley stepped forward. “Excuse me?” She was pretty sure that she hadn’t spoken loudly enough. The man with the eye patch continued walking but Bentley wasn’t about to surrender just yet. Even if the stranger couldn’t help her, maybe she could help him. Doubtful, but still it was worth a shot.

She kept pace beside him. “Excuse me?” Finally! He turned an ice blue eye toward her. Bentley smiled warmly. “Um…” The stuttering was about to start. She could feel it! “Uh.” Instead, the words came out really fast; almost as if it was one really long word, instead of a sentence. “Iwaswonderingifyouknewwhereadancesupplystorewas?” Her cheeks blossomed rosy red. “I mean.” A nervous chuckle bubbled up from her throat. “I’m lost and you look that way yourself? I was thinking maybe you could try to help me and I could do the same for you?” Her green eyes sparkled slightly in the sunlight and the blush was beginning to disappear.

Bentley’s voice had sounded less nervous, not even a stutter the second time around. But her hands fidgeted at her sides. She was fiddling with the seam of her jeans, picking at it absentmindedly. “Where you headed?” Another smile dimpled her cheeks.

The meek voice of someone behind him was silenced for the most part by the crowd as Sam kept pace looking up momentarily to see if he was indeed on the right path. The street sign posted up on a pole on the corner in front of him reveled he was and he nodded his head in satisfaction before he heard the meek voice a little louder this time at his side. When someone says ‘Excuse me’ in the city it is often for bumping into someone he had no idea the young lady he turned his good eye to the one who was addressing him.

She was pretty and smiling at the same time he had a feeling she was in the same boat he was, lost in the city a reoccurring theme for Sam. When she first spoke what he thought was a question he blinked with his good eye and he slowed his pace making it easier to walk and talk, the determination he held on his face a few moments vanished as it was replaced with a friendly smile to mirror the woman’s smile. ”Come again?” Sam responded to the stretch of the words that seemed to meld together.

When the woman restated what she was trying to say before (this time in plain English) Sam smirked and let out a small laugh and nodded his head, ”Ha, three years living practically in the city and I still get lost.” In his defense though he never did ever think he’d go shopping at an art supply store before so he never really took note to keep an eye out for one when he was running around. ”I think that sounds like a reasonable idea.” Sam said as he could only assume she’d have a better idea as to the location of this supposed art surplus store.

”Think it is called Artopia… an art surplus store of some kind, a few of the kids need some supplies.” Sam said as he showed the young woman his phone screen where the GPS pointed out his coordinates, ”Been looking for the last half hour with little to no luck, projects are due in two days and I told them I’d help them out.” Sam said his voice sounding steady despite the fact that he was lost. He paused and looked back at his screen and kept walking shrugging his shoulders slightly, ”Where are you headed to…” he paused then offered his free hand towards her, ”I’m Sam by the way.”