Duet

Chance

"Wait, when was this?" I see the elegant calligraphy snake its way round PJ's neck, spelling out the words as he speaks.

"Just the other day!" I go off into a daze, recalling the fateful incident. "It can't be anything but destiny, Peej... His eyes were locked on mine from across the whole café, and I could have sworn we were wearing the same skinny jeans."

"All skinny jeans look the sa-"

"And! I reckon he winked at me, although it could have been something in his eye, sandwich crumbs can be surprisingly vicious..." I get distracted by the loopy writing flowing down my arm - I wish I could write as neatly as that.

"Are you quite finished?" He raises his eyebrows, smiling. "I need to go to the library."

"I'll join you!"

He rolls his eyes, but beckons for me to follow him out of the door, grinning. "Come on then."

* * *

PJ strolls off, heading to the sci-fi section out of habit. I, of course, look for some manga, walking down the aisles, reading every sign, looking for clues; to no avail. "Hey, Peej, do you know where-?" I begin, before abruptly walking into someone - weirdly, they're about my height, so this time there's no awkward hand placing.

I'm grateful for this until I realise that several books have fallen from his already full arms. Dropping to my knees instantly, I begin to scrabble for them on the floor, and he kneels to help.

"I'm sorry - I didn't mean to, erm... I tend to trip over myself a lot, you see, and uh..."

He slowly stops trying to pick up the books, and I see his eyes tracing my forearm, watching the delicate cursive appear, as it replaces my previous conversations.

Despite the fact that no more words were written, he carries on, eyes getting wider and wider, until he finally turns.

As he looks at me, I can tell he's surveying my face in detail. I frown, but he continues scanning my features until he reaches my eyes.

He freezes, hand resting on mine; he must have been oblivious, because I start to blush and look away.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" He asks with a soothing, yet crisp, voice; I bite my lip, fixing my fringe as I face him again. You know what, he does look familiar - but he can't.

"Well, I don't think I've met you before, maybe you've mistaken me for someone else?"

"Yeah," He stands up, pile of books intact, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I must have done. Sorry to bother you."

"It's okay: I'm the one who fell into you, anyway!"

With a bittersweet look in his eyes, he smiles graciously, nodding. He walks away, head down. It's only then that I look down and notice: below my conversation with him, is the story I was telling to PJ earlier.

Just the other day... It can't be anything but destiny...

But evidently it wasn't meant to be after all - I never even learnt his name.