Hey! Beautiful

“Hey! Beautiful” I heard the voice coming from somewhere behind me. Two thoughts crossed my mind – they’re calling to someone else or its someone I know, and they're trying to get me to look so they can tease me. [[Look to see who they're calling->look]] [[Don't look, just keep walking->keep walking]]

About forty feet behind me was a boy my age. He was a couple of inches taller than me and wearing a teeshirt who’s sleeves strained against his biceps. His hair was black. His face was shaven except for a little mustache that crawled along his upper lip. A few hairs poked up from his shirt’s collar. [[Wait for him]] [[Turn and run]]

I decided the best thing to do was to ignore them, look straight ahead, and walking like I hadn’t heard a word. Then I heard someone running up behind me. My heart started racing, and I’m sure every muscle in my body tensed. My mind was racing, asking the question, “If I run, can I outrun them?” [[Keep walking->waling 2]] [[Run]]

I started to second guess myself, “It doesn’t matter, I should run anyway,” when the running stopped and was replaced by a silence that seemed unreal. Suddenly the silence was replaced by the sound of a falling trashcan and the oomph of someone hitting the ground. “¡Oye! Hermosa” This time the voice was much softer and tinged with pain. Two things were certain – the person was talking to me, and It wasn’t someone I knew, because none of my friends speak Spanish. [[Look back->look trashcan]] [[Keep walking->don't look at trashcan]]

I was about to answer the question, “It doesn’t matter, run anyway,” when the running stopped and was replaced by a silence that seemed unreal. Suddenly the silence was replaced by the sound of a falling trashcan and the oomph of someone hitting the ground. “¡Oye! Hermosa” This time the voice was much softer and tinged with pain. Two things were clear – the person was talking to me, and It wasn’t someone I knew, because none of them speak Spanish. [[Look back->look trashcan]] [[Keep walking->don't look at trashcan]]

I glanced over my shoulder, not knowing what to expect. What I saw wasn't any of the things I imagined. I boy my age was lying on the ground with three trashcans beside him. Bottles and cans and paper covered the ground. [[Turn around and start walking again->look away]] [[Go help]]

I forced myself to keep walking – to keep my eyes forward. I heard the person stand up. I listened to the grunt and pain. I expected them to start following me again, and I was ready to run. But they didn’t. Instead, I heard then picking up the trashcan, throwing bottles and cans back into it. This made me want to stop and look at who would worry about a trashcan. [[Stop and look ->trashcan 2]] [[Keep walking->keep walking 2]]

He was my age – a couple of inches taller than me and wearing a teeshirt who’s sleeves strained against his biceps. His hair was black. His face was shaven except for a little mustache that crawled along his upper lip. A few hairs poked up from his shirt’s collar. He was pciking up the trash and throwing it back into the trashcans. [[Go help->Go help 2]] [[Turn away]]

I almost looked. I paused for a second and took a deep breath, but before I could turn, I heard them walking behind me again. I started walking a little faster than before. I looked ahead – searching for a place I could go where there were other people – where I would be safe. Ahead I saw a small cafe. [[Walk towards cafe->cafe]] [[Just keep walking]]

I turned slightly and headed towards it – increasing my pace. As I reached the door, I heard the voice again, “Ei! Bela.” I froze – door half open. This stranger, who was following me, spoke English, Spanish, and Portuguese? I can’t deny that I was curious. This man, because from his voice I was now sure it was a man, had called me beautiful three times in three different languages. [[Turn around]] [[Disapear into cafe->in cafe]]

I increased my pace, trying to hold my body straight to show the courage I wasn’t feeling. Then I heard the voice again, “Ei! Bela.” I froze. This stranger, who was following me, spoke English, Spanish, and Portuguese? I can’t deny that I was curious. This man had called me beautiful three times in three different languages. [[Turn around->Turn around 2]] [[Run to cafe->in cafe]]

