Yep. You get that date after all. Sorta.

You enjoy a leisurely day as a ‘normal student’; listen to lectures, chat with a few friends and finally settle in for the usual mediocre meal in the cafeteria when someone asks “Hi, would you mind if I sit with you?”

Looking up you see a familiar blonde oni standing behind you, holding a tray.

“Sure.” you answer with a smile “Go ahead.” Seems like luck is on your side today.

To your mild disappointment Liz doesn’t take the seat beside you, but instead walks around the table to sit down on the opposing chair.

“I wanted to apologize for running of like that, yesterday. It’s just … It suddenly hit me just how crazy my life is now, all over again and…. “she stops herself there, probably to get her thought back in order, before continuing in a more confident tone ”Anyway, sorry about that. I even promised to call, but ,heh, I completely forgot to ask for your number. ”

A lie. She probably forgot that Toby might know your number but there’d be some questions if Elizabeth somehow already knew it despite allegedly meeting your on that bench for the first time. You ran into the same problem when you stood before her door this morning and and realized you couldn’t just call her.

“Sooo….?” she pulls a cellphone out of her pocket and waggles it expectantly.

You are more than happy to oblige her. “I was honestly worried you wouldn’t want to keep meeting up.” she admits once the deed is done. “I mean I realize I must seem a bit… strange. ”

“A bit. But it also makes you seem pretty interesting.” you admit “I mean, how often do you meet a girl under a magic spell?”

She gives you a relieved smile “Right? I’m quite the catch.” you can see her realize her latest slip of the tongue, and the small pause as she tries to find a way to defuse the accidental flirtation before decidding to bulldoze through “ You won’t believe how much it means just having someone to talk about that. I mean, imagine your whole life changing around you and having to pretend it is all normal to avoid being carried off to the funny farm. ”

“I can imagine. So what was your life like before?”

”I wish I can’t tell you. I really do. But if I try I can only say that I have always been a hot blonde named Liz who lives in a nice apartment paid for by her cushy trustfund. ”

You pretend to think this through for a moment “I..see. But can you give me a few hints what you were like before. Like what hobbies you had or something?”

“Well I still like sports. And I like games. Like D&D and stuff.”

“You play D&D?” you ask feigning surprise.

“Yeah.” she frowns “I know I don’t look particualrly geeky right now but…”

“No, no I believe you.” you reassure her “So what class was your favorite?”

“Monks, mostly.”

You steered the conversation towards rpgs mostly to make Liz feel a bit more comfortable, and keep her form ditching you. Again. Because she clearly isn’t entirely comfortable being in such a public space yet, if her frequent fidgeting and sideways glances are any indication.

But talking shop like that, is actually pretty fun so you keep putting off getting back to more serious topics. And it is pretty cute seeing Liz preen a bit when you compliment her characters or laugh at an anecdote.

Everything is going swimmingly until fate decides to intervene. Or rather some jerk from your class, decides to do so.

Chris and you were partnered up on a programming-project a while back( along with a buddy of his) but that is about the extend of your shared history. It was pretty obvious from the start that you and he swim in different social circles, and you didn’t exchange more than polite greetings since. And yet now he plops down into the chair between you and Liz “Hey, there buddy. How are you doing?” greeting you like an old friend.

“Pretty well.” you answer on reflex, still slightly confused by this turn of events. Did you inadvertently shift reality with one of these Choices, so you and Chris are friends now?

Chris turns his smile on Liz “Hi, I’m Chris. ”

Orrr Chris may not even be remembering your name, and this is just a pretence to hit on Liz.

It become obvious real fast that; yep it is definitely Liz he is interested in. You quickly become an afterthought as Chris tries to strike up a conversation with the girl, being a ll charm and smiles. And as fun as it is watching Liz realize she is being hit on and become even more squirrelly, it is doubly funny seeing the look on Chris face as she finally has enough of him ignoring her hints and outright tells him to “Fuck off! I’m not interested and I was trying to have a conversation here.”

That finally gets through to the guy, and he finally leaves, remarking there is “No need to be a bitch about it.” much to Liz annoyance.

You bond a bit over complaining about Chris, but the encounter has visibly soured Liz mood. Enough so that after a few minutes she excuses herself, saying she has to get to class. But not before promising to call you later.

Well you’ll take what you can get.