First Sighting

My eyes scanned the room, full of people talking, laughing, enjoying each other’s company. Everyone in this room is smiling, and if they aren’t they are looking into the eyes of the person opposite them with such intensity, such feeling that you can’t help but look away as fast as possible. I rest my eyes on a couple sitting across from me, a girl talking away to a boy who seems as though he wants nothing more than to lean across that table and make her stop talking, even for just a minute. Four tables away from me, a girl sits with an older woman, her mother being my best guess. The younger girl, no more then 17, staring at her mother as she talks with great intensity, a great understanding of some sort. Two males are sitting behind them, both talking quietly together, a small smile playing on both their lips as they stand to leave, giving me a view of a new person. What happened next was the most unexpected, most amazing moment of my human life. A young girl, my age if I had to guess, with a book in her hand appeared. Her cherry red hair pulled back intricately off her face, her legs crossed on the seat, her eyes not leaving the book, even when she leans forward to pick up and sip from her coffee cup. She bites lightly on her bottom lip, frowning slightly at something she’s read before she puts the book down onto the table, picking her coffee cup up in both hands. She sighed through her nose as she falls further into her seat, giving me my first proper look at her face. Her eyes were staring off into the distance, shining an emerald green from the rays of light shining through the old coffee shop windows, her skin a whiter then what you normally see in a country where its sunny over 90% of the time. A crack of thunder outside makes her jump, waking from her daydream. I watch as she pulls her cardigan closed over her chest, biting the inside of her bottom lip as she looks outside at the rain, as though doubting whether or not it was really worth walking out into. She gently puts her book into her bag, decorated with small flowers, patterns and sewn on buttons, she takes out a small black purse, leaving money on the table, looking over for a waitress. Next, she smiled. This wasn’t just any smile, this was a smile someone only see’s once a lifetime. Her eyes had a tinge of blue in them now she was out of the little bit of sunlight there was today, a dimple on her right cheek coming out gently as her eyes fell to the floor, pushing a strand of hair away from her eyes as she did so. This moment was enough to force me to stop feeling sorry for myself, though I could hardly remember why I did in the first place, to follow her, watch her some more, see how else this girl could change my life without knowing so.
I followed her for hours, following her to such different, trivial places I began to believe that she knew I was following her, trying to make herself seem somehow boring. I watched as she looked down on the water as she walked over St Charles Bridge, her fingertips dragging along the cement of the barrier, not paying attention as people pushed past her amidst the 5pm rush hour. She was walking so slow it was painful trying to keep pace with her, but in some twisted way her pace was so beautiful, the way her foot dragged along the ground before each step, the way her eyes never left the horizon like she was dreaming of somewhere far away, her hand never leaving the edge as though she feared that if she let go she would get swept into the madness of the peak hour crowds.
I followed her back to a block of apartments, the brick outside decorated in intricately carved flowers and lines, the gate making no noise, even when she pushed it closed. Every movement she made was fluid, everything seemed so simple.

I knew by this point, I needed to meet this girl, hear her voice, feel her skin on mine, I had to make her mine.
I went back the apartments everyday for the next week, just watching her, trying to find something I could use to get to know her. I watched her frown as her friend stood beside her smoking a cigarette, I watched her drink cup after cup of coffee (or tea, I can’t be sure at this point), and then finally, I watched her play with a small dog. That was it, an animal. So, everyday from then on, I took my small Scottish terrier in my car, just waiting for her to walk the dog, just one window of opportunity. Finally my day did come, and I followed her once more to the same coffee store, sitting with her dog outside with a book sitting in front of her. She was wearing a black and white long shirt, the sleves ended just above her elbows, gripping to her chest and arms in a way that made her seem so small.. so fragile. She wore a black high waisted skirt that while she was sitting, fell to almost her knees. Her pale white skin was flawless, a completely soft canvas. Her hair was hanging either side of her face, it didn't appear that she bothered to make any effort with it as she ran one hand through the front of her hair, pushing it all away from her face as she took a sip of her coffee. I sucked in a deep breath and walked toward her, my heart racing faster with each step, a feeling of comfort setting in, soon I would know her name, I’d her hear voice, I would shake her delicate hand gently, I would be in her life as she has been in mine. My plan worked exactly how I had hoped, her dog standing and walking toward mine, pulling on her hand. Her eyes looked down at the leash before she lifted her head to look me in the eye, that breathtaking smile that started the chain of events in the first place on her face once more, and she was smiling that smile at me, me.

