Nicole wasn’t very impressed with what she was seeing before her.

But then again, when it came to dates, she never was. Nobody she dated impressed her—neither men nor women. In fact, it seemed like her dating choices weren’t exactly to be trusted.

So, you may wonder why she was on this date now – with a woman called Samantha Love. At first, when she heard the name, she had to admit it sounded almost romantic. Now, she wondered why. Samantha Love? Who names themselves like that—the descendent of St Valentine? Did St Valentine

ever have a descendent? Or, maybe a child of Cupid or Venus. The kind of world

Nicole lived in, she wouldn’t have been surprised if the second theory turned

out to be true.

“I went to watch the Winter Olympics last

year and it was so exciting!” Samantha was saying. “I met a lot of sportsmen –

oh, so hot…”

She went on and on, perhaps describing each of those sportsmen she supposedly met – Nicole didn’t listen. She just nodded and smiled where necessary and appropriate. She also threw in an occasional “I see” and “Oh!” to add special effects.

Finally, the shadows started growing longer in the café she sat on her date with Samantha and that prompted her to check her watch. It was six o’clock.

She cleared her throat and leaned forward. Samantha stopped talking – she had been saying something about meeting the Emperor of Japan – and looked expectantly.

‘She literally has no clue I wasn’t even listening!’ thought Nicole. ‘That’s a huge relief.’ Because, she

wasn’t usually the type to not listen to people – she did. Just, not during dates. They always ended in disasters, one way or another, so she stopped listening to people on her dates.

Aloud, she said, “So, I need to leave now, I’m sorry. I need to visit my mother before sundown.”

Samantha smiled brightly. “Oh yes, sure! I need to be leaving, too!” She stood up. “It was great meeting you! I think we should see each other again!”

‘Uh-oh,’ thought Nicole, though she gave a bright smile in return. “Sure thing!” she

agreed, though inwardly, she thought, ‘No way, thank you very much. We shouldn’t have met in the first place.’ She stood up, too, and moved from the table.

“Great!”

Nicole and Samantha walked together as far as the main road.

“So. Need a ride back home?” offered Samantha.

Nicole shook her head politely. “No, thank you. I can go on my own.”

The other woman nodded. “Great! So, I’ll text you and we can meet up again!”

What Nicole really wanted to say was, ‘No, that’s all right – I think we should call it.’ But, what she ended up saying was, “I think so, too. Perhaps next week?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she began to regret it.

This seemed to make Samantha even happier, for she suddenly hugged her. Nicole stiffened in shock.

‘O…kay!’ She tried not to panic.

Luckily for Nicole, Samantha left her in a few seconds, waved goodbye, and walked away towards left. Nicole found herself staring at her as she walked away, particularly at her gait and the way her

waist moved when she walked—side-to-side with no proper rhythm, which seemed to awaken something inside of the woman that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

‘Snap out of it!’ she chided herself. ‘Stop staring at her and leave!’

Part I

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