I turned my head slowly, feeling my long hair resisting me and my cheeks heating up. I smiled a little – from the safety I now felt and the small boost in my self-worth. I don’t know what I expected – a boy, an old man, maybe a blind man who couldn’t see me or the trash can. My little smile turned into a big one, and my flush was full. He was my age – a couple of inches taller than me and wearing a teeshirt who’s sleeves strained against his biceps. His hair was black. His face was shaven except for a little mustache that crawled along his upper lip. A few hairs poked up from his shirt’s collar. That’s when I noticed I was staring. Not glancing at, not looking at, no, full-on staring. [[Turn away]] [[Look down]]

I slipped through the door and into the crowd. Once I was safely inside, I turned to see who was following me. He was my age – a couple of inches taller than me and wearing a teeshirt who’s sleeves strained against his biceps. His hair was black. His face was shaven except for a little mustache that crawled along his upper lip. A few hairs poked up from his shirt’s collar. That’s when his eyes met mine. That’s when I noticed I was staring. Not glancing at, not looking at, no, full-on staring. I looked down and watched his feet through the crowd as he walked towards me. “You dropped your phone.” The instant he said it, I could feel it missing from my pocket. He handed it to me. “Thank you,” I said. He turned, walked across the cafe and out the door. [[Let him walk away]] [[Stop him->stop him 2]]

I felt him stop behind me. “Do you speak English?” he asked. “You dropped your phone.” The instant he said it, I could feel it missing from my pocket. I turned about and faced his. He was still smiling. He handed it to me. I said, “Thank you.” He turned and walked away. [[Let him walk away]] [[Stop him]]

“You dropped your phone.” The instant he said it, I could feel it missing from my pocket. He handed it to me. “Thank you,” I said. He turned and walked away. [[Let him walk away->Let him walk away 3]] [[Stop him]]

My heart fought with my head as he walked away. There was some guy I didn’t even know, who saw me drop my phone and chased me down to return it - who ran into trashcans for me - and all I could say was thank you. But, I didn’t know anything about him. [[Go after him]] [[Let him walk away]]

“No,” I yelled. He stopped. I ran up beside him. “Let me buy you a drink.” He turned to me and smiled. “Why did you call me beautiful?” His smile grew. “Because you are. Didn’t you know that?” [[Credits]]

I ran after him. “No,” I yelled. He stopped as I approached him. “Don’t go.” I yelled. He turned a looked at me as I ran to him. “Let me buy you a coffee.” He smiled and nodded his head. I asked, “Why did you call me beautiful?” His smile grew. “Because you are. Didn’t you know that?” [[Credits]]

I watched him walk away. I wondered why he had called me beautiful - three times. Was it possible that he thought I was? Was it possible that I was beautiful? I’ve thought about that hansom stranger many times over the years, about how he did something for a stranger, how he called me beautiful. It changed me. Now I’m the one who goes out of their way to help other people - two be kind to others. And I’ve learned that I am beautiful, on the inside as well as the outside - and I’m not quite as embarrassed when someone tells me I am. [[Credits]]

Thanks for reading, "Hey! Beautiful" The original non-interactive story was posted on Instagram by Douglas Clarke (@altivecer) and was inspired by a drawing created by Sara Paz (@thiswhimsyme). Created with Twine Copyright 2019 A Good Tale

I made my way outside and called out after him, “No." He stopped. I ran up beside him. “Let me buy you a drink.” He turned to me and smiled. “Why did you call me beautiful?” His smile grew. “Because you are. Didn’t you know that?” [[Credits]]

I heard him stand up. I listened to the grunt of pain. I expected him to start following me again, and I was ready to run. But they didn’t. Instead, I heard then picking up the trashcan, throwing bottles and cans back into it. This made me want to stop and look at who would worry about a trashcan. [[Stop and look ->trashcan 2]] [[Keep walking->keep walking 2]]

