Signals

“Hey! Tom! Can you hear me?” Louise shouted into her phone in the ladies’ bathroom. The club was playing music too loud for her liking, but she had found a potential boyfriend nonetheless.

“Yeah, I can,” Tom replied as he sat his novel aside and swung his legs off the couch. “Where are you?”

“I’m at a club and I need your help,” she admitted, putting a palm to her forehead and hoping that Tom would be all right with her calling so late.

“It’s Tuesday, isn’t it?” he said, more stating than asking.

“I know, I’m desperate,” Louise sighed. She rolled her eyes at herself, wishing that it wasn’t so hard to find a decent man in London. “I was hoping you could help me decipher what this guy is signalling to me.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t figure out what he’s doing, if it’s more ‘let’s get to know each other’ or ‘let’s share a bed tonight’,” she began before inhaling to steady her nerves. “He seems into me; he keeps me talking and responds positively to everything I say about myself.”

“Okay, does he sound genuine?” Tom questioned.

“I can’t tell… He could just be a good actor,” Louise replied and Tom grinned, knowing that if he were there then he would be able to figure it out. “My problem is that despite my hints, he hasn’t given me his number.” Louise approached the mirror and started checking her make-up.

“Hmmm… Has he said much about himself?”

“Not really…” Louise trailed off as her eyes widened. “He’s not wanting a serious relationship is he?” Her voice had changed dramatically from its previous excited tone to a depressed one.

“Not at all,” Tom frowned, feeling sorry that she had wasted her time.

“All right. Thanks for your help. I could have made a complete fool of myself,” Louise said honestly although her frustration was coming though.

“Of course. No problem,” Tom said politely, wishing that he knew what to say to cheer her up. They said a quick goodbye and then hung up, Louise storming all the way home without saying goodbye to the player awaiting her at the bar.