The Moment I Knew

Finn sat himself back down at his seat, holding his Americano Coffee close to him. He needed to get this exam over with and then he could leave the university. He didn't like calling himself a university drop out, but in reality, that was what he was doing. The school and people were all great, he didn't want people to think he didn't like them, but in the long run..he wasn't soon what he wanted to. Graphic design was what he wanted to have a career in, but he needed courses that would also cater to his film making love. And right now that wasn't happening-simple as that.
Finn looked down to the masses of papers in front of him and then thought that make having his fingernails torn of would probably be more enjoyable.
He slowly opened to the first page of his long course review and began skimming thorough the notes. He made himself memorize the vocabulary that he was expecting to be memorized, but couldn't bring himself to actually work on anything that would really help him.
Then Finn saw her. She walked in from the cold, wet, and windy day outside. She looked very flustered and saw she was struggling to get her umbrella closed, so she was still halfway outside the door.
"God dammit," she muttered and finally pulled the device shut. Finn tried to hold back a laugh at her expression.
Her curly hair was falling over and past her shoulders. It was a bit frizzy, but beautiful all the same. The frizz made it look better because you could tell it wasn't forced. And they weren't hard, crunchy curls like when other girls would curl their hair; they were soft and smooth. Finn could tell she was on the taller side, being about 5'9 ish...Which was pretty tall for a girl. The thought that they would look good together because their height wasn't the same, but close in range, flashed into Finn's mind. Finn watched her get a place in line while still recovering from the blustery day outside. She sighed visibly and pulled her hair out from under her coat, letting it fall. Finn saw that she didn't even have to try and make her hair look good...She was so careless with how it fell that it looked good all by itself. The fact she wasn't fidgeting with it or constantly checking to make sure it was still in place was appealing to Finn. It had always been a bit of a pet peeve when girls were always checking, readjusting, and replacing the shape of their hair. Her skin wasn't scarily pale, but she was a little more fair skinned than most.
Finn had flashes of them together. On birthday's and Christmas, he could see himself surprising her with flowers and planting a kiss on her well defined cheek bone. He saw himself introducing her to his family and she would blush shyly and shake their hands. Then he saw them laying on his couch one night, not really doing anything but just enjoying the company of one another. He could see them tangled up with each other in bed, in complete bliss, and it was almost too much for Finn to bear. He envisioned them in their own apartment. Nothing and no one to bother them but to just be alone by themselves. Finn could see it all. He could see how she would roll over in bed and fall onto his chest, and he would put his arms around her and pull her a little closer. And when she would wake up her eyes would flutter open and look into his...They would stay like that. They wouldn't move or do anything other than just realize how incredibly lucky they both felt.
Finn then suddenly stopped himself. What the actual fuck was he thinking? She had literally just walked in the door and suddenly it was like she was all he could see. She was now part of every future gathering and moment of his life. God. He was seeing them in bed together, in more ways than one, all were fantasies he would love to make a reality. But come on, he had to get a grip. She, being as heart stoppingly beautiful as she was, probably had some boyfriend to go home to. To go to sleep with and to share all the big, and little moments with. Finn rolled his eyes at himself. He just....He couldn't get over how well she seemed to fit into his life, yet they hadn't even exchanged eye contact. What was the matter with him? Was he...It was like he had fallen in love with her right there.
Finn stole another look at her and found she was receiving her drink- a mocha it looked like-and was then looking for a seat to sit down. Finn looked away and around the shop. There was a table free two spots across from him. He sent a silent pray up to the heavens.
Please make her sit by me, please make her sit by me...
He chanted over and over in his head while pretending to be interested in his papers. He saw out of the corner of his eye that she moved and sat right down at that very table. It took everything Finn had not to get up and scream 'YES!' right there. He looked up casually and glanced her way. She was setting her purse down along with her umbrella, and then shed her coat. Finn bit the inside of his cheek when she saw just how fit she was. Her chest was a good size, not super big or super small...Just a good size. She wore a nice floral blouse that went over top a plain blue tank top. It looked good on her, and even better made her very blue eyes stand out even more. Finn could tell they were blue from this far away..That's how blue they were. She removed the lid from her coffee and Finn saw there was a mound of whipped cream on top.
