Campus Game

I suppose I should begin this by providing a quick background - I am in my early/mid-20's and am furthering my education in the field of medicine..in the Caribbean! How hot is that [literally and figuratively]? I'll go more into all that at a later time, but at this point, I simply want to put into context the fact that my "field" is not quite the typical club-style setting as is more common. Instead, I focus a lot more on trying to play the social-circle game and then using that social proof and pre-selection to DHV to others..and I find it quite helpful for me specifically, because I'm not the most high-energy guy, so it gives me constant opportunities to be as high-energy as I can push myself to be [both with guys and girls, but definitely more so with the girls ;-)]. This helps me be able to reach a higher level of energy to be my "normal" if I want to tap into it, which should then help me be able to increase even higher energy levels for when I'm out in a typical club-setting..

So here's the deal with today, and it'll be quick because I have to get to a review session soon: I worked out at the school gym and could feel this bartender chick eyeing me and hoping I'd look up at her, but I was too into my music at the time [and plus, there wasn't really much I'd be able to do - I was busting out on a cardio machine]. I go to get some food and spot this one chick [HBGottaBeMixed] sitting with a group of her girls. Quick background - me and HBGottaBeMixed are casual friends, meaning we see each other around and chit-chat [usually pretty flirtatiously], and I'd #-closed her a few weeks ago the 1st week of school. There was a bit of a potential problem because I ran into her last week with my visiting-girlfriend and had just said "hey" and kept moving [and the way she and her friends was staring at us, I knew this was going to need to be settled somehow the next time I saw her]. Interesting that I'd noted this, though, because it turned out to be exactly the case: I was waiting for my food when HBGottaBeMixed decides to come over from the other side of the cafeteria area [which is around the corner], just to come get a napkin or two [despite having passed the bathroom on her way, which'll have toilet paper and paper towels]. I decided to take this as an IOI, especially when she tapped me on the arm as she passed to get my attention [since I still had my headphones on and was watching the cricket match on TV]. She turns back towards me, and I start half-walking and half-dancing up to her, and she starts laughing and dancing with me. She stops, so I reward by taking off my headphones.

h - "Well, you can't hug me because I'm all sweaty, so we'll settle for a high-5"
HBGBM - "haha ok!"
h - "Nice"

We fluff talk for a minute [she tells me she's doing some work before her next class, I look shocked, and she tells me that she does do work and assignments and was even at the library earlier, to which I look at her even more in shock and ask her incredulously whether she even knows where the library is, and she laughs and tells me she'll take me there..as she grabs my hand (which I hadn't meant for her to grab, it was just out there when I threw them up in my "shock"), so I returned the IOI by holding her hand for a little bit..although I feel like I should've continued holding it a bit longer, I wanted to play it safe and released when I thought there was some uncomfort - but it might've been my own haa], and she starts to walk past me [might be due to my releasing her hand, again, further solidifying to me that it was my own discomfort that caused me to release it]. In my mind, I feel like I can see inside hers, and it's clearly written - "He's taken!" So I know that I need to deal with this now, and I start some random story over my shoulder [wanting to lead into my indirect explanation of the gf run-in] and then slowly open towards her. She stops automatically upon noticing my gradual opening up [still amazing how automatic girls are when it comes to body language!].

