NYC - HIM
On this damp, cool, early evening in late autumn, he's on the bus this time when he spies that familiar and welcoming sight. There she is again! he thought, his beautiful muse in a rainbow peacoat. He hangs his head with a slightly ashamed nod & half-grins to himself at the absurdity of the use of that moniker, considering he's never actually met her… well, at least not yet.
He'd seen this exuberant creature with the seductive chocolate brown eyes before, at least a dozen different times and in many places over the past 6 months or so. Several times at his favorite coffee shop, one time he'd swear he caught a glimpse of her in a passing taxi, another time he was sure he passed her leaving the subway station as he was running to board his train. Then there was the time when he thought maybe she was on a date? (Well, the rugged, chiseled, muscle-y looking dude with his HAND groping the small of her back while smiling & whispering in her ear as they walked past him on the sidewalk certainly appeared to be her date on that night, anyway… Surely she'd think that guy's good looking, probably has like, 3% body fat or something. Pfft. Yeah. Whatever.) She'd looked extra pretty that night too, and he remembers the lilting sing-song quality of her giggle. It made his heart pound to a new rhythm. He'd made a mental note to set that beat to a new drum track eventually.
He's not exactly shy though; he certainly has enough confidence to approach a girl… but this time it feels different; she seems special. There's more of a risk of something with maybe the potential to be something great on the line here, and he doesn't want to mess it up. Plus, each encounter so far has just been so brief or poorly timed, it just wasn't ever the right opportunity for an introduction to a total stranger.
The first time he had encountered her was at his favorite coffee shop. She'd been 2 or 3 people ahead of him in line. Because of her petite stature (she was easily a foot shorter than he) she'd initially been invisible to him, but what especially drew his attention was overhearing her ethereal voice carrying above the busy shop as she spoke with some degree of familiarity to the barista. He'd made a mental note of that interaction, perhaps she had some personal relationship with said barista - Blaine, according to his name tag. This information could potentially come in handy one day!
The next few times after that, he'd barely realized it was the same girl before she'd vanished from his eyeline again. Sometimes she was busy chatting within a group of others, sometimes he'd seen her from afar across an intersection… at least he was pretty sure it was her. If there's a purpose to this sweet torture, it hasn't quite revealed itself yet.
Sure, he could just bite the bullet, follow her, walk up to her to say hello, but someone like her probably has to beat the creepers back on a daily basis. He already feels kinda guilty for all this silent ogling from afar and letting his thoughts run rampant for so many months. He's not obsessed, per se, he's just.. drawn. Intrigued. She makes his heart quicken and his palms sweat. She makes him smile.
Still. There must be some greater force, some poetic, serendipitous purpose in store for this lovely angel and himself, right? Why else would the universe allow her to always end up in his path?
xoxo-gleegleeglee
NYC is a big town, but sometimes it doesn't really feel that big. He'd moved here from podunk-small-town-nowhere-special Lima, Ohio five and a half years ago. When he'd first arrived here he was a bit intimidated by the fast pace, the diversity (the rudeness?), and the smells & sounds of the city - no crickets or cicadas lulling him to slumber here! He considers that a good thing though.
He came here for college, but he'd deferred starting the first year just to get past the culture shock of such an intimidating new space. His stepfather Burt had just opened a new auto body shop in Brooklyn. Because he was good with his hands and knew his way around a motor (thanks to Burt's tutelage over the last 10 years), he jumped at the chance to help get it running smoothly while he acclimated to his new surroundings. It didn't hurt that this afforded him a steady paycheck!
That first year also gave him time to do all the touristy stuff, learn the lay of the land and find all the best restaurants and night spots. He also got fully immersed in the music scene, finding the best karaoke and open mic spots along the way. He had a solid game plan and just didn't want to be distracted by all the newness when school started; he wanted to be able to fully concentrate on his studies without those added distractions, to feel like a native New Yorker. By the first day of orientation, he did.
His almost full ride scholarship to NYU has allowed him to freely pursue his musical dreams in the Bachelors program for Percussion Studies (with a business minor, because it's smart to have a safety net). It also opened him up to a whole new social network of like-minded artists and musicians. Here is where he finally feels alive, maybe for the first time in his life. Here's also where he'd meet three other fellas who'd fast become his 'brothers from other mothers' and bandmates in their alt-rock group Vocal Adrenaline. Yes indeed, Finn Hudson was all about becoming a rock star someday, so LOOK OUT WORLD he's living his dream!
When he first came to 'the big apple' those few years ago, he'd believed he was already a pretty accomplished drummer; after all, he'd started learning at the tender age of 5 (though his mom would say he actually started in-utero based on the constant rhythmic kicking he did). By high school, he'd used these skills to help both his jazz ensemble and glee clubs to win their national championships. Errmm, yeah.. about GLEE club. Well, Glee was great because he actually - and maybe accidentally? - learned he could sorta sing. Certainly not 'lead singer in a rock band' great, but he had a natural ability, so much so that he became the male vocal lead for the club. Maybe being the quarterback and captain of the football team helped in winning those championships, and perhaps his easy going nature & ability to make friends with anyone made him a natural leader. It surely seemed it had helped elevate his overall high school reputation to becoming one of the popular kids. But despite being a jock he'd always refused to be a jerk. His mom wouldn't have ever stood for that, and really, he couldn't tolerate others who'd bully or beat down on other kids.
