Only A Moment

...There's a Way?

SOPHIE POV

Oh, Shit.

I hoped I would find him eventually but needed more time to figure out how to do this.

The moment my eyes locked with Will's, everything came flooding back as though no time had passed. I went to the New Years Eve party alone, knowing I would be getting on a plane at 7 the next morning so I could return to college.

Little did I know...

Dad and I made it to my apartment with the last load containers and got them settled within a few minutes. I was happy I had new furniture delivered plus groceries taken care of thanks to my Mom's help yesterday.  One last night at my parents place gave me the chance to steel myself before starting on this new adventure.

I lived in the dorms at college and didn't need much but had a large collection of art supplies, books, and other gear that I was happy to have moved in even if everything needed to be organized. My Mom and I made the best of the situation, enjoying our Target shopping spree for kitchen utensils and linens, while Dad took time from his packed schedule to handle heavy lifting.

This apartment building is one of the nicest in the city.  My Dad's office is less than 2 blocks away so we already joked about how he would crash my apartment when he had downtime or if I was making something delicious for lunch.  I have always been always close to my parents, though lately things had been a bit tense, so moving home was a good chance to keep rebuilding our relationships.

"So... uhh... Sophie?" Dad asked, bringing the final Rubbermaid tote into the second bedroom while I stared at the work my Mom and I completed the previous day.

I nodded, leaning against the wall while I tried not to get overwhelmed at my disaster of an apartment.  "Yeah... it's him..."

"Why didn't you even get his name?"  Dad asked, frustration in his expression that softened as he continued, "Soph, I'm not judging I just... I don't get it..."

"It started off as a joke.  He asked my name and I said to consider me a mysterious stranger. When we spent hours talking it was almost easier to confide in him because of the anonymity."  I paused, blinking back tears.  "I know I have made a lot of mistakes, Dad. I also know I'm fighting to establish a new life here, so hopefully with Will in the picture everything goes smoothly."

Dad pulled me into a gentle hug, "I have to get home to prepare for court tomorrow morning but I'll check in on you when I can.  Let us know if you need anything, okay?  We're close and are here for you, Honey."

I slipped out of my hoodie after he left and took stock of my new home.  The large living and dining room was arranged with a plush couch and set of comfy low backed arm chairs.  I had a decent entertainment system and outfitted the  counter with stools from Ikea as well as a perfectly situated table with four chairs tucked in the corner by a window.

A pair of bookcases needed to be assembled as well as so much to organize but at least it was all here so I could dig in. My Master bedroom was bigger than I expected and I already had clean sheets on the bed and fresh towels waiting in the bathroom.

Everything was here... now I needed to make sense of the chaos.

"Hello?" I heard a deep voice and knew it was him.

Will.

He looked like a Will. His height was even more impressive when I had on sneakers instead of the heeled boots I wore to the party. Those dark eyes that seemed to search my soul were still just as entrancing though his dark hair was a lot shorter now.

I remembered how tender he was as we spoke, sharing our thoughts about anything and everything while keeping a level of distance thanks to the lack of personal information. The way he kissed my forehead under the stars while we talked about life gave me chills.