Crossed Paths

June 2003

Shane had just graduated from high school and was attending a party. He stood in the front yard, waiting for his blind date to show up. His friend had set him up, insisting the girl was amazing—someone he absolutely had to meet. But after three hours and a few drinks, Shane’s hopeful anticipation began to crumble into disappointment.

Shane sighed heavily, his once hopeful attitude fading into something more dismal.

"Why the long face?" a voice chimed in, catching him off guard. A girl, probably just two or three years older than him, jumped up beside him with a mischievous grin.

She had dark hair streaked with bold blue and pink highlights, small piercings scattered across her nose, eyebrow, lower lip, and tongue, with several more decorating her ears. Tattoos covered her arms, mostly heart-shaped designs in various colors. She was striking—definitely not the girl he was supposed to meet.

The girl was undeniably cute, and Shane couldn't deny that her presence alone lifted his spirits. The night passed by in a blur of laughter and unexpected moments. When he woke up the next morning, he found himself alone in a strange room, with a dull ache in his head and an unfamiliar tattoo on his finger. Next to him was a small note that read:

“Sorry about the ring, but if you believe in the supernatural, it will let you know when you meet your perfect match.”

Brianna was downing drinks at a house party filled with people she barely knew. She had just graduated and was supposed to meet some amazing guy her friend swore was perfect for her. But after waiting for hours, he never showed.

She’d only had two boyfriends before, both of whom had turned out to be disasters. Her friend had hyped this guy up so much that Brianna had allowed herself to get her hopes up again. So, when he didn’t show, the disappointment hit hard, and she spiraled into self-destruction, reaching for drink after drink.

Her vision blurred as she chugged another glass. She lost her balance and was caught by someone who smelled like freshly baked cookies.

The girl was taller than Brianna, with dark hair streaked with bold highlights, heart-shaped tattoos, and a collection of piercings.

“You smell like cooookiesss,” Brianna slurred, clinging to the girl for balance.

“Thank you,” the girl chuckled softly. “Come on, let’s go sit and relax.”

Before long, the two found themselves sitting in a large closet, where Brianna began pouring her heart out about how much she hated men. The alcohol-fueled rant eventually led Brianna to lean in for a kiss, driven by the mixture of bitterness and the comforting smell of cookies. To her surprise, the girl kissed her back, and the rest of the night passed in a hazy blur.

Brianna woke up late the next morning, still in the large closet. It wasn’t until later that night, after she got home and took a long nap, that she noticed the tattooed ring on her finger and the crumpled note in her pocket.

August 2004

Shane had moved across the country to attend graduate school. To support himself, he picked up a job at a local coffee shop, working the early morning shift. The shop was nestled in a small shopping plaza, right next to a quirky pizza place called "Square, Circle, Triangle." The name seemed odd to him at first, but after trying their pizza, he became a loyal customer. Conveniently, his apartment was just behind the plaza, making his commute nothing more than a quick walk to work.

Meanwhile, Brianna had also moved across the country for graduate school. Like Shane, she found a part-time job in a plaza right next to her apartment. However, she worked the night shift at the pizza place, which happened to be right next to a coffee shop called “Grind, Brew and Blend” which had the best coffee she ever had.

For the next two years, they worked in the same plaza and attended some of the same classes—though at different times—without ever crossing paths.

December 2007

Brianna was nearing the end of school when her friends invited her to a football game. She found herself seated in 44E, tucked on the left side with a large concrete column where 44F should have been, supporting the upper levels of the stadium. Despite feeling slightly cornered, she had a great time—especially since her home team won. On the other side of the column, a group of fans were loud and energetic, which sparked a playful competition between the two groups to see who could show the most team spirit. Things got so lively that Brianna’s friend leaned over the column to chat with one of the guys from the other group.

Shane had been invited to the same game by his friends, eager for some fun after years of hard work and study. He sat in 44G, also feeling a bit cornered with a large concrete piling to his right, but the atmosphere was electric. His friends were rowdy, and so was the group on the other side of the column. His friend made eye contact with a girl from the other group, and soon the friendly competition over team spirit intensified.

After the game, Brianna and Shane both returned home to finish packing, unaware of how close they'd been to each other. Meanwhile, the friends who had invited them out ended up going for drinks together, unknowingly bridging the gap between two paths that never crossed.

April 2008

Shane moved to Boston, ready to kick off his career. He had applied to several jobs in his field, but his heart was set on one particular job in New York. The pay wasn’t any better than the offers he had in Boston, but there was something about that New York opportunity that called to him.

