It started with a polite knock on John's front door.
John stood from the couch and quickly checked his shirt, making sure it was sitting straight. He'd been tidying the house all morning and wanted to fit in with how good everything currently looked. He was wearing a long sleeved dark navy pullover, though the sleeves were rolled up and it was a little tight across his broad chest. He was also wearing tan pants, and he had a pair of thick socks on. It was a cold, blustery day, but the heating was keeping it warm inside. He was slightly taken aback at how his heart rate increased as he reached for the door handle.
Opening the door, John was met with the beaming smile of Jane, framed by her wildly windswept hair.
"Hello!" She said, greeting him warmly.
"Hello, come in, come in. How's the weather?" John asked in a joking tone as he ushered her out of the frigid wind.
"Oh this is just how I style my hair." Jane replied, not missing a beat with her retort. A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes.
Jane had shoulder length brown hair, pinned up in places but escaping in many others. She rolled her suitcase into the entranceway and slid off her carry-on backpack, placing them together near the door. The warm air washed over her, making her sigh deeply. She took off her heavy windbreaker jacket, and was wearing a long sleeved white woollen top underneath, with high waisted jeans that hugged her hips.
Not wanting to look too long at her toned figure, John looked up to her face. Her brown eyes met his green, and he thought he noticed her gaze moving up from him.
"Thank you so much for letting me stop by on a short notice, Danielle said she will pick me up later this afternoon." Jane said.
"It's no problem at all. Better than being outside in that."
"I'll say!"
John and Jane knew each other through a mutual friend, Danielle. Danielle was supposed to be spending the day with Jane before dropping her off at the airport, but had been called in to work for an emergency meeting. Luckily, John lived close by, both to Danielle and the train station where Jane had arrived. John was happy to help, and did not mind the chance to spend some time with Jane.
This was their first time one on one. They had met each other a handful of times at parties, which had been consistently pleasant and slightly flirtatious. Jane had enjoyed John's passion on specific topics and John appreciated her impeccable sense of humour. Both enjoyed the way that the other danced. The entranceway was not particularly spacious, and as Jane stepped away from her pile of possessions she found herself quite close to John. He was half a head taller than her, and they both gave an awkward smile.
"Uh, after you." John said, extending a hand towards the lounge room.
Jane tipped her head in mock formality and then stepped through. John's lounge room was a decent size. There was a table to the right, positioned under a large window, though the thick curtains were drawn shut to keep the heat in. To the left was the couch, TV, and a coffee table sitting on top of a thin, minimalist rug. There were a few bookshelves and small cupboards around the room as well. Some had an assortment of mementos and photos, and others had an eclectic selection of books. There were old textbooks, various novels, a few biographies and a handful of recipe books.
"This is a nice place." Jane said. She had an approving look on her face as she scanned the room.
"Thanks," John replied, "Can I get you anything to drink? The snack range isn't fantastic, but I think I have some biscuits or chocolate."
"Oh I had a good breakfast, thank you."
"No worries. Well, make yourself at home. Uh, take a seat wherever you want."
Jane looked back and forth between the table and the couch. She placed her hands on her hips and scrunched up her face in dramatic fashion. With an exaggerated sway she deliberated for several moments. John couldn't help the chuckle that came to his lips.
"The couch, I think. I don't want to be an imposition on you on such short notice." Jane said. As John started to protest she raised her hands to quiet him, already expecting it.
"Yes, I know. It's not an imposition and I'm fantastic company and all that. I just mean I'm happy to hang out, no pressure." Jane finished.
John softened his expression, some weight lifting from his shoulders. The tone of the room shifted as they moved past the formalities. Jane was glad to see him more comfortable. She appreciated the earnestness of it all, and marvelled at the way she just felt more relaxed around him. However, she did want to get to know him more.
They moved over to the couch and sat down, John on the left and Jane on the right. John handed her the remote after turning the TV on. Jane held it in her open hand for a moment. She looked at John with her eyebrows raised high.
"You trust me to decide?" She asked him.
"I suppose we'll see." John answered with a smirk.
Jane leaned forward, narrowing her eyes at the TV. She scrolled through John's recently watched list, analysing each title with intensity. Show after show went by, some drawing a small, thoughtful 'hmm', and others a head tilt. Either way, John found her inscrutable as she continued her interrogation.
"This..." Jane began, turning to John with a smile, "basically looks like my list at home."
"We both have great taste." John said, some excitement in his voice.
Jane nodded enthusiastically. She picked a show they'd both probably watched many times and sank back into the couch. She looked down and ran a hand across the sturdy brown material. It was plush but not too soft, and was clearly well made.
"Speaking of great taste, this is an excellent couch." Jane said.
"Thank you, I figured it would be getting a lot of use so I bought a quality one." John replied, matter of factly.
It was just like John to have such a reasonable thought process, and Jane couldn't help but agree. Still, she couldn't resist the opening he had given her.
