Do you sometimes look at complete strangers and imagine their whole lives? Well, this is what happens when I do.

Just when I thought I had nothing to write, this story came to me and practically wrote itself. It's very different from what I've written recently. It's short and sweet. Hardly any angst. It was supposed to line up with the holidays but then life happened, my kids got sick again and again, and I didn't want to start posting without having it all written. So here it is, a little late, but hope you enjoy it anyway.

It's a drabble, I think? Chapters range from 100-600 words because that's how it came to me (you'll see why). It's fully written and just in the process of being edited/betad, so I will post frequently as time allows until we're done (I haven't done the math yet but should be around the end of the year? maybe?).

Since chapters will be short and aplenty, I won't include ANs going forward, but these apply to all:

- I don't own Twilight. S. Meyer does. I just don't like coming up with names for my own characters.

- I love the ladies that help me through this process. Mel betad. Kristen and Meg pre-read. And Lizzie made the gorgeous banner. They're all awesome.

- I thank you all in advance for reading and letting me know what you think.

Hope you like it!

Ronnie

Until You

-1-

Today, I saw you for the first time.

I hadn't noticed you before in the crowd of parents and kids on the first couple days of school.

Now that things have calmed down, I saw you. You stayed until the bell rang and waved goodbye to your kid like I do. I think that's nice; it makes me feel like I'm not the only helicopter parent in this neighborhood.

After waving goodbye to your kid, you walked by me. Your glasses fogged up with your mask on and you looked annoyed by it. I thought it was cute.

You didn't seem to notice me. That's fine, I think. I shouldn't have been looking at you either. But there was something about you. You seemed different from the rest of the parents around here. In your joggers and your hoodie. In those sneakers. Your hair was long, just past your ears, and not a trace of grey yet. You looked young. Maybe in your early thirties, like me?

Your little girl looked around the same age as my boy. Five or six. Which meant you also had her in your twenties.

I think that's what made me notice you.

I haven't really taken interest in another man since my divorce. It's been two years but I've been busy. I'm a single parent. I don't have time to notice other men. Or I didn't. Not until you.