Chapter 3
1114 Words
Several tables and conversations later, she was feeling overwhelmed, stressed and done with the night. She had met some lovely people, had a laugh with Jessie when they discovered they had been paired together at one point. Jessie mischievously admitted she had also put bisexual on her application just to see what was out there. She was pretty sure she had made a new knitting friend but struck out on the ladies otherwise. Nika couldn’t help but laugh at her friend and after that short rejuvenating break they both took a deep breath and dived back into the pool of dating.
This was it, her last table and nothing had really stood out for her in terms of conversations or people. She would likely go to that hockey game the one gentleman had invited her to, at least to get out and give someone a chance. But that elusive spark her and so many others were looking for, wasn’t there.
She sat down at the table, it was still empty so her next match might have gone to get a drink before the timer chimed. She put down her papers and pen and took the time to really think about what she wanted to know from someone else that could possibly be dating material. Did she care about their job? Their home? What hobbies did she want to hear about, or not hear about. Ok maybe not Taxidermy. Her fourth conversation was an avid hunter and taxidermist and she still shuddered when thinking about that conversation. Once he started talking about the process of preserving, she desperately listened while trying to figure out a way to get out of the conversation politely. Finally she had to admit she had no guts and no glory and could he please stop before she threw up in his lap. That certainly got his attention and he laughed, but she was still cringing internally.
A scent of pine wafted behind her, which reminded her painstakingly of back home up north, where the frost was cold, the dark seemed on the edge of everything, and the community rang bright. Her grandparents' cow farm, with the seeming forest of trees that surrounded it, where she would explore for mushrooms and chokecherries. Her grandma would talk about the way of the witches and they would watch the northern lights dance upon the snow in the winter. She sighed, homesick as someone came from around her and sat in the seat opposite.
Shaken out of her reverie she stared at him, confused and befuddled for a second while he stared back. He was handsome looking, if in a bit of an unconventional way. His nose had that slight bent, as if he’d been in one too many fights, his hands looked big and rough, and the beer glass he held in it, seemed small and delicate in his grasp. He had warm chocolate brown eyes, and a day old beard. He cleared his throat and she started. It was him! The deep voiced “Sorry” guy. Maybe the evening wasn’t a loss after all.
“Oh uhmmm hi!” she said brightly. “Sorry I was stuck in a memory thanks to your cologne. My name is Nika. What’s yours?”
“Jason. Nice to meet you, that’s a beautiful name. Different.” He smiled a kindly if crooked smile.
“Yes it is, isn’t it?” She smiled softly and couldn’t prevent the yawn that escaped.
“Tired? This has been an adventure.” He emphasized adventure as though he weren’t quite sure whether it was exciting or terrifying.
She laughed. “Oh it was an adventure all right, I managed to offend some people, hurt some feelings and generally remember why I don’t like dating all in the span of mere hours. How about you?”
“I haven’t dated in so long I didn’t think I knew how, then I remembered why I hadn’t dated in so long. No one else knows how either! It was so awkward. One table the lady spent the whole time blushing and laughing, I still don’t know her name!”
She laughed harder. “ Maybe she was hypnotized by your muscles or beautiful brown eyes!”
“Oh you think I have good muscles and my eyes are pretty?”
She blushed. “Ooops outed.”
“Hey I’ll take it! I couldn’t help but notice that you were at another table with a lady earlier. You two sure seemed to be hitting it off and laughing, it couldn’t have been all bad!”
“Watching me? Were you?” she laughed as it was his turn to blush. “Well yes but no, you are a striking woman, and your laugh is infectious, once can’t help but stare once you start.”
“Thank you for the compliment Jason, I am flattered. But while I am bisexual and open to dating ladies,” she watched him intensely to gauge his reaction “I was actually funnily enough, paired with my BFF who convinced me to come to this whole event. We were laughing because while it was a great match, it will never be that kind of match for us. The most we will ever be romantic is as work wives.”
“Oh you two work together? That’s cool. So did you come here looking for men? Or women? Or? “
“I’m here to meet people.” She stated firmly. “I think I found a few that will make good friends, but no spark, not yet.”
“Well I’ll have to try harder then.” He stared straight at her with a serious face.
She blushed and cleared her throat. “Well anyways, what are you looking for?”
“Me?” He sat back and relaxed. “A connection. I lost my dating mojo and I just needed to test the waters and get back into it. I’m only into the ladies, I hope you don’t mind.”
“Me? No, I don’t have a horse in that race.” He roared with laughter. “I haven’t heard that phrase from anyone other than my dad! That’s it, I’m sold, I have to take you on at least one date.”
She blushed again and laughed. “Well I guess we better give each other good reviews and maybe exchange contact information to arrange that future date.”
“Done and done! Gimme your phone and I’ll program my number into it. Here’s my phone, you do mine.”
She tried to think of some witty name to give herself on his phone. Something funny and true to their date, finally she handed him his phone back.
“Hey Jason?” “Yeah?” “I really enjoyed this little match, thank you for ending this night on a positive note. I hope to see you around.” She grabbed her coat and went off in search of Jessie to crow about her good luck.
- Writer