“Muffin...” She said gently, pulling on the lead softly, her voice hitting me like an electric shock, my eyes widening in response. “Sorry, she doesn’t often see other dogs this close up.” She laughed lightly, looking from her dog back up to my eyes
“No. It’s- It's okay.” I smiled back, disgusted by the sound of my voice in comparison to hers, mentally cringing at the fact i stuttered my first words to her.
“I’m Samantha.” She told me, offering me her hand. I felt the knots in my stomach ease knowing relief was on the way, I would touch her any second now. "Sorry." She giggled, brushing crumbs off her hand before she extended it towards me once more. "Sam." She corrected herself as our hands touched, her soft cold skin gentle as i held it in my palm.

"Noah." I replied, again mentally cringing at my own voice.

"I think Muffin likes.." She started, still smiling gently as she looked down at our dogs.

"Bailey." I told her, her head nodding as she looked back up at me. "Your dogs named Muffin?" I asked her, chuckling. "Don't people usually-"

"Call their cats Muffin?" She said, laughing as she interuppted me. "Well.. I'm not like other people." She said, a sense of pride in her voice as she raised her shoulders, biting down on her bottom lip lightly as she pulled her hair off her face lightly.
No, you aren't, Sam. No you're not.
"What are you reading?" I asked conversationally, not ready for my first official meeting with her to end so quickly.

"Oh." She seemed surprised i had asked as she lifted her book up so i could see the cover. The Burn Journals. "Its an autobiography." She told me, "About a teenage boy who tried to kill himself, its really amazing how someone people go through so much and- " She placed the book down again before she looked up at me. "Sorry."

"Don't be." I told her, my voice quieter then i had wanted it to be. After a few short seconds of silence she pursed her lips, looking around awkwardly. "Well, we should get going." I said, pulling on my dogs leash lightly. "Nice meeting you, Sam." I nodded my head at her once before i turned to walk away.

"You too Noah." The way my named rolled off her tongue seemed so natural, her soft sweet voice echoing in my head as i walked away, trying with everything i had inside me not to turn around and look into those amazing green eyes once more.

Almost two weeks passed without any sighting off her, and i was starting to think she had moved away. It was making me nervous, making me uneasy. I didn't much like the cafe anymore, all it did was make me think of her. I could still picture her sitting in the seat across the room, her soft eyes a million miles away while she day dreamed about whatever she had read in that book of hers. The Burn Journals. I had read it for the fourth time yesterday, grasping at anything to bring me closer to her. I was walking along side my closest friend Bonnie, everything in me praying like hell that when i walked into the cafe, she would be sitting there, waiting. I walked ahead of Bonnie, holding the door open as she brushed past me, smiling a thank you before she walked toward the counter, my eyes scanning the whole room as soon i entered. There she was, sitting in the corner with three other girls, none of whose looks could ever compare to hers. She looked up, and for a second i thought i had spoken aloud, her eyes connecting with mine, her expression blank before something clicked, and a smile came onto her lips. She mouthed a 'hey', lifting her hand up near her chest to wave, all three girls turning to look at me. I just smiled back, not sure about what normal people did in this situation. I wanted to go over there, i wanted to sit and talk with her for hours about her beauty, about the amazing book we had now both read. I wanted to share things with her, i wanted her to open upto me, i wanted her to confess everything she hated about herself so i could tell her she was stupid, that she was beautiful and that i was so in love with her it was killing me. But i knew that a normal person wouldn't do any of those things, so regretfully, i smiled back at her before i grabbed a bottle of iced tea, sighing as i sat across from Bonnie. She noticed my diverted attention and turned around.

"Whose she?" She asked me, smiling playfully as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Hm?" I tried to pretend i had no idea what she was talking about, but it was hard considering Sams giggling friends all looking over at us. Bonnie nodded her head to the side, indicating who she was talking about. "Oh. Sam, she's some girl i met the other week." I shrugged, trying to play down my feelings in front of my sister.

"Shes cute." She pointed out. Cute? She was beautiful.

"Yeah, i guess." I replied, noticing Sam standing up in the corner of my eye. "Don't say anything." I whispered, Bonnies brow furrowing in confusion as Sam stood next to her awkwardly.

"Hi." She said sweetly. She was wearing lace up boots, 3/4 black tights and an over sized white tshirt. How could something so simple seem so perfect?

