something inside my gut told me that she really was "the one." it was that instant our eyes met, hers beaming through small wire octagon frames, that i felt so sure of our future together. it sounds silly to me now. how could anyone be that certain about something so far fetched?

she only stayed a couple of days that first time we actually met, then she went back up to the montreal office and we continued flirting over the phone and email. less than a month later, she would be moving to texas. a group of us went out after work shortly after she had started working in the austin office. she and i spent a great deal of our time talking, although i can't remember what about. as we sat on the black leather couch under the large advertisement that read "have a guinness when you're tired," my hand came down on top of hers in the crevase created by the cushions. her arm jerked slightly back and just as i was about to remove my hand, she turned her palm face up and clasped her fingers into mine.

later, as i stood in the frozen wind watching her fill up her gas tank, we said our goodbyes. the next night, i would be falling asleep next to her on her futon mattress.