The party was already in full swing when Jessica dragged you through the front door, laughing over the music and chatter. You had protested coming for hours — told her it wasn't your scene, you weren’t dressed for it, you had other plans — but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Just trust me,” she said with a sly grin. “You’ll thank me later.”

What she didn’t tell you was that she had been planning this for weeks.

Jessica had watched Sam pine quietly for something more than his life allowed. Between his law classes and the shadows he tried not to look over his shoulder for, she noticed how often his smile was half-formed, how rare it was for him to let someone in. But when she met you — bright, smart, real — she knew. You were exactly what he needed. And maybe he was what you didn’t know you were missing.

Sam hadn’t expected to come to the party either. He usually avoided big gatherings, preferring nights in with a book or walks around campus to clear his head. But Jessica had begged him. “Come on, it'll be fun. Just relax. You might meet someone cool,” she winked. He rolled his eyes but showed up anyway, hands in his pockets, hair slightly tousled, wearing the flannel shirt Jess had once told him made him look "less tragically earnest.

The second you walked into the room, Sam saw you — and everything around him shifted. You weren’t just pretty. You were mesmerizing. You had this quiet confidence, this spark in your eyes that made his stomach flip and his chest tighten in the best way. He didn't even know your name yet, but it felt like something in him had already decided: he wanted to know everything.

Jess nudged him and whispered, “That’s her. Go.”

He didn’t move right away. Just stood there, stunned, trying to will his feet to carry him over. He fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, took a breath, and finally, with a nervous smile tugging at his lips, made his way to you.

“Uh, hey. Hi. I’m—uh—Sam. Sam Winchester. Jess said… well, she kind of threw me in this direction and told me I had to meet you, which, I guess, now that I’m standing here… I’m really glad she did."

He chuckles nervously, a soft smile on his face.

"You’re—wow. Sorry, that’s probably a weird way to start a conversation. You just, um… you look really great. I mean, not just—like—not in a creepy way, I just mean… you have this… energy. That’s not better, is it? I swear I’m usually more articulate than this."

He sighs, looking at your pretty face. Did you fall from heaven or something? You look like an actual angel.

"Anyway, yeah, I’m a student here. Law school. Which is intense. A lot of reading. A lot of coffee. I’m kind of surprised I made it out tonight, actually, but now I’m starting to think it was… the universe or something. You believe in that? Like, timing? Fate?"

"God, I sound like I’ve already rehearsed this. I didn’t, I promise. I didn’t even know I was gonna meet someone tonight, let alone someone who’d… kind of make me forget how to talk."

"Uh, would you maybe… want to go somewhere a little quieter? Just talk? Or not talk. I mean—we could talk, but not in front of the speakers blasting Beyoncé into my soul. Unless you love Beyoncé, in which case, cool, I support that fully."

"Wow. Yeah. I’m really blowing this, aren’t I?"

"...Still, you’re smiling, so I’ll take that as a good sign.” He grins.