h - "Man, it was so crazy! You remember I was supposed to do work last week and get caught up? Well, things didn't really work out that way..haha"
HBGBM - "haha What happened?"
h - "Well, last week was .. well, 1st off, my birthday was last week and -"
HBGBM - "What?? It was your birthday? And you didn't even tell me?? See what happens? I couldn't do anything! I didn't even know!!"
h - "Yeah .. .. I'm not one to make a big deal out of my birthday"
HBGBM - "When was it??"
h - "Um..last Monday..? Yeah, Monday"
HBGBM - "Are you going out this weekend? ..Or did you go out that weekend? blahblahblah"
h - "Yeah, check it out - so my plan was to be working through my birthday weekend, right? Well, as it turns out, my ex-gf [note: NO emphasis whatsoever on "ex" because I don't want it to seem forced, very strong eye contact so as not to seem shifty/suspicious -> lying!] showed up to surprise me for my birthday!"
HBGBM - "Oh, that's cute!" [noticeable different tone in her voice, by the way]
h - "Yeah, so basically, I didn't get any work done, since she was here.."
HBGBM - "blahblah"
h - "I know, so me and her and my roommate and some friends just like chilled the whole weekend, and it was cool! I was just surprised that she showed up..it was cool of her because she knew I was stressed about school and stuff, and so she came to help me relax and chill"
HBGBM - "Yeah blahblah"
h - "So obviously now I'm behind in my work again..!"
HBGBM - "Yeah! blahblah"
h - "I spent all this week trying to catch up, especially because I've got this big quiz on Monday..but after that, I'm going to be good - depending on how the quiz goes!"
HBGBM - "haha yeah.."
h - "I like your gear, by the way.." [IOI for IOI]
HBGBM - "Thanks! I was blahblahblah"
h - "Although, I don't know about all this.."
HBGBM - "blahblah" [trying to qualify herself]
h - "mmhmm"
HBGBM - "Well, at least it got you attention, right?? So that's good!"
h - "I guess..but it could be good or bad.."
HBGBM - "But! It still got your attention, so..!" [trying harder to qualify herself]
h - "True .. but I just don't know .. is bad attention a good thing..?"
HBGBM - "blahblahblah"
h - "Well, it's cool, though - the makes up for it .. and the Indianesque earrings are a definite plus! ;-)" [bait]
HBGBM - "Well, of course! I wear these types all the time!" [hook - more qualification, amping up her "good" attributes, by my standards]
h - "Oh, really? You must be trying to impress someone .. " [build-up bait]
HBGBM - "Yes, totally! I'm definitely trying to impress someone.." [stronger hook]
h - "Oh, I see.. .. .. well, I still don't know about the gray and blue of the sweater with the yellow top and black skirt..!" [release]
HBGBM - "..really? But it's..blahblah..and yellow and blue..blahblah"
h - "Yeah..but the gray is really throwing off the blue and yellow..and then, with the black.. "
HBGBM - "Well, black is like a universal buffer..so, it's not supposed to be in the equation, so.." [or some shit like this..?? At this point, I know she's definitely qualifying her outfit to meet my approval, and so I decide the effort definitely gets the IOIs]
h - "Ah .. so you want me to picture you without your skirt on .. ?"
HBGBM - "If you want to .. sure! .. blahblah"
h - "Whoa, whoa - get your mind out of the gutter! I'm not making making any comments like that! Sheesh!"
HBGBM - "Mine's not in the gutter!"
h - "mhmm..;-)"

At this point, one of the cafeteria ladies interrupts to get me my food, so HBGBM starts saying some random shit about being good luck for me [in reference to my earlier statement about having bad luck waiting on food waay too long], so I tease for a minute, she tries to earn an IOI from me, so finally I grant her one: "That's true, I'm so glad that you helped..I owe you for that, otherwise who knows what I would've done or what could've happened to me waiting.." [again, for her effort: "See, you didn't starve to death since I was here to keep you company!"]

h - "By the way, you know you owe me a birthday hug, kiss, and a birthday gift.."
HBGBM - "Oh, definitely!! I'll get you all that, and then one!"
h - "Ok, good .. because the interest is accruing.."
HBGBM - "haha oh man! That's ok, I'll make up for all of it and still get you some on top of that!"
h - "Sounds good..now go study!"
HBGBM - "Ok, I'll talk to you later!"

As I'm headed out, I catch a new cafeteria employee [female, of course..Hrithik don't swing that way!] staring at me, and I don't think she even realized that she was smiling at me [since I'd displayed social proof/pre-selection with HBGBM] because I smiled as I walked past, and she didn't react but just kept the smile on her face and her eyes locked on me..

Well, I'm out to the review session, but I'll be back..
~h