Dani’s ready to talk

When Dani asked you to meet up again, you knew that it was serious. It had to be, given the way that you last parted. She was practically sobbing in your arms after she realized—with your help—that Matt couldn’t possibly be into her.

You find yourself wandering through the park now, retracing the steps that you took with Dani last week. She really is a catch, and you can’t help but feel sorry for her. Getting rejected by a crush hurts. Even if you are secretly happy that she’s definitely single now.

Eventually, you find her sitting on a park bench, alone, lost in her thoughts. A notebook lies open on her lap, math scribbled in some looping notation that you don’t recognize.

“Hey Alex,” she says, looking up as you approach. “Thanks for coming on short notice.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” you smile, giving her a side-hug as you take a seat next to her. “What’s been on your mind?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said last time. About finding somebody to be with. Somebody that I like, somebody that I trust, somebody that I like kissing…”

The way she looks at you in that moment, you can’t help but swoop down and kiss her on the lips. She’s surprised for a second and then gives way, kissing you back. Her lips are deliciously soft, as they always are, and when you pull away a second later, she looks away, abashed.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t like that,” you say.

“I liked it,” she smiles, covering her mouth. “That’s kinda the problem, isn’t it? I like it too much.”

“What’s wrong?” you ask.

“Well, I’m not exactly looking for a fling. I want something that can be something, you know? I think you’re a good guy, Alex, but also… I saw what went down with you and Jack. On social media, at least, later. So I don’t really know what to think…”

{if JackOff == 0} “I turned down his offer for a reason,” you say, and Dani smiles at that.

“I know. That’s half of why I asked to meet you here.” {endif}

“There are a lot of guys out there,” you say. “I can’t say for sure that I’m the right one for you. You just gave me a reason why that might be. But you know? It could also be that what’s right for you is not what you expect.”

Dani laughs, shaking her head.

“You’re doing a terrible job making a case for yourself. Yet somehow, I see the point. I can’t knock it until I try it, can I?”

“Exactly,” you smile. “Come on, when’s the last time you got laid?”

“I’m embarrassed to even say. It’s been… too long,” she says.

“Well, you know that we could change that,” you reply, pulling her in closer to you.

She tilts her head up to you, and your lips meet again, the kiss this time deeper, more urgent, hinting at some need that both of you are intensely feeling in the moment.

“I want you,” you whisper into her ear as she pulls away.

{if Dani > 100} You see her shiver, and then grab onto your hand.

“I want you too,” she says.

“Meet me at mine, at the hour?” you ask.

She nods, a mixture of apprehension and excitement in her eyes.
{elseif Dani > 50} “I… I think I want you too. But I need some time. Not yet, okay?” she asks.

“Of course,” you say. “How about we hang out again on, say, Monday?”

“It’s a date,” she smiles. “For real, this time.”

{else} “I… not right now. Not like this,” she says, hugging herself slightly. “I just need some time. I feel like I don’t know you well enough. Not yet.”

“Well, we could change that too,” you smile. “How about we hang out again on, say, Monday?”

“It’s a date,” she smiles. “For real, this time.”
{endif}

Dani +20