AN: I'm currently estimating there will be three more parts to this. Today, enjoy watching their first meeting from Rose's POV.

Rhyven Hall 213, 3:00 Monday

Rose smirked as she ran her finger over the words. "Are you gonna make it today, love?" she wondered. Her soulmate was forever writing reminders of his meetings down on his arm, and it hadn't taken much deducting to realise he frequently missed those meetings.

The habit had started when he'd entered uni, and Rose had been sorely tempted to do a bit of googling and figure out what university he attended. She could just… show up at one of his classes. Even without knowing what he looked like, she was certain she'd recognise him.

But her best mate had been scandalised when she'd suggested it. "You can't cheat the soulmate system!" Shareen had gasped. "You've already fudged the rules, letting him know your name. But meeting before the right moment… that could ruin everything!"

Rose wasn't sure how finally meeting her soulmate face to face could ruin anything, but Shareen was right. The soulmates legend said the bond would slowly bring the two together until the moment was perfect for them to meet.

She sighed and took a sip of her coffee. They'd been passing messages for fifteen years. As kids, the novelty of having a best friend who didn't belong to anyone else had thrilled them both. Rose remembered long nights, hiding under the covers with a torch as they talked, stifling her giggles so her mum didn't hear. But as their childhood friendship had blossomed into romance, it had become harder and harder to wait.

Rose pulled a pen out of her bag and started doodling a floral pattern around his note to himself. She was tempted to send him a reminder that he had someplace to be, but looking up at the clock above the cash register, she realised that if he wasn't already on his way, he was out of luck.

Movement caught her eye, and her gaze landed on the bloke waiting for his coffee. Having a soulmate didn't mean she was never attracted to anyone else, and this tall, skinny man was exactly Rose's type.

As she watched, he unbuttoned the cuff of his oxford and rolled the sleeve up, an affectionate smile on his face. Just got a message from his soulmate then, Rose realised, and went back to drawing on her arm.

Still, her gaze drifted back to him more than once. He glanced at the clock, then at the line of people ahead of him still waiting for their drinks. Shaking his head, he shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out his mobile.

A low tingle of awareness buzzed through Rose's head, but she pushed it down. Her soulmate wasn't the only one who missed meetings, after all. But she watched breathlessly as he finished his text conversation and pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket.

Oh, please, she thought, staring at her arm. Please let it be you.

A moment later, she felt the familiar pinching sensation that preceded a message from him. Her head swung up, and she watched him write, hoping she could match the pen strokes to the message that was about to appear on her arm.

Rhyven Hall 215, 4:00 TUESDAY.

It could have been a coincidence, but his harsh movements as he wrote Tuesday in all caps were unmistakable. It was him.

"Caramel latte for James," the barista called out.

Her soulmate stepped forward, and Rose was almost too frantic to catch him before he left to register that she'd just learned his name. She fumbled for her pen, knocking over her coffee in the process and narrowly missing the sketchbook she had open.

"Bollock bollocks bollocks," she muttered as she wiped at the spill with a stack of napkins. Her hands were shaking; she didn't have time for this. James had his coffee and was walking to the door, but she couldn't let him walk away from her when they were in the same room.

Finally, she laid her hands on her pen and scrawled two words on her arm.

Found you.

She watched breathlessly through the window as he stopped to look at her message, then spun around, looking up and down the street, trying to find her.

Finally, he turned around and looked through the window. Nerves struck Rose, and all she could offer was a smile and a little wave.

James stared at her with his mouth hanging open, then he ran back into the shop. "Rose?" he asked, his voice sounding as hopeful as she felt.

Rose nodded, and James whooped and swept her up in his arms. She tipped her head back and laughed as he swung her around a few times before setting her back on her feet. She could feel his heart racing against hers, and she knew Shareen had been right—it was worth waiting until the right moment.