14

as you silently congratulate yourself on not being able to think up a more interesting conversation-starter, you find that it's not all that bad. he's a very good conversationalist and more than compensates for you lack of an opening. you find out that he's working at a local branch of an international bank - was it hsbc? or barclays? can't really recall, but something big along those lines. he deals with stocks and shares and all that jazz, which, when he notices is not particularly in your field of interests, covertly shies away from the topic and asks you about yourself.

you tell him that you're still studying interior design, and you're enjoying it. nothing too spectacular to say for the time being. and you continue to trade questions and answers, taking every opportunity that you can spare during your own answering to assess his physical forthcomings.

you learn a lot of the banker (as you've now aptly dubbed him in your little black book) - eldest son of four, coming from a middle-class family. big but humble aspirations for work and personal life alike. new to the city, having transferred here from his hometown down south. all in all, the makings of quite the man.

donnie, what a catch.

as you both finish your drinks, do you,

1. offer to go to the cinema.
2. think that, despite the bit of brownie you've had, you'd rather have something proper to eat.

13

ah, starbucks. the land of yuppichinos and chique-lattes. or something like that.

as you sit yourself down, at the table closest to the hot foods, you comfortably adjust your derriere to face the radiator such that you actually fell the sensation of your ass hitting the chair. considering the torrential downpour which has suddenly decided to pms outside, starbucks, with its abundance of body heat and lack of fresh air, was actually a good place to head to.

you smile curtly at your date as he asks if there's anything on your mind, or would you like to stare for a bit at the starbucks menu (seriously, who does this). deciding that you already know what you want, you tell him that you'll get your favourite drink, which is [something i can't pronounce, much less type out here].

unsurprisingly, he gets up and orders a drink for each of you, and even decides to get a piece of brownie. luckily, starbucks doesn't sell bittersweet-flavoured ones. in a few minutes, while you calm yourself down from the earlier excursion into adrenaline-land, he's sat opposite you and, having paid for everything, waves it off as you (half-heartedly) produce your purse from your handbag.

1. 'so, what do you do for a living?'
2. 'you like starbucks?'
3. 'thanks for the treat.'
4. again, smile as you unabashedly pick up one of the two sporks he's provided and take a small slice of the brownie.

12

as you change your focus of attention, from the chocolates to flowers, he instinctively sees your attempt at sugar-coating the fact that he has made the wrong choice of confectionery.

'ah, not a fan of dark choc, i see? i'll make it up to you, later, okay?' his offer is true enough, and you blush again, as you trivialise the chocolate flavour,

'no, no, that's fine,' you quickly think up a redeeming point in his opening gestures 'the roses are more than enough' as you pick one out of the bouquet and give it a smell. they're not plastic, and surprisingly they smell sickly sweet - just the way you like it. it is beyond any doubt that this man is, although slightly cliched, a frequenter of fauna and has demonstrated a surprising amount of aptitude in selecting only the best roses for the bouquet. (add one romance point to your total. if you have not encountered a note such as this before, you start out with 0 points, and now have +1).


as you usher him towards the doorway, you cannot help but think - what other surprises does this man offer? your thoughts are broken by him questioning, 'so, where would you like to be whisked off to, now?'

1. 'hmmm, what say we hit the cinema? there's a feature showing that i've been hearing about'
2. 'i think we'll head to the restaurant. i'm quite famished as it is'

11

you place the two items on your table-top and give a sincere thank you, well-knowing that you're probably not going to touch the chocolates. ever. maybe it'll make a nice present for your someone at work or you could keep it in the fridge and pop it out when you have guests over.

you have a brief staring contest with the man, and breaking the silence, you suggest where to head now:

1. off to the movies!
2. it's time to get some chow, to the restaurant we go.

10

the insincerity in your voice scrapes against the pitter-patter of rain outside, much like a fresh piece of chalk on one of those old blackboards you had in high-school. attempted honesty is not your forte, and it clearly shows as your date realises his mistake in not choosing something sweeter. (deduct one romance point from your current score. if you have not seen a message similar to this before, you start out at 0 points, and now have a grand total of -1).

as you place the roses and box of chocolates on your counter, you make a decision as to where you both should head, now.

1. will it be a restaurant
2. or will it be to the movies?

9

you curtly ask your date to wait for a minute as you dash upstairs and ready yourself. clearly you are now holding the upper hand in this situation, and you decide to make full use of it. readying yourself as much as you can, you are done in about an hour - as you make yourself down to the living room you can clearly see the amazement on his face as you slowly grace down the stairs, every agile step in a waltz-like tempo, that mezmerises your date such that he does not realise his jaw dropping. (add one romance point to your current total).

continue, now, to dazzle your date, as you step out the doorway, leading him on with not even the slightest indication that he's going to get lucky tonight.

1. would you reckon a fancy restaurant might add to the atmosphere?
2. or are you in the mood for a movie?

8

your date is clearly unimpressed with your inaptitude and chortles as he opens the door for you. (deduct one romance point from your current score. if you have not seen an indication such as this before, you start out with 0 points and your current score is -1).

curse your luck as you exit the doorway. maybe you'll have better luck once you get a conversation rolling...