Girl, boy, game you should have won, job you should have gotten…tell us about one that got away.
Submitted by Phil.
Submitted for your approval, the story of a girl with a history of relationship dysfunction who once again sets herself up for a fall.
Our story begins many moons ago any restaurant in any major metropolitan area. We enter the front door to find three girls, including our Dysfuntional Dannie huddled close and whispering.
"Did you see the new guy?" Dannie whispered to her cohorts.
"Hot, hot, hot!!" replied Jen.
"I wouldn't mind taking him for a spin," Lori chimed in.
"I love when we're all in agreeance. Shall we make a bet, ladies? 50 bucks, paid by the two losers to the one that beds him first."
"You're on," Lori and Jen growled.
The challenge, initiated by Dannie, was on. Mind you, these three girls are just silly and they like to have fun. Not one is a knockout by magazine industry standards, but each has a quality that makes her special. Jen is cute and has the most infectious laughter, Lori has the most intriguing blue eyes, and our Dannie, well, she's just different. She relates to people differently than her friends do. She grew up with all boys and therefore tends to think like one which makes her a seductress extraordinaire and a shoe-in to win the bet.
So it was that this poor, unsuspecting soul, we'll call him Steve, grew a bullseye or two. Steve came into the restaurant as an MIT (manager-in-training) whereas Jen and Dannie were already management and Lori was one of the staff who might as well have been in management. Advantage: Jen and Dannie. Their position gave them more access to the target, but don't count anyone out just yet.
The days rolled by and the girls set upon their respective tasks of figuring out how to get Steve into bed. It seemed as though Lori was taking an early lead, getting chummy with Steve, but Jen and Dannie were fearless as they intently watched the body language whenever they could engage in a conversation with TS, Target Steve. Through all of this, somehow TS remained oblivious to the fact that not one, not two, but three girls were gunning for him.
Dannie was the first to make any significant headway as she and TS actually had a lot in common. They shared interests in music, books and television not to mention their similar sense of humor and love for a good red wine. Jen and Lori noticed this budding comraderie and questioned Dannie accordingly.
"Well, ladies, how's it coming?" asked Lori dejectedly.
"Zip, zero, zilch, nada from my side," Jen whined. "I can't seem to even get him to look my way. Especially since he always has his nose up Dannie's ass."
A slow smile crept across Dannie's face. This wasn't an admission of defeat from her buddies, but a definite preparation of their white flags. She knew that she was way ahead in this race but wasn't about to show it yet.
"Oh, come on. He is not. I see him talking to plenty of other people."
"Uh, yeah, when he isn't talking to you!" Lori complained.
"Just step up your game, ladies. Let's keep it interesting," Dannie said as she headed towards the office where she knew TS was.
"Bitch."
"She's winning this thing for sure. Are you even going to try any more, Lori?"
"Hell no. It's just a waste of our time now, don't you think?"
"Completely, Lori. Completely."
Onward continued the quest for TS domination for Dannie, not knowing that Lori and Jen had given up and not caring because it had become more than just a game to her. She actually was starting to enjoy TS' company. She even considered dropping the T from TS. All of these thoughts were running through her head as she opened the office door.
"Hey Dannie," Steve, no longer known as TS, spouted.
"Hi Steve."
Dannie tried to look disinterested. Tried to look as though she had come in to the office for some reason other than to talk to him. She just couldn't do it. Luckily, wihtout even knowing, Steve saved her.
"Dannie, what time are you getting out of here?"
"Well, I'm closing, so I guess around 11."
"Are you on tomorrow?"
"Closing again."
"Okay. Well, if you aren't too tired, do you wanna swing by my place after work? I've got a great merlot and no one to share it with."
The moment of truth. Try not to hyperventilate or do anything else stupid.
"Uh, well, okay I guess."
A master in the art of deception, Dannie was outwardly indifferent but on the inside, not just jumping, but hopping, spinning, dancing for joy.
"I still have a lot of stuff to take care of here, so I can wait for you until you're done and we can go together."
"Sure, sounds great."
"Cool, I'll see you later then."
"Sure."
Dannie walked out of the office, nothing in hand, completely giddy. All of her time and effort was not for naught. She was actually progressing. And in fairness, or to rub it in their faces, she headed off to alert Jen and Lori to their impending parting of the ways between their wallets and $25 bucks each.
"Are you serious?!?!"
"Yes."
"He asked you over to his house?"
"Yes."
"Do you have anything to say besides yes?"
"No."
And at that, the three of them cracked up laughing. Jen and Lori officially conceded the bet, figuring that if Dannie was headed over there tonight, she would close the deal for sure.
The evening couldn't have dragged on any slower for Dannie. She went through the motions, talking to guests, getting change for the cashier, but her mind was certainly elsewhere. When 11 o'clock finally rolled around, she was out of her mind with anticipation. With the restaurant locked and no one left inside but a few straggling employees, she retired to the office to finish up her paperwork.
Just as she was recounting the deposit, Steve knocked on the door. Dannie let him in and for the first time, took a good, long look at him. He was more than just eye candy, he was a good guy and it radiated from every pore of his being. It was at that moment that Dannie realized that this was no longer about the bet. She had developed feelings for Steve and now, she didn't know what to do with them.
"Just about ready, D?"
"Yeah, just gotta close everything up here."
"Great. I'm going upstairs to watch TV, just yell up when you're ready," Steve said as he walked out the door.
"Yeah, okay."
This wasn't the time for deep soul-searching, but there was time for a quick probe. Dannie asked herself if she thought this was right and her self told her that it didn't care. As you know, the self is always right and so, as she locked the safe, she pondered what was ahead.
They decided that he would lead and she would follow in her car which was fine by Dannie in case she needed to make an emergency exit. His place was only 10 minutes from work which didn't really give any time f
or second thoughts.
He escorted her into his apartment and she gave it the once-over. Neat, clean, and definitely all male. So far, so good. He gave her the remote, offered her the couch, and made his home hers. Dannie was instantly comfortable in Steve's apartment, which made sense as she had pretty much the same reaction to Steve. When he resurfaced, he had changed into shorts and a t-shirt and offered her some of his clothes if she wanted to change as well. She figured she'd be there at least a little while, so she took him up on the offer.
(to be continued…..)
Read and post comments
