“So, uh, you come here often?” His words hung in the air like strands of party popper streamer dangling from a light fixture after a particularly unsuccessful party. Not so much demanding attention as mildly getting in the way and needing to be addressed when someone got around to it. He mentally kicked himself. He’d meant to use the oldest line in the book ironically – as if that wasn’t bad enough, mind you – but it had come out seriously. He’d managed to effortlessly turn smartarse trying-a-bit-too-hard into total loser. Good start.
He loathed this sort of thing. The bright lights, the overpriced drinks, the forced conversation, the wretched music. Why couldn’t he meet someone at a party? Was it honestly possible that none of his friends knew anyone single, attractive and remotely interesting? Oh no, it was always the same. Stuck in some clubland hell hole with one of his confirmed bachelor friends. Shoved in the direction of anyone remotely single-looking with a shout of “Go on then!” ringing in his ears. And, as always, some fumbling attempt to start conversation which either fizzled in seconds or struggled halfheartedly on through all manner of giant, flashing signs indicating that they were entirely wrong for each other until feebly admitting defeat and trailing off with a feigned excuse so as get out of there with some shred of dignity. Or as in this case, never even got past a timid opening gambit.
The girl he’d spoken to swiveled her bar stool to face him, her hair falling around her face a bit like Jacqueline Smiths does in the opening credits of Charlie’s Angels. Jesus, she was beautiful. ‘I’m sorry, did you say something?’ The light danced in her entirely too perfect eyes and he hated himself more than ever. This was torture. ‘I mean, it’s just so loud in here.’ And she wrinkled her nose slightly in annoyance. It might have been an affectation but it was so damnably cute, Helen of Troy would have tried to jealously emulate it.
‘Um, hi. I’m David,’ he stammered. ‘Debbie,’ she replied, ‘come here often?’ And she smiled mischievously.
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