As it Began

"Hello?" I picked up the telephone after the first ring.

"Hello. I'm looking for Meghan?" Said a familiar raspy voice. I laughed a bit.

"It's me. Roger?"

"Yup. How are you this fine morning? I didn't wake you did I?!" He sounded a little frantic. I smiled widely. He was so damn adorable.

"Oh no, I've been up. And I'm fine, you?" There was a pause, like he was trying to find the words to say.

"Good, good. I'd, um, be better if we could maybe talk again...or meet somewhere and talk today...that'd be cool too. Y'know if you're not busy..." I could almost see Roger blushing through the phone. For a man that oozes confidence this was quite a different side. I had one thought only: does he truly like me? Then I started laughing. "What?" He laughed a bit too.

"Roger...it's Saturday." I giggled some more. Obviously someone forgot.

"...So it is. Well some people have weekend classes...?"

"Not in my first year!"

"Oh right...you have a job then?"

"Not yet."

"Oh..." I smiled and let him win as he kept trying to defend himself.

"Meet me outside my building at say, 12:30?" I inquired.

"Yeah, sounds great. We'll figure out what to do from there." He sounded a bit relieved, as if he thought I'd never go out with him...interesting.

"Yes. See you then!"

"Okay Meghan. Goodbye."

I hung up the phone and squealed a bit like the girly-girl I thought I never would be. Then I pulled myself together and went to my room to get ready.

I pulled on some jean shorts and my gorgeous peach coloured shirt with the puffy sleeves that was just perfectly dressy casual for a day like this. The sun was shining like anything and from our big window I could see people walking around the football field with t-shirts and cut-off shorts. This was going to be a good day. I looked at the clock- 12:23. Crap, I needed to get downstairs. I grabbed my bag and an apple out of the fruit bowl that Vanessa had lovingly arranged on the kitchen table and made my way out to the elevator.

When I got to the front foyer I spotted him outside the doors. He was leaning against the wall with a cigarette in hand, and his denim shirt was unbuttoned to show just enough chest. The sun was beaming on him strategically and his gold aviators sparkled.

I realized how much I missed him overnight.

I snapped out of it and walked out, adjusting my hair and pulling my own pair of sun shades out of my bag.
"Hey you!" I said. Roger jumped a bit and turned around.

"Meghan, hey!" He smiled a smile so wide and heartwarming it could make anyone melt at his feet. "How are you? Wait...I already asked you that...um...what shall we do today?" He blushed a bit. I noticed him absentmindedly swinging a small set of keys around his finger and got a little idea.

"Let's go for a drive." I suggested. "We can figure it out from there!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, I can take you into the city- gotta full tank of fuel!" 'The city' could only mean the heart of London and I got beyond excited.

"Yes, let's go! I love London you know, I could go exploring all day..." I began babbling as we walked toward his car. With him it just came naturally- I felt so comfortable talking to him. We approached his car- an old, small, slightly banged up bright blue thing. Despite the multiple tiny dents and rust spots, I could tell that Roger put a lot of love into this little junk pile, and that it was definitely all he could afford, if not more. I whistled at him.

"Nice wheels, man!" I exclaimed with a laugh.

"Hey, laugh all ya want but this old piece a' shit has gotten me through thick and thin! ...aaand I can't afford to fix it." He quickly mumbled the last part. I laughed as he opened the passenger door. "After you." He waved his arm in the direction of the door as I giggled and climbed in.

"Thank you!" I called from the tiny bucket seat. It smelled of cigarettes in there but somewhere deep down I could smell a shampoo and new car scent. I just took it all in and I loved it.

He shut my door with a loud 'clunk' and went round to the drivers side. We sat in silence for a moment. He looked over to me with a mischievous smile. "D'you trust me?" He wiggled his eyebrows. I laughed out loud.

"Ha! Don't give me that bullshit, guy I just met yesterday!" I joked. "And yes...yes I do." I raised a challenging eyebrow. Obviously satisfied with my response, he shoved the key in the ignition and off we went.

He parked along a crowded street and we made our way to the park and sat on a bench that faced the Tower Bridge. I was in awe and mentally kicking myself for not being able to afford a camera of my own. The sun was beating down and there were people laughing and smiling all around. This moment felt so amazing as we talked some more, indulging ourselves in each others' personal lives. As we paused to enjoy the sunshine some more I could feel Roger's eyes on me. And those eyes were shades even bluer than his bright blue junk car.

He kept staring at me. "You're...really beautiful, Meghan." He moved a piece of my hair behind my ear as it blew slightly in the warm breeze. I stared back at him, eyebrows slightly raised with a racing heart. Did he really just say that? Was this...whatever it was moving faster than I had hoped? I sighed with a smile.

"Thank you! Thank you so much...Roger. I know we're gonna be great friends." I smiled like I really meant it. Hell, I really did! As much as I would love to grab him this second and kiss his face until we both couldn't breathe...I knew, from failed relationships in my past, we could only achieve that if we took it slow. Besides, would he really have this much interest in me? Perhaps this was how he approached every girl and I was ready to test this a little further. He lowered his eyes, took a deep breath and sighed, looking back up into my eyes with a strange expression I couldn't quite read.

"Yeah...just...great friends..." He mumbled. He then looked up over my shoulder and spoke up. "Hey look, it's free ice cream cone day! Wanna go?" I looked and sure enough there was a small ice cream cart with a bunch of people in line around it, and some sitting, licking their free cones like they didn't have a care in the world. I looked back to Roger and was greeted with a genuine smile. I gasped and returned that gorgeous smile.

"Yeah! You already know I'm an ice cream freak." We both laughed and got up. As I lagged behind and watched him walk for a moment my thoughts slightly altered...

If this worked out and Roger and I developed a relationship larger than friendship, I'd be fine...more than fine. In fact I've noticed something about Roger that I have never seen in another man that just triggers something in my heart strings. However, looking at my new friend, now awkwardly half-walking half-running toward his free ice cream cone fantasy, I knew I'd be okay no matter what the outcome would be. Anything is always possible. With that last thought, I started awkwardly running toward my own fantasy.

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