“To tell you the truth, I don’t actually have anything going on…”

I shared a surprised look with Jimmy at Ashley’s sudden confession and change of mood.

“Really?”

Jimmy replied, a little too much hope in his voice, though thankfully it went mainly unnoticed.

“Yes, really. I know, I know, you two expect me to always be flirting and have a lot of guys around me, but the truth is I kinda struggle at getting anything serious. Like yeah, I’ve had some one night stands, but they’re always with the worst kinda guys. I guess when I’ve been drinking in a club, I just find myself going with whoever’s confident, and just because you’re confident doesn’t mean you’re actually going to be boyfriend material.”

Ashley sighed, a strangely **** sadness about her. For a girl so conventionally pretty and popular, it seemed she had plenty of her own kind of struggles.

“Ashley, I know you’re going to find the right guy. Someone who will take care of you, but will still take you to exciting places you’ve never been. The kind of guy who’d go to crazy lengths to be with you.”

I looked up, surprised. Jimmy had sounded so confident as he said it, his words filtering though Lisa’s voice and face to seem totally like the caring, smart Lisa consoling her friend.

“Lisa, that’s so sweet!”

Ashley looked up, all smiles suddenly, grateful for her friends.

“This guy is probably a lot closer than you’d think too, so don’t be sad.”

“Lisa” pulled her friend into a close hug after saying that, while I allowed myself a sardonic smirk very uncharacteristic of Emmy as I enjoyed the twisted double meanings in his words.

Jimmy really can be very slick sometimes…

“But really I’m jealous of you, Emmy.”

“Me?”

I responded, surprised. Of course, objectively speaking, it made sense for anyone to be jealous of Emmy. I even was, despite being a guy. It was just strange hearing it from one of her friends.

“Yeah… you’ve always been able to get into relationships. It’s not like you even have one night stands a lot either, you just seem to find good guys, like they’re just naturally attracted to you. You’re really special like that…”

“Ashley…”

I smiled thoughtfully, stepping closer and joining the other two girls in their hug.

“It’s not like I have any special talent for it or anything. I just don’t usually choose nightclubs to find my guys!”

We all laughed a little at that, before I continued.

“No, but seriously. Lisa’s right, I have a feeling you’re going to get closer with someone really special, very soon.”

“I hope so…”

For a moment we stayed close like this, warm bodies pressed against each other, pretty, yet distinct scents coming from each of the girls that my sensuous side loved breathing in, before I heard Lisa’s voice speaking up again.

“Is there anyone you’ve been thinking about? At parties you sometimes talk to Adam, or Joe, or Jimmy…?”

Putting his own name last? I like that small touch of subtlety.

“Hmm, well, I mean, all three are cute.”

Ashley seemed to be cheering up almost immediately at the prospect of talking about specific boys now.

“Adam is big and strong, Joe is creative and artistic. I like a sensitive soul too you know, so he definitely ticks that box. And Jimmy is really funny! Even if we only talk briefly, he definitely knows how to make me laugh.”

“So, would you date any of them?”

I asked it straight out, causing a small moment of alarm to flash across Jimmy’s face at the prospect of being rejected.

“Um, well. I guess they are cute, and I would talk to them, but… no.”

Sudden sadness burst about Lisa’s face suddenly.

“No? Why not? You were just complaining about wanting a boyfriend?”

“Yes, I mean I was but… you know. Adam’s always hanging out with his big group of friends, doing dumb stuff. And Joe seems always lost in his own world. Jimmy, for being funny, can also be shy and awkward, just… I don’t know. I feel like none of them would be as romantic with me as I’d like. And even if I want to date, I want it on good terms, not me just being with someone for the sake of being with them. So, I guess maybe if I had some romantic time with them, sure. But right now, I just don’t think it’s going to happen like that.”

Ashley’s answer was a smart one, informed by both her heart, and her head. It managed to be romantic while still being grounded, and the maturity that informed it was difficult to rebuke. I could tell Jimmy was a little hurt by it; not because it was cruel, but because it was true.

Deep down, he knew he wasn’t some kind of ladies man. He knew he was a little inexperienced, and while he wanted to get out there and have a good time, he hadn’t quite found the push he’d needed to get into that relationship with his crush, and hadn’t asked her out organically like I originally had.

Then again, I can’t exactly say my situation counted. It’s not like I actually asked the real Lisa out anyway, I was just asking out a monster using her face to trap me… I really can’t judge.

Ashley did seem to have a positive view of Jimmy though. She was open to taking things further. She might even be up for dating him totally naturally. But then again, why leave it to chance? If he could have some advantages in getting the woman he loved, shouldn’t he take them?

These two conflicting schools of thought seemed to battle it out in my head as my eyes flitted between the two sitting with me; Ashley, thoughtful and a little melancholy as she reflected on romance, and Jimmy inside Lisa, his whirlwind of emotions from today taking a dive at the not quite a rejection he’d just received.

We’d gotten what we came for, technically speaking. Ashley’s friends had asked how she felt about Jimmy, and she’d answered, in a context that wasn’t suspicious. We could stop right now, say good night and head back to Lisa’s apartment, strip off these girls and go home.

I could encourage Jimmy to win Ashley’s heart the old fashioned way, a classic, more wholesome romance that would be more difficult, but perhaps more rewarding in some ways.

Or… I could use my powers. Stack the deck in his favor, you could say. Already, it seemed like he was just one of three or more potential suitors. Any one of them could be thinking of getting serious and asking Ashley out tomorrow, stealing his crush away from him. But what if there was a way I could make sure these two ended up together? I was already thinking of a way to do just that…