The cold linoleum shocked her feet and truly seemed to wake Meredith up the next morning. Turning on the light to the bathroom also made her eyes open up. The bright light flooded in and Meredith caught the glance of her reflection, and the automatic cringe came. Bed hair was the worst.

Still half asleep, though admittedly more awake than before, she stepped in to the shower. Ice water poured down on her and Meredith's eye's shot open as she yelped and quickly turned the warm water on. Jaime had once again forgotten to change the water temperature from her nightly shower.

About 45 minutes later after many frustrated attempts to get a hair style she liked, she was finally out of the bathroom. Realizing the time, she quickly made herself a piece of toast, left a note to Lauren and Jaime explaining that she wouldn't be home, and left. She glanced out at the dark sky and shook her head it was too early for this. How she had gotten the earliest classes and her two roommates got the later ones, she would never know. All she knew was she didn't like it.

Her classes were slow that day, like always, she spent the majority of them doodling in her notebook. Doodling and sketching out ideas for her project she still had yet to.

Doodling was probably her favorite pastime activity. Just the general feel of lead on paper, dancing around the lines in a way she conducted could form things. Simple motions, simple shapes, simple ideas, all create one complex thing. That was her favorite thing about art, she didn't care what anyone thought. Everyone had their own styles and hers was unique to her.

She clicked the top of her mechanical pencil and set it on the paper again, gracefully moving it along. She Wasn't exactly aware when she realized she was drawing Frodo from Lord of the Rings, it had just sort of happened.

The day went on and Meredith kept getting bored. But she was thankful when the day finally ended. Waiting for the subway wasn't too bad, it was riding it that she disliked most. Especially at this time of day it seemed to be the most crowded. However it was still the cheapest and most efficient way, and god knows she needs to save her money.

She squeezed in to the train then and grabbed ahold of a rail on top as the train set off. One of the most important lessons she learned that day was not to check your phone just before the mechanical beast stops. You end up ramming in to the person in front of you. Which is exactly what she did.

"Oh god, I am so sorry," she said bending down to pick up the book the stranger had dropped. "Harry Potter, great book," she smiled then looked up.

Looking up she made direct eye contact with him. She stared in to his friendly grey eyes and smiled, he was very attractive, she noticed as she quickly ran over the rest of his features as well. "Sorry again, probably ruined an exciting part of the book" she muttered and handing off the book, trying not to looks at him anymore.

Goosebumps covered her arm as their fingers touch. There seemed just to be something there. Something she brushed away and ignored. "It's fine," he said and smiled at her. "I mean, I already know what's going to happen. Read the books like three times already." He informed her.

"Really? I've read them about three times as well," she said sheepishly.

"Cool, I'm Brian by the way," he said and extended his arm and making eye contact again.

"Meredith," she said introducing herself and shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you," he said leaning in slightly and kept looking at her as he carried on conversation. "So where are you going?" Brian had asked after a few minutes, "Maybe if you're not in a hurry we could go get a coffee together?" Brian had said with a small smirk.

Meredith was slightly taken aback, did that just happen? "Uh, sorry what?" She repeated maybe she had misheard. A total stranger could not of just asked her to coffee. That never happens.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go get coffee," he repeated louder.

Before she could answer her mind went back to before. Hearing the yells and screams of her parents fighting, to the divorce papers across the table, and to more recently seeing her boyfriend with another girl. That's how the last one had started. Just a coffee date. After seeing her parents go though that messy divorce, she knew she was never getting married. Maybe not even date, she would hate to drive someone away like that. But that's how most of her relationships had started, just a coffee date. Besides, she hadn't even know this person for more than an hour. "Uh, no thanks," she said hoping it would leave it at that.

"Oh, okay I get, you've probably got a boyfriend somewhere out there who won't be too please to just getting a cup of coffee with an attractive stranger." He said then faked defeat.

"Actually, I don't have a boyfriend, haven't had one for four months," she spat back, instantly wishing she could take back the words. Now he knew that there was no one there for her.

"Then what's wrong with just a cup of coffee between two new friends?"

"Listen, I hardly even know you-"

"That's why I asked. To get to know you better," Brian had interjected.

"Plus, I can't, I start a new job today," Meredith continued not listening to what he said. "And this would be my stop," she said as the subway had stopped again.

"What a coincidence, so am I," Brian replied with a smug look stepping off on to the platform ahead of her.

She rolled her eyes then followed him out, upon reaching the busy streets of New York, he was gone. Hopefully he wouldn't be back in her life again. Something about him, just didn't rub the right way with her. And the part she did like, well she tried to ignore for the most part.

Meredith focused on the task ahead and set off to the near by restaurant for her first day. Working as a hostess was easy enough, she'd done it many times before so this was not different. It took her about an hour for her to get the swing of things and an hour for him to show up.

Those same eyes met hers once more as soon as he entered the door. "You've got to be kidding me," she grumbled as he approached her.

"No way! Meredith, who would've guessed your new job is the same place I work too!" Brian spoke enthusiastically, Meredith guessed just to annoy her.

"Hello again to you to!" She said then put on a fake smile. "Wait, you work here?" She asked disbelieving. It would've been bad enough that he would come to eat here while she happened to be there. But working there seemed much worse.

Brian nodded, "Mmmhmm, I'm a chef." He said simply. "Maybe after you get off then, you could come have inner with me?" He suggested with a grin.

"Look, Brian, you sure seem to be a nice guy, but I am not going to have dinner with you, okay?" She said with a forced friendliness tone.

"Geeez, okay then, your loss," she shrugged then sauntered off back to the kitchen.

Meredith shook her head and rubbed her temples, she needed this job. But it was going to be hard working there with him around. Meredith had a sneaky suspicion that he wasn't going to take no for an answer either.

A/N: okay I'm having mixed feelings about this story and I really want it to be good. So reviews are always helpful. Thanks again for reading!