"Hey." I smiled up at her, looking down at Bonnie for a second. "This is my sister, Bonnie this is Samantha."

"Sam." She corrected me as she shook my sisters hand.

"Um. I'm going to get something to eat." Bonnie said suddenly, smiling at me as she got up and walked away.

"I don't usually do this.. Acutally, i've never done this." Sam told me as she sat across from me, leaning foward, running her hands through her hair nervously. "But would.. Do you want to maybe.. Would you.. Um." She laughed, covering her face for a second before taking a deep breath. "Would you like to go out to dinner this week.. with me?" You know those times in life when you are so happy its damn near impossible not to scream or even just laugh? This was one of those moments trippled.

"I would very much like that." I replied, not believing my luck. "Should I take your number, or address or?" She gave me her mobile number, explaining that her room mate and herself still hadn't installed a tellephone line at home. "Great, well, i'll.. i'll call you." I told her, staring into those green eyes for as long as i could manage without confessing my love for her right there and then.

"Great." She bit down on her bottom lip again, something i was starting to learn she did when she was nervous or felt awkward. She stood up and met her still giggling friends at the door, turning to smile and wave at me once more before the door slowly closed behind her.

Three days later and there i was, sitting across from her in our coffee shop, as she had accidently called it when we were organising our date.

"You know that book you were reading?" I asked her, hoping that she knew what i was reffering to.

"The Burn Journals?" She said with a small smile, nodding her head. She always looked into her cup when she took a sip of coffee, holding the cup with both hands like her life depended on it.

"I read it." I said proudly, her face lighting up suddenly.

"Didn't you love it?" She replied, just as excited as me. "None of my friends are readers.. so this is great." She laughed lightly, pushing her hair away from her face.

"I acutally uh.. made me tear up a little." I told her truthfully, shaking my head in embarrasment.

"Really?" She said softly, seriously, the expression on her face telling me she doubted what i was saying.

"Yeah." I nodded, hoping this somehow worked in my favour. "When he's talking to his parents near the end.."

"And his brother apologizes." She nodding, closing her eyes for a second, seeming to agree. "Okay no more of this." She giggled, sighing. "What do you do for a living Noah?" She asked, lifting her feet onto the small chair, holding her coffee cup in one hand as she sipped it now.

"I paint." I shrugged. "Pretty boring and basic. You?"

"Thats not boring." She shook her head in dissagreement, "I'm a nursing student." She said proudly. "So i don't have much of a life, but i like it so." She shrugged lightly. "What kind of painting do you do?" She pushed.

"My favourite thing to do is portraits, but i paint a range of things. Actually.." I stopped, trying to consider if it was a good idea to tell her about my art show. Too many of my paintings were inspired by her recently. "I'm having a show next week if you'd like to, you know, come and check it out."

"I would love that." She nodded, an expression playing on her face that i hadn't yet seen. I found out so much about my love that day, like she had lived in London since she was 17 and moved here with her older brother, she turned 20 last weekend, she reads fiction books more then she see's sunlight and she was once arrested for 'beating the s**t out of some girl' who had hurt her brother. She really was full of surprises, and that made me content. She wasn't predictable like every other girl around her. She always left you wanting more.

"I should probably get going." My heart sank at her words, a sympathetic smile on her face as she placed her third empty coffee cup on the table between us.

"Yeah me too." I lied. I could have sat there with her for hours and not gotten bored or sick of hearing her amazing life stories. "This was nice." I said with a sigh as we both stood up.

"It was." She agreed as she placed her phone and wallet back in her bag. I walked her to her car, both of us silent for the best part of the short walk. "I really want to come to your show." She told me suddenly, looking from the ground to my face. "Call me and let me know when its on 'kay?" She said, a soft expression of hope on her beautiful face.

"I will." I nodded as we got to her car, stopping and standing awkwardly across from her. We stood staring at each other for what seemed like minutes, but was surely no more the seconds before she moved closer to me, wrapping her arms around my waist, her head resting gently against my chest. I let my hands fall around her shoulders, holding her against me, making the most of the situation. I breathed in as much of her soft, sweet scent as possible before she pulled away, our fingers lingering on one anothers before she walked over and got into her car, not saying another word before she drove away.

Author's Note

please be gentle on me hah

Reviews

[Steve]

i like this! The only piece of advise i would give you is to space out the paragraphs a little bit. Leave some space here and there......it makes it easier to read......

but very original and interesting too!