Brianna was in a similar boat at the time. She had applied to several jobs, but much like Shane, she hadn’t landed the one she had hoped for in Boston. Instead, she got an offer in New York. While it wasn’t her dream job, she found an apartment just around the corner that felt perfect. The view, the layout, and its quirky charm made it feel like home.

Shane’s luck mirrored hers. He found a small apartment in Boston with a view of the bay, complete with a cozy balcony where he could read at night and a small fireplace tucked into a corner for the colder months. Both had found the perfect places to live, though neither knew just how close they had come to being in the same city.

July 2008

Brianna attended her company’s annual picnic, which was a grand affair with entertainers, caterers, and a variety of fun games offering impressive prizes. Brianna joined in a few of the games just for fun, and to her surprise, she won first place in a trivia contest. Her prize? Two front-row seats to a concert by a band she had never heard of.

Meanwhile, Shane had won tickets to the exact same concert, though his weren’t from a company picnic. He had won them from a kiosk at the mall. He had recently started dating someone and had joined her on a shopping trip. While they were at the mall, his girlfriend noticed a local radio station hosting a contest and dragged Shane over to participate. They signed up for the chance to win a prize by naming ten songs from the ‘80s after hearing short audio clips. Shane aced it and won the concert tickets.

Unfortunately, his victory didn’t go over well with his girlfriend, who was disappointed that Shane had no idea who the band was. On the other hand, Shane was dismayed that his girlfriend hadn’t recognized any of the ‘80s songs from the contest. This small issue quickly escalated, leading to the end of their brief relationship. The concert tickets ended up with his ex.

Brianna, not being familiar with the band either, gave her tickets to a coworker who was thrilled to attend. Brianna wasn’t close to this coworker, so she never found out that her gesture led to the coworker sitting next to Shane’s ex-girlfriend at the concert. The two bonded over their mutual good fortune, and, as fate would have it, that connection eventually led to their marriage.

October 2008

“Worst vacation ever!” That was all Shane and Brianna could think as they flew back home.

Just a week ago, they had been packing their bags, planning excursions, and grinning uncontrollably. They were both headed to Hawaii for a dream vacation—one they couldn’t wait to experience.

A month earlier, they had both stumbled upon an unbeatable deal online: a week-long trip to Hawaii, including airfare, for dirt cheap. Without hesitation, they each reached out to their significant others and soon had tickets in hand for what was supposed to be the perfect getaway.

At first, everything seemed to be going great. But then, fate took a strange turn. Brianna’s boyfriend and Shane’s girlfriend walked out of their rooms at the same time and met in the elevator. No one knows exactly what was said, but somehow, the two fell for each other instantly. That same night, both Shane and Brianna were unceremoniously dumped while their former partners moved into a room of their own.

Shane was blindsided. He and his girlfriend hadn’t been together long, but it still stung to be abandoned on what was supposed to be a perfect trip.

“If it makes you feel any better, it’s because of you that I found true happiness,” she said, before walking out of Shane’s life for good.

Brianna, on the other hand, couldn’t believe what was happening. At first, she was convinced it was some kind of cruel joke. It wasn’t until the other woman knocked on her hotel room door to pick up her now ex-boyfriend that reality set in.

“If it makes you feel any better, it’s because of you that I found true happiness,” he told her before leaving with the woman from the elevator.

Brianna collapsed onto the bed in tears. She never heard the other woman tell him, “I just said the same thing to my ex,” but maybe if she had, she would have sought out Shane to commiserate. Instead, she locked herself in her room for the remainder of the trip, avoiding the world until it was time to go home.

Shane did the same, holed up in his room until it was time to leave. He ended up flying out of the same airport as Brianna, departing from the same gate—just an hour apart—without either of them ever realizing how close they had come to meeting.

February 2010

Shane and Brianna both made the long drive to attend a Renaissance festival, each bundled up in costume to help keep warm. Shane was dressed as a rogue, with a brimmed hat adorned with a feather and a mask covering his eyes. Brianna had dressed as an elf, her hair braided and a cute mask covering her eyes—too adorable to resist wearing.

Throughout the day, they unknowingly found themselves sitting next to each other several times, watching the shows and performances. It wasn’t until the end of the day, just as the sun was beginning to set that they finally noticed one another.

As they trudged along with the crowd, slowly making their way to the exit, they struck up a small conversation about their favorite shows and moments from the day. Their easy chatter lasted until they reached a fork in the path—Shane had to go left, and Brianna had to go right.

Both of them wanted to keep talking, but neither made the first move to extend the conversation. Instead, they simply said goodbye and went their separate ways, missing yet another chance to connect.

