averygoodun42 | In the beginning...

About this time eleven years ago, the exact date has long been forgotten, my best friend uttered a life-changing phrase:

"I want you to meet someone."

I looked at him. "What?"

"There's this really cool guy down at the planetarium that I want you to meet. I think you'd like him."

"Um..." I had hoped that Justin had got over his crush on me, but I hadn't really ever expected him to try and set me up.

"Come on. He should be there now."

What the hell? I thought. It wasn't like my social circle was expanding on its own.

So, Justin drove us down to the planetarium, parking in the side lot by the back door. As we jogged down the short staircase, I looked around, not having been in the planetarium before. The carpet was old and red, the walls were curved, and judging by the perfect echoes, someone was coming our way.

A thin, young-looking man came into view seconds later. He wasn't much to look at - a typical Bill Gates lookalike - but there was something about him that instantly connected with me. He greeted Justin with a smile and they chatted for a few moments, the guy glancing over at me minimally, though obviously curious. Justin, noticing the looks, remembered his manners and hurriedly introduced me as a friend. When I shook his hand, I felt a jolt of electricity that was more than the standard static charge build up. Before I could process it, though, Justin and I were off again, walking down the curved hallway.

I glanced behind me at the retreating back of the man and then turned to Justin.

"Was he the guy you wanted to introduce me to?" I whispered.

Justin looked at me, amazed. "Who, Geoff?" He laughed derisively. "No! I want you to meet Skeeter!"

"Oh," I said, disappointed but energized as Justin led me into the bowels of the planetarium.

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