Peculiar Girl. Part 3

Okay, so after Chicago, I was definitely itching for another adventure. My parents were like, “Steph, maybe just… chill for a sec? You’ve been everywhere this year”. But I had this idea — what if I planned my own mini;trip? No adults, no cousins, just me and a list of “must;see” spots in a city I’ve never been to. Enter: New York. (Yeah, I know it’s New York City, but “New York” sounds cooler and more mysterious, okay?)

I spent, like, two weeks plotting. I researched the best bagel places (obviously), mapped out the coolest street art neighborhoods, and even found this tiny bookstore that’s supposedly haunted. My parents finally agreed — with conditions, of course. I had to check in every three hours, stay in a hostel with a curfew (ugh), and send them a selfie at every major landmark. Fine. I could work with that.

So there I was, stepping off the train at Penn Station, backpack strapped, earbuds in, ready to conquer the city. First stop: Central Park. I was strolling past the lake, munching on a bagel I’d bought from this hole;in;the;wall place (best decision ever), when I spotted this group of kids my age doing parkour. Like, actual parkour — jumping over benches, flipping off walls, the works. I stopped dead in my tracks.

“Whoa”, I muttered, almost choking on my bagel.

One of the guys, wearing a bright orange hoodie, noticed me staring. He landed a perfect flip, jogged over, and grinned. “You look impressed”.

“I am impressed”, I said. “That was… insane. How long have you been doing this?”

“Years”, he said, wiping his forehead. “I’m Leo, by the way”.

“Steph”, I replied. “So, uh… do you guys let random tourists join in?”

Leo laughed. “Only the brave ones”.

Before I knew it, I was being handed a pair of gloves and shown how to do a basic roll. My first attempt? Total disaster. I landed on my butt, hard. The whole group erupted in laughter, but it was friendly. Leo helped me up. “Hey, everyone starts like that”, he said. “Wanna try again?”

We spent the next two hours there — me failing spectacularly, the group cheering me on, Leo giving tips. I even managed a semi;decent jump by the end. Afterwards, we all sat on a bench, sharing snacks and stories. Leo told me about a secret rooftop spot with the best view of the city skyline. “It’s not on any map”, he said with a wink.

Of course, I had to see it.

Later that night, perched on that rooftop with the city lights twinkling below, I took a selfie — the one I’d promised my parents. I sent it with the caption: “At the top of the world. Checking in :)”

They’ll never know I got here with a bunch of parkour kids I met an hour ago. That’s the magic of solo trips, right? You plan the bagels and the bookstores, but you never plan the people who turn your day upside down — in the best possible way.

P.S. Leo promised to teach me a real flip next time. I’m already plotting my return. New York, you’re officially on my list of favorite places.


Stephaniia
https://t.me/stefanias_world

MY RHYTHM
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