Chapter 1
Duncan walked through the grocery store, toting a blue basket in which he held his random grocery items. Even though there were lots of people around him, he still felt all alone. He had been ever since Tom, his best friend had died. After that, his friendship with his other close friend, Connor Temple seemed to dissolve. Sure, they still called each other and chatted for a while, but it still wasn't the same.
He, Tom and Connor had been the best of friends, hardly ever seen without the other two. And then, Connor started acting strangely, like he was hiding something, so he and Tom decided to find out what. That discovery eventually led to Tom's death. After that Connor had become so involved in his work that they hardly saw each other anymore. No more late nights of sci-fi action, no more pizza.
Duncan decided to drastically change his life after Tom's death. He started working out and lost thirty pounds. He then decided to get a different haircut, and become more outgoing, but it didn't change much. On the inside, he still felt like he was living in the past.
So deep was he in his morose thoughts that he didn't see the young woman walking towards him until they crashed into each other.
XX
Caroline walked through the aisles of the grocery store, almost in a daze. She couldn't stop thinking about how lonely she was. She had never felt this way until she had met Connor Temple. Sure, she was hired by Leek to be his girlfriend in order to get information, but she had never met someone like Connor before. All of her past boyfriends had been jerks and shallow-minded people, which she didn't mind at all because she could control them. But Connor was different. He was sweet, caring, sensitive and gentle.
Then, after the whole fiasco with the creatures and Leek...She shuddered. No good bringing that up again. After that, she and Connor had broke up, but not before she told him that he could always call her, anytime. But she doubted that Connor ever would. She had seen the way he looked at Abby whenever he thought she wasn't looking. There was a deeper connection between Connor and Abby than she ever had with Connor. What they shared was something beyond friendship, beyond love.
"More like soulmates." She thought jealously. Caroline shook her head. It wasn't that she loved Connor, but she missed having someone who treated her like a queen, not a toy like most men did. But it was her own fault, she used to encourage the wrong kind of feelings from men. But being with Connor had changed her, she wanted to be gentle and kind too.
She also wanted to know that someone cared about her feelings again. Mainly, she wanted to be loved for who she was.
So deep was she in her thoughts that she didn't see the young man walking towards her until they crashed into each other.