After months of careful planning, the moment had finally arrived. Jude examined himself in the mirror one last time, made a slight tie adjustment, and headed into the living room where his girlfriend awaited. Adorned in a black strappy number, she uncrossed her long legs and rose from the couch, beaming. Though it wasn’t officially ‘out there,’ she had a good idea of where the night was heading.

“Shall we?” Jude remarked as he offered an arm. Trying her hardest to suppress a sudden surge of anticipation, she casually hooked into him and they strolled outside. In the driveway sat the black limousine, and after opening the door for her Jude noted the champagne chilling and the flowers arranged as he’d requested. He’d thought of everything.

As they pulled up to the front of Cafe B-, she cooed as the doorman opened the door for her and helped her exit the limo. With Jude close behind, she tried to slow down to take in all the stimuli the evening was offering; the perfect chill in the air, the five-star restaurant awaiting, her true love currently curling his arm around her waist and ushering her forward- and above it all, a keen buzzing through her head, almost euphoric-like. Tonight was going to be a night she’d never forget.

As they were escorted to their table, Jude took a moment to pry his eyes from his sweetheart and take in the surroundings himself. The place was packed, jumping even, yet peopled with the sophisticated clientele the establishment was noted for. So with that came the natural restraint of the well-to-do, and in passing Jude suddenly found himself wondering if he belonged in such a place. And it was in this wave of mild self-doubt that he spotted her sitting at the bar, maybe thirty feet away from him, curling one leg over another as she tilted her head back to laugh at some remark or other the man beside her had apparently made. His gaze traveled down to what was visible of her luscious legs and finally settled on a pair of perfect  feet shod in heels, coincidentally as he was absentmindedly fingering the ring in his pocket. His heart stopped as he glanced upwards again and met her eyes with his own. Though his vision instantly started to swim, he took note of the corner of her lip curling into an unmistakable sneer.

His first instinct was to flee. Reigning himself in, he shifted awkwardly and almost tumbled into the semi-shared booth where his girlfriend had already settled. Bracing the table with her hands, she laughed nervously.

“Woah, easy.”

He craned his neck to steal a glance at the bar behind him before turning back to her. Laughing nervously himself, he eeked out a ‘sorry,’ before risking a longer look backwards. Unsure, he scanned the line of stools back and forth before wondering if he was crazy enough to have imagined that he’d ever even seen her at all. Presently, she was nowhere to be found.

“Might I start you two off with a drink tonight, sir?”

Startled, Jude returned his attention to the table and the waiter taking him in, expectantly. He refocused.

“Uh, yes, yes, um, a bottle of your finest wine please.” He looked over at his girl, smiling. “It’s a special occasion.” He offered a hand and she took it.

“Right away, sir.”

As the bustle of the cafe settled over him again, Jude temporarily shelved his anxiety rush and lost himself in the eyes of his beloved. Pulling into him, she raised a delicate hand to his cheek and caressed, and then bent forward to offer a kiss from her tender lips. As her scent nurtured him, and as he fell into the embrace of her soft charm, it was then that he heard the words from the woman from the bar, like a harness cruelly yoking him back by the neck:

“Hello, footboy!”

…to be continued