Instant Connection: An Incomplete Love Story

The Meeting

-They meet at a beach, she's reading a book, he's playing volleyball with his friends, a stray volleyball suddenly hits the book out of her hands
-He rushes over to apologize, she laughs and says it's fine

As she sees relief cross his face at the girl's lack of anger, she also takes note of his defined torso and the faint, smile-shaped scars that underline his chest. She doesn't even know this boy's name, but the roads--crooked and bent as they may have been--that directed him to this very point, being shirtless on a beach while he messed around with his friends: this knowledge makes the girl smile wider at him.

"I was at a slow part anyway," she says, indicating the book that now lies half buried in the sand. "I think the book needed a good jolt to get interesting again. "

The boy chuckles. "Well, that should have done it. You're welcome."

Biting down on her lip in a contained grin, the girl holds the boy's gaze for a little longer than necessary before glancing out at the horizon. "You know, this is probably the most cliche meeting I've ever been a part of in my life."

"Oh, I'm sure. This was all staged actually. There's a camera there, and there, and there... " he drifts off as he points to various hiding places across the beach.

She takes note of each "camera," sighing as if she couldn't possibly be bothered. "Well, at least they're getting my good side. Any other angle would be absolutely atrocious. "

The boy smiles, thanking anyone out in the universe who might be listening that he had always been so terrible at volleyball.