Meet-cute
verb
two characters have an amusing or charming first encounter that leads to the development of a romantic relationship.
DC around 2 pm, Friday.
Maxine "Max" Brenner was taking the day off for once, and so far it has been pretty uneventful.
She spent the morning doing skin care, reading a new book, and was currently on her way back from the grocery store.
With bags on both arms, she trots up the steps to the hall of her apartment for a night of Netflix, and dinner for one.
A nice, normal night.
It was just what she needed.
As she rounds the corner she preemptively digs in her purse to find her keys, but—-CRASH—- kale, apples, and the menagerie of her haul fly, roll, and slide to the ground.
"Oh I'm so sorry!" Max says. She had collided with her neighbor from across the hall.
She drops to the ground to pick up the contents of her shopping bags, and he bends down as well.
He tucks his cell phone in his back pocket, pushes his brown shoulder length hair behind his ears, and positions his leather messenger bag to better reach the spilled items.
Max finds herself staring at his impressive jaw line...
"No, don't be." He says, reaching for pieces of the wreckage. He's strangely not made eye contact with her yet. "I was in a hurry and looking at my phone..."
"...Ah! I love this flavor" he holds up a chocolate chip Lara Bar, finally meeting her eyes.
"Did you know child labor in Western Africa supplies more than 70% of the world's cocoa?" He asks, or maybe he is telling her.
She had never really spoken to this neighbor before, only exchanged pleasantries in passing, as neighbors do.
"Well I didn't know the percentage, but that is partly why I get those." Max responds, returning the last stray can of green beans to one of the bags and swinging it on her shoulder.
They both stood, and he hands her the granola bar.
The neighbor is wearing a blue button up with navy pants and a matching tie. He is clearly on his way to work of some sort, but Max couldn't help but notice the dark circles under his eyes.
He looks exhausted, despite his kind smile... and tall.
He practically towers over her petite frame.
"Sorry again!" He says, his eyes dropping to the ground and hands adjusting the position of his bag.
He remembers his watch, looking at it with a start, and rushes past her while saying, "looks like we got everything though, have a good evening!"
As Max entered her apartment she felt the buzz of her phone. She maneuvered it free without another wreck to see her best friend's name, Michelle, on the screen.
"Hey" Max chimed as she put her shopping bags on the counter.
"Hey..." Michelle says.
"Here we go..." Max thought.
"How has your day off been?" Michelle continues.
"Oh it's been fine" Max sighs, walking to the tall windows in her living area and gazing at the view of the DC skyline.
"I had myself a little me day, and I'm getting ready to settle in for the evening."
"Well, I just wanted to check in on ya. Today being... today and all..." Michelle says, her voice trailing off.
"Yep, 23 years," says Max.
"I'm glad you took the day off. You work too much. I was wondering what you would even do with yourself with a day off. God forbid you feel BORED for once."
"Yeah. It really has been a good day. Except, I'm obviously a little jumpy. I practically ran over my neighbor just now and spilled all of my groceries on top of him."
"The one with that evil chihuahua?"
"No" Max laughs, "the one across the hall... he has brown, kinda shoulder length hair... around our age, seems sweet."
"I don't remember that one, but, you'll have to introduce me." she said suggestively.
"Ha- sure thing."
Michelle rambled on for another half hour about work, about how Max needed to get layed, about her not so warm feelings towards her mother, and her plans for the two of them to take a girls trip to NYC—-
"You don't get out enough," Michelle says, finishing her monologue.
"Be that as it may," Max says. "I'm sure your desire for an NYC trip has nothing to do with wanting to stay with the Whitley's... and seeing Bright."
Michelle cut her off staying, "yeah, yeah, yeah," causing Max to laugh.
Michelle then says, "I wish I could be there this weekend. Kinda bad timing to be sent to Houston."
"I'll be fine," says Max, "I'll see you when you get back... besides, whatever it takes to make partner right?"
"Yeah, yeah," she says again, adding "call if you need anything.
"Will do."
Orange is the New Black plays on the TV as Max put away what was left of the groceries.
She is unloading a head of a kale when she notices something stuck in the leaves….
A badge?
A reserved smile and hazel eyes looks back at her. He was younger in the picture, but it was definitely him.
"Ugh, it must have fallen off when we collided, and I accidentally picked it up."
The print reads: "SSA Spencer Reid, Federal Bureau of Investigation."
✈️
"Imagine meeting someone who understood even the dustiest corners of your mixed up soul." -unknown