“Oh, good. Morning. Can’t wait to see what today holds…” Nala sarcastically groaned to herself, turning on her side and reaching across her bed for her phone. 

Her morning routine started there. First, 30 to 40 minutes of absorbing today’s list of things to be unhappy about on social media. Then, a brisk shower, a brief brush of her teeth and a lie to herself that she’d pack her gym kit tomorrow instead as she got dressed for work.

A taxi ride today because she’d woken up too late for the train, but the driver was quiet and allowed her to focus on the conversation about nothing in particular happening in her headphones. 

At work, Nadia and Ariel excitedly hyped up their plans for the night. Nala had honestly forgotten, but a night out still sounded good all the same. 

The day progressed as normal. Meetings, phone calls and disagreements with the printer. Her friends, neither single but with no men on their arms tonight, made plans to live vicariously through Nala and ensure she didn’t leave the bar alone.

One touch-up of their makeup and the loan of Ariel’s spare dress later, the girls headed to a local bar, and they were on the prowl. Or Nadia and Ariel were, at least.

Propping up the bar and keeping a waiter close, Nala knocked back the drinks and rebuffed their attempts. 

“Finding love? Here?” She chuckled.

“You must be joking!” 

A man’s voice resonated with those same words behind her.

Alan turned from his friends and looked at Nala with a smile she quickly returned. As the pair blushed, Alan couldn’t help but think to himself, “Finding love? Here?”

With a call to the waiter, he got them both drinks. “I’m Alan,” he said. “Nala”, she responded,  clearly appreciating the attempt. 

After a while, Alan’s friends, Aidan and Leira, could be heard searching for him in the bar. But he and Nala were now outside, his hands wrapped around her dress and her makeup on his lips.

As they waited together, Nala buried deep in his arms; they shared stories of work. 

Alan talked of disagreements in his meetings and phone calls about printers and his friends' eager plans for the evening just passed.

The last train had long since departed, so Alan had called up a cab. The cost was a pity, but they appreciated the intimacy. The driver kept mercifully quiet as they talked endlessly to each other about nothing in particular. 

They were quick to get undressed, tossing their clothes on the floor with a lie that they’d be fine to wear tomorrow. They both quickly freshened up before 30 to 40 minutes of forgetting the rest of the world and enjoying the ecstasy of each other. 

Alan reached for his phone to silence his alarm. The bed shifted beneath him. Nala turned on her side and reached across her bed to embrace him.

“Oh, good morning. Can’t wait to see what today holds…” She said sincerely.