I offered him a hand, and he stood with a grunt. He was my age – a couple of inches taller than me and wearing a teeshirt who’s sleeves strained against his biceps. His hair was black. His face was shaven except for a little mustache that crawled along his upper lip. A few hairs poked up from his shirt’s collar. He started picking up cans and bottles and throwing them back into the trashcans. I started picking up trash, too. As we worked, he said, “You dropped your phone.” The instant he said it, I could feel it missing from my pocket. He handed it to me. I said, “Thank you.” We finished picking up the trash, and he said, “Thanks for helping,” then he turned and walked away. [[Go after him]] [[Let him walk away]]

I started picking up trash, too. As we worked, he said, “You dropped your phone.” The instant he said it, I could feel it missing from my pocket. He handed it to me. I said, “Thank you.” We finished picking up the trash, and he said, “Thanks for helping,” then he turned and walked away. [[Go after him]] [[Let him walk away]]

I was nervous as I waited for him to catch up to me, but he had a friendly smile on his face. When he reached me, he said, “You dropped your phone.” The instant he said it, I could feel it missing from my pocket. I turned around and faced him. He was still smiling. He handed it to me. I said, “Thank you.” He turned and walked away. [[Let him walk away->let him walk away 2]] [[Stop him]]

I started running. I heard him start running after me. My heart was racing - fear embraced me. “¡Oye! Hermosa” This time his voice was much softer, but I was certain that he was talking to me. What I didn’t know was why he was speaking in Spanish. I kept running. I heard him run into some trashcans. I expected to hear him get up and start chasing me again, but that’s not what I heard. Instead, I heard him throwing cans and bottles into the trashcans. [[Look back->look trashcan 4]] [[Keep runing]]

My heart fought with my head as he walked away. There was some guy I didn’t even know, who saw me drop my phone and chased me down to return it, and all I could say was thank you. But, I didn’t know anything about him. [[Go after him]] [[Let him walk away]]

I glanced over my shoulder. He was putting the trash back into the cans. I wondered what kind of guy would do that. My fear had turned into curiosity, but my mind still urged caution. [[Go help pick up the trash->Go help 2]] [[Keep runing]]

I ran down the street until I saw a cafe, I knew. I figured I’d be safe there. I stopped when I reached its door, panting, and tried to catch my breath. As I opened the door to go in, I heard the voice again, “Ei! Bela.” I froze – door half open. This stranger, who was following me, spoke English, Spanish, and Portuguese? I can’t deny that I was curious. This man had called me beautiful three times in three different languages. [[Turn around-> Turn around 2]] [[Go into cafe]]

I turned my head slowly, feeling my long hair resisting me and my cheeks heating up. I smiled a little – from the safety I now felt and the small boost in my self-worth having been called beautiful three times. That’s when I noticed I was staring. Not glancing at, not looking at, no, full-on staring. [[Turn away]] [[Look down]]

I slipped through the door and into the crowd. Once I was safely inside, I turned to see who was following me. That’s when his eyes met mine. That’s when I noticed I was staring. Not glancing at, not looking at, no, full-on staring. I looked down and watched his feet through the crowd as he walked towards me. “You dropped your phone.” The instant he said it, I could feel it missing from my pocket. He handed it to me. “Thank you,” I said. He turned, walked across the cafe and out the door. [[Let him walk away]] [[Stop him->stop him 2]]

I turned my head slowly, feeling my long hair resisting me and my cheeks heating up. I smiled a little – from the safety I now felt and the small boost in my self-worth. My little smile turned into a big one, and my flush was full as I looked at him. He was my age – a couple of inches taller than me and wearing a teeshirt who’s sleeves strained against his biceps. His hair was black. His face was shaven except for a little mustache that crawled along his upper lip. A few hairs poked up from his shirt’s collar. That’s when I noticed I was staring. Not glancing at, not looking at, no, full-on staring. [[Turn away]] [[Look down]]