Yeah, he'd felt pretty good about himself and was confident in his talent and ability - that is, until he arrived at his first percussion class at NYU and got a good earful of the competition. He discovered people from all over the country - even a few from overseas, people with WAY more skill and refinement of their shared art than he. So a little dose of humble pie was served cold and swallowed hard, but he didn't mind.. in fact he reveled in the challenge to rise to (or excel beyond) their abilities.
Because Finn wanted to prove himself capable and responsible, he'd refused to accept much financial help from his family. He'd let them help out with getting him setup and furnishing his new place - his very own first bachelor pad! AWESOME! - but he wanted to be able to be a self-sufficient man & pay his own way. Given his crazy class load on campus (thank god he's only got 6 months til graduation!), rehearsals & occasional gigs with the guys in the band, plus his part time jobs - the body shop, occasional drum instructor at Adam's Rockin' Crib music shop, and a weekend fill-in bartending gig at a college club named Callbacks - he leads quite a busy lifestyle.
Unfortunately, that all leaves very little time for dating.
He'd only ever had two semi-serious girlfriends throughout high school, but those were just teenaged puppy-love romances that fizzled out by graduation (nevermind the one who took his V-card junior year & turned out to be a lesbian later.. yeah, real EGO BOOST that one there). Oh sure, his 6'3" athletic physique, laid back boy-next-door charm and his 'panty-dropping sexy face' (so he's been told) gets him noticed... and YES, he's a guy, so there've been the occasional hookups. But if he's being honest, he's not really interested in randoms or couple-night stands. Sure he's in the big city now, but he's still a small-town guy at heart who was raised by a hard working, loving single mother for the first 15 years of his life, and dammit she'd raised him right! Plus she'd just 'love some grandkids someday' (well, he's in no hurry for that just yet, but yeah, someday… for sure).
Of course, he'd need a serious relationship first - or ANY relationship he could build on - and so far there's been no respectable prospect of THAT happening any time soon.
So when the universe seems hell-bent on continually flaunting this mysterious petite brunette with luxurious lashes and a song in her smile, unexpectedly putting her in his path in incidental ways, he can't help but be intrigued. This little muse in a colorful peacoat who presents herself with the most delightful megawatt smile he's ever seen just keeps reappearing. Uugh there must be a reason, right?
Or maybe he's simply gone clinically insane and is finally delusional. He's allowed his fantasies to personify - or objectify? - her & place her on an unreachable pedestal. It's probably also not normal that he almost feels a tug, a pull into her orbit. Certainly with his unusual height she had to have seen him at least once or twice? And if so, she'd chosen not to make the first move... If she's ever noticed him at all, she probably thinks he's some creepy stalker by now… Huh. Now he wonders if she's ever noticed at all? Great. Another awesome ego boost.
xoxo-gleegleeglee
Back in the here and now on this chilly fall evening, Finn is still waging an internal debate. Does he approach her here on this bus? He can only get glimpses of her between the other passengers but he tries not to make his stolen gazes obvious. 'She', whatever her actual name is, quietly and gracefully, going about whatever ritual journey her daily life had brought upon her this evening, was once again completely unaware of how enrapt his bemused amber eyes were as they traced her soft features from afar. He'd really like to run his fingers through those long wavy locks, or trace down the profile of her face softly with his fingertip, or feel the warmth of the silky skin on her delicate hands. She is presently totally immersed in what seems like an intense phone call though, so he decides this once again isn't the proper time, or place really (considering his fear of pepper spray and rape whistles). He decides patience is a virtue, and good things come to those who wait. If the last 6 months have shown him anything, it's that the universe will eventually endeavor a better opportunity for them to meet, someday. He hopes.. soon.
At this point he's becoming desperate to seek her out and learn more about her. If he can just at least get her NAME? It's not all just a physical attraction that's reeling him in either. Not only has he witnessed her random acts of kindness a couple times (like giving money to the homeless, and secretly paying for the person behind her in line at the coffee shop), but she's got a distinct style & wholesome beauty he hasn't come across in any other woman. It gives her this air of confidence that radiates off her like the sun. Then again, she sometimes looks either deep in thought or possibly even, a little sad? Lonely maybe? He can't quite get a good read yet. In his mind so far, he sees an altruistic, radiant, warm caring person, who despite this apparent air of confidence, may harbor some past heartache or sadness. How on earth can he have painted this picture just from stolen moments gazing at a stranger in a crowd? OK.. probably clinically insane.
But yeah, the physical attraction is certainly there too. Despite her tiny stature, she has these legs that seem to go on and on.. and he knows this because of her penchant for wearing sexy miniskirts and really short dressy shorts, no matter the weather (which he especially appreciates!). It's not like she's hiding it, but she also doesn't seem to be aware of it either; the fact that her natural sex appeal can make a grown man stop in his tracks with those gorgeous eyes and the brilliant smile that makes them twinkle so brightly. Coupled with her kissable perfect lips and long dark silky curls, he actually hopes she's carrying that pepper spray now, for her own sake. He already feels a need to protect her sometimes, especially nights like this, in a crowd of potentially creepy strangers. Like himself? She's just so tiny, he's certain she'd be easily overpowered by the wrong sorta guy, the most villainous type - and in this town there's no shortage of those. Ackkk, he can feel his fists balling & jaw clenching as the bile rises in his throat now, just at the idea of it… Shrug it off Hudson! You don't even know her… yet.
xoxo-gleegleeglee