First fanfiction in a while. Not my best, but once I get back in the groove it'll get better, I promise. Love you all for reading :)

Chapter 1

Steph's POV

"Yo, Steph, nice rehearsal!" Martin, one of my friends, called out to me as I left the studio.

"Thanks! Not too shabby yourself." I joked in my deep Scottish accent before stepping out into the cold. I followed the now-familiar path to my apartment in London. I pulled my tan sweater in closer to me, trying to keep out the cold.

I had just gotten out of a rehearsal for the traveling dance company I was a part of. We were performing the Nutcracker in just two weeks. Our first show will be in London and our second then in Brighton. My flat, which I rent out because when we're not traveling, we're in London rehearsing, is just a few blocks over from the studio. My flat is on the third floor of the building, and has one room, a small kitchen, a living space, and a beyond small bathroom.

I took a shower, my body rejoicing in the hot water after a hard rehearsal. I got out and threw back on my sweater and a white skirt before heading to Starbucks. I felt like treating myself, don't judge.

After waiting forever in line, I finally got to order my light vanilla Frappuccino… and the card declined.

"I'm terribly sorry ma'am, there's nothing I can do." The barista told me.

"Yeah, I understand, I just haven't been paid yet." I could feel the people around me judging me. I just sighed as the barista passed me back my card, apologizing again.

"Here, I've got it for her." A young man with brown hair and deep brown hair came up next to me.

"That's really not necessary." I told him, turning to leave. He grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to face back toward the counter.

"Don't play this game. I'm paying for your coffee, and that's that." I could feel my face burning up, but allowed him to pay for my drink and his own.

"I feel bad; as soon as I can I'll pay you back. Is there an address I can send it to?" I asked him.

"Nope."

"I insist. This is ridiculous; you shouldn't have to pay for a stranger's coffee. I'm going to pay you back, whether I have to hunt you down on my own or not."

"What's your name?"

"Steph. Why?"

"I'm Dan. Now we're not strangers. And I don't mind paying for a friend's coffee." He left me speechless.

"So, Steph, what do you do?" Dan asked, staring at my face intently and making me slightly uncomfortable.

"I dance with the traveling corps centered here in London."

"That's cool. Don't laugh, but I make videos for YouTube." He looked ashamed.

"That's really amazing! I didn't know people did that. That must be the life!"

"And traveling around doing what you're passionate about isn't amazing?" He asked, incredulous.

"Not with all the stress and pain that comes with it." I shrugged a bit, brushing it off as if it were nothing.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Thanks for the coffee, but I gotta go. Can I have your address so I can pay you back?"

"You do not need to pay me back, I swear. Let me walk you home, ok?"

"Not in a creepy stalker way, right?" I joked.

"Never." He responded sarcastically.

Marie's POV

"Hey May, you ready to go?" My flatmate, Michelle asked. We were planning on going to the park to take a break from studying.

"Yeah!" I pulled on my pale blue cardigan over my denim blouse and paisley skirt. I tied my worn-down brown oxford shoes and grabbed my phone before following Nicole out the door.

Michelle and I were both going to university in London, me majoring in General Education, her in Biochemistry. She's a bit of an overachiever. We graduated from IB together, got into the same university, and are now flatmates! We've stuck by each other through thick and thin, like those girls in corny 90's movies.

"Seriously May, hurry the fuck up." She called over her shoulder, already halfway down the hall before I could stumble out of the door.

"Coming Mich!" I called out, locking the door and running down after her. We were on the second floor, and there wasn't an elevator, so we always had to take the stairs. This proved troublesome when Michelle broke her ankle playing football early this year.

We both walked down to the park next to our building, Michelle went to look at the pond, and I sat on a bench and began revising for my exams next week.

"Childhood development. Sounds fun." I looked up to see a man, in his early twenties with blue and eyes and dark hair looking down at my textbook sitting next to me.

"Uh… yeah it's interesting." I responded.

"Oh, sorry, you must think I'm really weird. I apologize for creeping you out. I'm Phil."

"Hey Phil, I'm Marie."

"So, you in school?"

"Yeah, University."

"Cool."

"Do you wanna sit?" I asked Phil.

"No, I don't want to interrupt your studying. See you around?" He replied shyly.

"Maybe." I responded with a small smile.

"Hey May, who's this?" Michelle came up right as Phil was turning to leave.

"I'm Phil, I just noticed her textbook and…"

"Yeah great, come on May, we have to go." Michelle interrupted him, pulling me by my arm back to our building. I turned to wave goodbye, but he'd already left.