April 2010

Shane finally landed the job in New York—the one he had originally wanted before moving to Boston. He put his Boston apartment up for rent and made the move to New York.

Meanwhile, Brianna also got the job she had been dreaming of. She put her apartment in New York up for rent and moved to Boston. She quickly found the perfect place: a cozy apartment with a balcony overlooking the bay and a small fireplace where she could curl up with a book on cold nights—just the kind of home she had always imagined.

Shane, on the other hand, settled into an apartment right next to his new job in New York. The view was stunning, the layout was just right, and the place even came with a cute note explaining some of the quirky little details that gave the apartment its unique charm.

Neither of them realized they had essentially traded cities and apartments, each unknowingly occupying the other’s former space.

November 2010

Shane and Brianna had both received wedding invitations months ago from the same friends who had invited them to a football game before they finished school. The wedding was a large affair, and both flew in to attend, coincidentally staying at the same hotel—Shane in room 409 and Brianna in room 309.

Shane was part of the groom’s side, while Brianna was on the bride’s side. The wedding weekend was filled with events for both parties, but the timing caused Shane and Brianna to continuously miss each other.

On the actual day of the wedding, they finally sat in the same church row—but at opposite ends, completely unaware of each other’s presence. At the reception, they sat only ten feet apart, yet with their backs to one another. Even during the dancing, they missed their connection, busting out moves right next to each other without ever noticing.

Although to many others in attendance, the two were easily mistaken for a couple who were having the time of their lives since they both had matching rings tattooed on their finger.

February 2011

A new company opened that caught both Shane's and Brianna's attention. The pay and benefits were far better than what they currently had, so both applied. The company accepted their applications and provided each of them with a hefty sign-on bonus—money they both planned to use toward purchasing a second home.

After weeks of searching online, they both stumbled across a listing from a real estate agent with black hair, striking blue and pink highlights, piercings, and heart-shaped tattoos. She looked exactly the same as she had years ago.

Curiosity got the better of them, and each of them tried calling the agent—not just to ask about the house, but to finally get answers about why she had tattooed a ring on their finger in their sleep all those years ago. Unfortunately, neither received an answer. Frustrated, they both resorted to emailing her, hoping to arrange a meeting.

To their disappointment, both received the same automated response:

"Thank you for your interest in the current listing. Here is the information you requested. I have made preparations for you to view the property a week from Friday at noon. Hope to see you then."

Still irritated by the lack of a personal response, they couldn’t help but be intrigued by the attached listing. It was a stunning four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a deck, a pool, and a small creek flowing through the backyard. It was a change from the city life they had been living, but something about the place spoke to their hearts. And the price? Perfect.

Both made the decision to visit the house a week from Friday, fully intending to put in an offer if it was as good as it seemed.

February 2011, part 2

The two arrived at the same time. They exchanged glances, both taking a moment before blurting out the same question:

“Are you the realtor?”

They laughed and quickly explained that they weren’t but were both interested in buying the house. The laughter faded into tension as they realized they might be competing for the same home. However, the mood shifted again when a third car pulled up behind them.

An elderly woman slowly stepped out, leaning on a cane, wearing a sweater adorned with pink and blue hearts. She didn’t look like a realtor, but she greeted them warmly.

“Hello, hello, sorry I’m late,” she said with a smile, shuffling past them toward the front door.

“Are you the realtor?” Brianna asked, curious.

“Oh heavens no,” the woman chuckled. “I’m the owner. My daughter is the realtor, but I’ll be showing you two around today. Come along, now, and try to keep up,” she said with a laugh, hobbling ahead.

Shane and Brianna followed the woman through the house as she shared heartwarming stories of the life she and her late husband had built there. She spoke of memories made and the love they shared but explained it was now time for them to make memories elsewhere.

At the end of the tour, the woman turned to them with a twinkle in her eye. “Well, that’s the house. What do you think?”

“I love it,” Brianna said.

“Yes, it’s absolutely amazing,” Shane agreed.

“Wonderful! I was hoping a young couple in love would be interested in buying the house. You even have matching wedding rings,” she added with a smile.

With that, she turned and began to walk away. “I’ll give you two a moment to think it over,” she said over her shoulder.

Shane and Brianna exchanged bewildered looks, then glanced down at their hands. Chills ran down their spines as they both noticed the matching rings tattooed on their fingers.

They stood in silence, staring at each other for a long moment before silently agreeing to trust fate. Together, they decided to move forward, united by something far greater than coincidence.

February 2011 Part 3

A first date with amazing stories shared.