Finn watched, amused as she lowered her lips to the cup and sucked some of the whipped cream from the edge. She looked around a little nervously- away from Finn thankfully- as she licked the moustache she had created away from her top lip bashfully. God, not only was she beautiful, but she was cute too. Finn loved cute girls who did things like that.
Finn watched every now and again as she took a little more whipped cream off the top each time. He could only look every few minutes because he knew she would feel him staring at her if he didn't take a break in between.
Suddenly the door swung open, and the wind outside blew some of Finn's papers around, and he was able to slam them back down on the table in time. Another girl walked in, pretty, but in Finn's opinion not at pretty as Whip Cream Girl. Jesus. Now he was nicknaming her.
Whip Cream Girl rose from her seat and broke into a beaming smile. Which just about broke Finn's heart. She looked even more amazing when she smiled. The smile reached all the way up to her eyes. It was genuine and kind, and you could tell that when she smiled she really meant it. She laughed a bit, which pulled at Finn's gut because it sounded so nice.
"Hey Mon," said Whip Cream Girl and this 'Mon' who Finn thought was probably named Monica, returned the smile.
"Hey," she said and they hugged tightly.
"It's good to see you," said Whip Cream Girl as they both took a seat.
"Yeah," sighed Monica. "Things have been busy for you, huh'?" she asked.
"Yeah," replied Whip Cream Girl. "I'm sorry we haven't gotten the chance to see each other, it's just I'm totally swamped with studying for exam week."
Finn could tell Whip Cream Girl was not British. Nor, did she sound American. She spoke English, but not with any kind of European accent.
"And that is why I chose to take a year off." said Monica as the two laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Whip Cream Girl shook her head. "But I told you, I'm saving this year and taking next year off. I wanna go places, you know? I don't wanna stay here. I mean coming here to England was great, but I want to see more." said Whip Cream Girl with emphasis.
So Finn was right. She had come to England, and was obviously from somewhere else.
"Amen to that." said Monica as they giggled. "Anyways, after your exams we gotta find you a guy." Monica wiggled her eyebrows and Finn smirked.
She was single after all. This was at first satisfying to Finn, but then realized how shocking it was as well. A girl like her..Single?
"Jesus Monica," laughed Whip Cream Girl. "You don't need to be my mother and try and set me up all the time! I can handle my own love life, thank you very much." said Whip Cream Girl with a smirk.
"Oh, sassy." replied Monica as Whip Cream Girl took a sip of her coffee. "But seriously S, you need to get out there again. You can't let what happened before totally close you off from other great guys." Monica said with a bit of sadness in her voice.
Finn wondered immediately what had happened and why. If some jerk had hurt her...Finn felt like he could strangle the person who would want to hurt something so delicate.
"I'm not letting it close me off," defended Whip Cream Girl. "I'm doing just fine. What happened with Wes...I know there's a chance it can happen again..But it can happen with anyone." shrugged Whip Cream Girl. "Being cheated on is a really bad feeling, of course, but I don't think I'm letting it drag me down as much as other people do. I'm okay M," said Whip Cream Girl leaning across the table to pat her friend's hand.
"I know...I just worry." said Monica with a slight laugh.
So her name starts with an S. Thought finn, trying to think of all the names that started with S. Sam, Serena, Sasha, Sonja, Sandy, Sophia, Sophie, Samantha...
"Well," said S. "the worry is noted, but not needed." She said with a little laugh. "Are you going to get a drink?" Asked S as Monica looked to the line of people.
"Maybe...but I just hate waiting in lines." She sighed with annoyance and S chuckled.
"It's damn good coffee though," she took another sip of of her mocha with a smirk.
