Flirting with Disaster

The hardest part about not dating is not looking. Not walking into a room and scanning it for the guy who's single and entertaining himself. Not stealing glimpses of him while a friend regales a story to you over a pitcher of beer and a plate of nachos. Not noticing that even though he's sitting catty corner two chairs down from you, he's listening to your conversation and laughs at your funny parts.

Dating You instinctively takes over. You lean back in your chair both casually and confidently. You smile a little brighter, laugh a little harder. Most days you feel like a 6, but tonight, girl, you are a solid 7. You turn on your charm and incorporate him into the conversation using your standard bag of tricks: you request the "male perspective" to settle a debate. Of course it works; it always does. You've drawn in the single guy. He's a smart one because he sided with you to settle the argument.

He's noticed you. He remembers seeing you before. Life as a 7 feels grand. You can feel his eyes on you from the other end of the bar as other boys take a turn enjoying time spent talking with you. The leader grabs you to dance. You smile the bright smile and tilt your head back and let loose your trademark laugh. Yes, he's still watching although he's pretending not to.

Another guy you'd been previously working on before you gave up dating sidles up next to you. You're surprised with the ease in which he touches you. His hand is on your side. During your flip cup game, he rubs his hand up and down your back which totally blows your concentration, but feels exhilarating nonetheless. The initial guy works his way back from the bar to the periphery of the crowd surrounding you. He's like a lion, trying to stake a claim in the territory.

And he does it. He asks for your number. You give him your real number before you realize that you are not supposed to be doing this. You, girl, are not supposed to be flirting. You told the world you weren't going to date in the meantime. But you still leave the bar heady. You put yourself to bed, slipping in between the crisp clean sheets and scissor your legs in delight.

And then you find yourself out with the same crowd five nights later. You find yourself enjoying another pitcher of beer and another plate of nachos while you regale another story. This time there's a guy standing with your company, but his eyes are clearly on you. And he laughs at your funny parts, so you know that this one is smart too. Dating You instinctively takes over as you lean back in your chair both casually and confidently and you smile a little brighter and laugh a little harder...