Bored with homework I sat at that sunglass stand in the middle of the mall just waiting to go home. Glancing at the clock I saw I had two hours left. I walked around the cart making sure the product I was selling looked nice, and then looked in the mirror at myself. I sighed deeply, inhaling a deep breath of air and I looked at the clock seeing it had only been three minutes that had passed. Still new to the job I didn't want to complain, but really, what was there to do on a Thursday at White Marsh Mall? Christmas had just passed, so there were hardly any customers, kids had school the next day, and everyone was waiting until Friday when they would get paid. I sat back in my chair and just hoped to God someone I knew would walk by for me to talk to. As it would turn out, quite the opposite occurred.

Five minutes after hoping something interesting would happen, a guy walked up to my stand. By first glance, I assumed he was about 19. Fire red hair buzzed close to his head. He wore a button up shirt and blue jeans and a baby face. Cuteā€¦ but not my type. Obviously, he was in the army. White Marsh Mall being a drop off zone for men in the military, the ladies learned quickly how to spot a boot right away.

Army guys wore their shirts un-tucked and their dog tags out. Hair of course cut closely to their head, usually shaved, an occasional high and tight. Marines, always a high and tight, shirts tucked in, backpacks, belts, and a certain strut that was undeniably military taught.

The guy began looking at my sunglasses glancing sideways at me, obviously waiting for me to say something.

"Hey there," I greeted him with a flirtatious smile, just for fun.

"Well hi, I'm just lookin' at these here sunglasses," he smiled holding up a pair for good measure. I realized right away that he was a southern boy.

"I bet," I smiled going back to homework I had given up a few minutes before.

"What's that supposed to mean," he came and stood next to me with a confused look.

"You are in the army, on a Thursday night, it's raining, and you want sunglasses. For some reason I think you're just trying to talk to girls," I teased smiling again.

"Don't flatter yourself." He started looking again. And his phone started ringing. As soon as he started to answer it would stop. Then it would happen again. I looked up and saw a group of six guys laughing and pointing.

"Up there," I laughed pointing up. The kid looked up and flushed a pretty shade of crimson. I motioned the other guys down and they started laughing as well before heading down the hallway to meet me.

"They are such assholes! My name is Cutts. Mike Cutts. C-u-t-t-s."

"Diana," I offered a hand before the loud group showed up. Within that group I met Nathan, known to them as Altman from Texas, Shaine (Hansen) from Texas as well, Steve (Talbush) from Illinois, Chirco (Anthony from Jersey, and another guy that I can't remember clearly. He was to leave the next day for Georgia, so I only actually met him that once.

I began talking to all of them immediately noticing Shaine. Average height kid, quiet, dark hair, gorgeous blue eyes and a beautiful smile, yet thin as a rail. He was the soft spoken one, quite a charmer. We clicked right away and began talking. Giving Cutts my number, I told him that I'd like to speak Shaine as soon as possible. And without realizing it, without actually meeting the next person along the way, I knew something amazing was going to happen.