"Hmm..." Monica contemplated, shrugging out of her jacket. "I guess I'll go get something." She decided finally.
Monica rose from her seat and took a place in line whole Finn watched S scroll through her phone.
Finn sighed and forced himself to look down at his work and focus. He did so for the next ten minutes but found it impossibly hard with hearing S laughing and talking with her friend. She sounded like such a nice person which had become a bit of a rare thing. People just weren't nice these days. They didn't hold the door for you or try and help you when you dropped a stack of papers. Finn knew he would do all those things...but other people couldn't be bothered. It was unsettling to him with knowing how unkind everyone seemed to become. But this S person seemed to be nice in every way. He heard her giving Monica advice about a guy she was seeing, and they shared about their home life and living on their own and S seemed to really console Monica when she was told she was being evicted from paying the rent late because she wasn't getting shifts at a bar she worked at.
Then S offered something that Finn was taken by.
"Stay with me." She said without hesitation.
"Awe S, I couldn't burden you with that." Said Monica with a frown. "I know how crazy you are with going through school and working to do make rent."
"Fine then," said S. "if it'll make you feel any better you can pay half the rent." Shrugged S as she took a swig of her coffee. "It's honestly not a burden. Having a roommate would be fun." Smiled S and Finn felt his stomach tighten a bit.
"I'll think about it..I just don't want to be an extra responsibility for you. You're already dealing with so much...how's your brother?" She asked and S immediately looked down and away from her friend's prying eyes.
"The same I guess. Nothing's changes really. We all still disapprove and he still thinks he's doing just fine in life." S rolled her eyes and Finn wondered why the subject of her brother was so fragile.
Monica's phone went off and she looks down to the screen. "Oh shit I have to go. Boss just got a shift to open up and I really need the pay..." Said Monica and S nodded.
"Don't worry about it, go. You need it," said S and Monica smiled gratefully.
"I don't know how you do it," said Mona and S looked to her in confusion.
"Do what?" She asked and Monica smiled with a bit of a laugh.
"Be so nice all the time. I really wouldn't be able to do it as much as you and as well as you. Really S, you're the best." Monica and S stood up and hugged.
That's when Finn noticed how well S's jeans hugged her legs and also how she had a pretty nice butt.
"It's nothing M," said S as they pulled apart. "I'll see you later. Have fun at work." She laughed sarcastically as Monica pretended to shoot herself.
Monica walked back into the storm outside and that's when Finn's papers flew up and into the air from the sudden just of wind coming trough the door.
"Oh sh..." Finn cut off as he stood and tried to gather the papers. Finn was kneeling when he saw an extra pair of long slender fingers join him on the floor. He looked up at the same moment S did. Finn knew her eyes were blue, but up close they were so much more than that. They had blue in them, all kinds of shades, from navy blue to a light turquoise. And also greens, light greens,dark greens. He even spotted a bit of hidden hazel around her pupil. All the colours swirled together made such an amazing sight.
"T-Thank you." stammered Finn and S nodded and shrugged as they both stood up.
"No worries," she said. "This has happened to me more than once, and I wish someone could've been there to help me but a lot of the time they just walk right on by." she sighed with a slight frown. She looked down to his papers. "Graphic design eh?" she asked him and Finn nodded. "That sounds really intimidating." she laughed and Finn shook his head.
"Not really I guess. You need to know what you're doing is all." he said and she nodded while still examining the papers.
"Yeah no kidding," she laughed again and handed over his papers. "These are yours though," she smiled a bit as Finn took them.
"Unfortunately they are," he said with a groan which earned him a slight giggle out of her.
"Taking University for this?" she asked as Finn nodded. "At Leeds?" she asked him again and Finn nodded.
"Yeah, are you there as well?" he asked and she nodded.
"Well, some of the time at least." she said. "I'm there for four of my courses then I'm going to Camosen College for three other ones I need but Leeds doesn't cover." she explained to him.
