It was raining and not just like a sprinkle it was down pouring. He was walking home from his first day at the hell known as Rosewood Day. He was about half way home when he looked across the street to see a young girl laying on the ground. She was looking at her tire and back up at the apartment building that she was in front of. He laughed as he put it together in his head that she was trying to change her tire. He just looked at the empty road and ran across. "Need some help." He said as he smiled at her. She looked up at him and that was when he got his first real look at her. She had long brown hair pulled up in a messy ponytail. It was clear that was done when she started trying to work on the car. She had the most stunning deep brown eyes that he had ever seen and a smile that could melt even his frozen heart.
"I am sure I can figure it out, but thanks for asking." She said as she got up. She walked to the trunk of the car and pulled out a jack.
"You know that only helps when it's under the car." He said with a laugh as he took it from her. "Let me show you." He said as he got down on the street.
"So what are you a boy scout or something?" She asked as she looked at him.
"No, just trying to be nice." He said as he looked at her. "Why don't you go inside I can come get you when I am done? You might get sick." He said as he looked at the small young woman who was clearly freezing.
"Oh no I couldn't do that. I don't live here. My boy…. My ex does." She said as she looked at him. Her smile turned into a frown.
"You know the best person to talk is a complete stranger." He said with a laugh as he looked up at her.
"You don't say." She said as she smiled at him. "It's nothing I knew it wasn't going to work. Too many obstacles."
"Let me guess true love should be effortless?" He asked with a smile as she leaned up against the car.
"It should be." She said as she fell to the ground with a smile. "It should be like breathing you don't even have to think about it." She said as she looked at him.
"So not like changing a tire." He said with a laugh as he looked at her.
"Well to me. You make that look pretty freaking effortless." She said as she looked at him then the sky.
"Well, I have had a lot of practice." He said as he looked at her. It seemed like only seconds passed before the tire was fixed and he was getting ready to leave.
"Hey let me give you a ride." She said as he started to walk away. "One good deed for another." She said as she smiled at him.
"Why not?" He said as he walked back to the car.
"I am Aria by the way." She said as she got in the car.
"Caleb." He said as he looked at her and got in the car.
"Are you new in town Caleb?" She asked as she started the car.
"Yeah." He said as she took off.
"Do you mind if we make a stop?" She asked him as she looked at him.
"I have nowhere to be." He said as he looked out the window.
"Good, I am going to show you the best part of Rosewood." She said as she made a u turn. It was an hour later they were sitting in the Grill, the hotspot of Rosewood when it came to food choices. "So what are you feelings on O'Brian's work?" She asked as she looked at him.
"Okay so I stop change you tire, you drag me here force feed me the best hamburger I have ever had and now you're peaking in my bag?" He asked.
"I am sorry I thought you seemed like the adventurous type. Who else carries around a beat up copy of The Things They Carried and stops to help a stranger?" She asked as she pulled something out of her purse. She sat a copy of The Things They Carried on the table. "It's my favorite." She said as she smiled up at him.
"Mine too." He said as he looked at her. "Let me guess you cry every time you read about Linda."
"Every damn time." She said with a smile as she looked at him. It was effortless like she said it would be. Nothing ever felt more right and he knew it before he left the restaurant that night. He knew that he would never look at another girl again. He had found the one and it was all by fate. "Well, I guess this is where we say goodbye." She said as she pulled up in front of his home.
"For tonight." He said as he looked at her.
"Give me your hand." She said as she pulled a pin out of the glove box. He gave her his hand and smiled as she wrote the number on his hand. "Now you can't lose it." She said as she smiled at him.
"I will get it tattooed on if I have to." He said with a laugh. "Aria I am not going to lie I want to kiss you right now."
"Caleb I have a secret for you." She said as she leaned closer to him. "I really want you to kiss me right now." She said as she looked him in the eyes. It was just a second before their lips were touching. It was magic. Nothing else would ever match it. "I guess they are right nothing is better than a first kiss." She said as she looked at him.
"I never had a first kiss like that before." He said before he got out of the car. He was half way to the door when Aria hooked the horn and then rolled down the window.
"Nice Ass Sweets!" She yelled before she drove off.