"Really?" he asked suddenly interested. "What are you taking?" he asked as S looked up to him, meeting his eyes for a moment before looking away and Finn could tell she was a bit embarrassed.
"I'm studying to be a vet." she told him as Finn nodded.
"Really? That's cool, but doesn't that require a lot of schooling?" he asked and she nodded with a sigh, running a hand through her curls.
"Yeah, actually. Seven years worth." she rolled her eyes as Finn winced. "I know," she laughed while seeing his expression. "It sounds awful, but it's really not that bad. By my third year I'll be able to drop three of my courses because I'll have finished my schooling for them. So I'll only be taking three, which will really free up my time." she said and Finn nodded.
"It sounds like a lot of work." he said as S nodded.
"I wish it wasn't but, yeah, it is." she said. "What about graphic design? How long does that usually take?" she asked him and Finn thought about it.
"Only about four years. Which is really good considering you're going to be in school for seven. Puts things in perspective for me." he laughed as S nodded with a slight smirk.
"Yeah, just think of that every time you tell yourself it's going to take so long to get through school." she laughed as Finn smiled.
"I couldn't help but notice your accent." he said and watched as S blushed. "You're not from here." he stated and S shook her head.
"No I am not," she confirmed. "I'm from Canada." she said and Finn nodded, now that everything he'd been observing earlier was making sense.
"Oh I see." he said. "Well I guess that's why you're so nice to me in helping pick up my things." he said and S laughed and nodded.
"Canadians are rumoured to be the most polite of nations." she agreed. "It's a change in lifestyle for sure. I mean, don't take this personally but the people here..." she trailed.
"Just aren't as polite or helpful as back home," finished Finn and S nodded and looked to him.
"Exactly!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "I mean there are nice people here of course," she said and then looked up to him. "You being an example of that because you're the first stranger who's actually talked to me." she laughed as did Finn. "But yeah..The way people act is just different here." she explained to him as Finn frowned but nodded all the same.
"And, I guess we shouldn't be strangers then. I'm Finn Harries." he said and he shifted his books to stick out his hand.
"I'm Sarah Freeman." she replied and they shook hands.
Finn was glad he could finally put a face to a name. She looked like a Sarah. It was a simple yet beautiful name-just like her. Finn released her hand when he realized he'd been holding on a bit too long.
Sarah's phone rung right then and she held up a finger. "Sorry, one second." she said and went over to her table to where her purse still sat, and dug into the pocket. "Hello?" she answered. "Yeah," she nodded. "Are you serious? Great, now I have to rush to try and get there." she said with a sigh. "Thanks Monica," she hung up and looked to Finn. "Sorry," she said as she slung her bag onto her shoulder. "There's a delay at the subw-tube," she corrected herself and Finn chuckled at her use of words. "So now they're moving all the times forward and my one is now leaving an hour earlier so I have to leave now." she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Oh, right. That sucks. I hope you make it there on time." said Finn as Sarah reached down and grabbed her umbrella from the floor also while getting her coat on.
"Yeah, me too." she said with a laugh as Finn watched her prepare to go out into the havoc which was being called the weather. "I hope your exams go well," she said. "I know they're happening right now so I get the stress," she giggled with a shake of her head.
"Right, yeah." said Finn as he stood there, still staring. "Thanks." he said quickly, remembering it was the polite thing to do. "And also thank you for helping me with the papers." he gestured to the stack sitting on the edge of the table.
"No problem," Sarah waved a hand as she grasped the handle of the door. "Bye Finn," she said with a smile before opening the door and walking out.
Finn broke into the stupidest smile he'd ever felt himself make. She said his name. She remembered his name. Also, the way she said it sounded so good. He sat down at his table and began to pack up his things in a daze. If the tube was delayed he didn't want to risk missing his ride as well. It was just when Finn got to the door that he realized he'd never even asked for her number. Never asked where she was taking her classes on campus.
Basically, he just let the girl he fell in love with, walk away after having a full and very satisfying conversation. Finn wished the rain would just drown him because of how stupid he felt.