Clouded Emotions - Prequel - II

The meeting

Isabella enters the bar and spots Mario and Roberto sitting at a table in the corner. Her walk is confident. Many men and a few women turn to look at her figure as she settles onto a stool near the bar. She mentally reviews Mario's profile. He loves women's legs, especially if they're in the dominant position. She takes off her dark grey coat and places it between herself and the back of the chair. She crosses her legs.

He doesn't drink hard liquor and feels uncomfortable with women who order drinks that have a higher alcohol content than wine or beer, she recalls. “A glass of white wine, please,” she tells the bartender, who lingers a few seconds too long on her green eyes. As she waits for her order, she takes out her smartphone and starts chatting with a friend. He is attracted to women who act stand-offish: this sums up Mario's taste in women.

Roberto gives Mario a look, nodding towards Isabella. Mario glances over at the bar and sees her: black shoes with stratospheric heels, crossed legs, red dress, plunging neckline, angelic face, wavy hair with a dazzling sheen to it. Holy shit! Is that her? Suddenly agitated, he turns to Roberto: “Did you see her?” forgetting that his friend was the one who pointed her out.

“What a hottie! I saw her come in. It looks like she's waiting for someone.”

Mario can't take his eyes off of her, Isabella raises hers from her phone. The two men pretend to look elsewhere. She takes a sip of wine and goes back to chatting. The two go back to looking her up and down.

“I'm going in.” Mario announces. His friend has much more experience and confidence when it comes to picking up women, but this time around, he can't miss out on the chance to meet such an attractive woman.

“How are you going to approach her?” Roberto answers in an ironic tone, smirking provocatively. He's skeptical because he knows how shy his friend is. Meanwhile, Mario keeps staring at those towering heels.

Both the question and his friend's smirk dampen Mario's enthusiasm.

After lingering a while, studying their moves out of the corner of her eye, Isabella is able to confirm what she already knew: Mario has little confidence with women. The only way to get the right reaction is to put him under pressure, so she makes as if to put her coat back on and leave.

She's too pretty! I've got nothing to lose, I better make my move: “I'm going to try!” Mario says, springing into action.

Isabella smothers a satisfied grin: just like clockwork!

Mario is already halfway to the bar when he slows down his pace and starts looking around, hoping to identify a new and unexpected reason for his approach.

She finishes putting on her coat and reaches down to move the stool in order to make her way out. Mario understands that he's going to lose his last chance and decides to jump in, just as the woman expected. “Did someone stand you up? Or are they running late?” he asks, trying to break the ice.

“My friend's babysitter got sick at the last minute,” she responds, slightly annoyed, her eyes implying “What's it to you?” She knows that Mario, deep down, likes women who are slightly intimidating.

If you don't mind, I can keep you company, Mario wants to respond, but from his embarrassed smile he's only able to let out: “You didn't finish your wine yet! How about we chat a bit?”

He's really a disaster with women! she thinks. “And your friend?” she replies, nodding ironically towards Roberto, who seems to be undressing her with his eyes.

Mario glances at his coworker, who pretends not to notice and shifts his gaze towards the bottles displayed behind the bar. He turns back to Isabella, opens his mouth to say something but hesitates, his lips parted, his eyes darting searching for something intelligent to talk about. He ends up saying nothing.

She decides to help him out a little: “Okay! I'll stay just to finish my drink.”

The triumphant joy in Mario's heart overflows through the huge smile spreading across his face.

“That's a great model! It's the latest release from DataCom,” Mario remarks, indicating her smartphone. And as he says this the triumphant joy is replaced by a sad realization: I'm an idiot. She stays to drink and all I can talk about are cell phones!

To his great surprise, the woman of his dreams sitting in front of him responds enthusiastically: “It's revolutionary! Nothing like the earlier models. With this you can...”

From the myriad of information she's collected, Isabella knows how to charm him, given his obsession with technology. Just an hour later, Mario is ready to do anything in order to spend every moment of his life with this incredible woman.

Isabella takes one last glance at her smartphone, pretending she's checking the time: “No! How did it get so late? Sorry, I have to run!” She gives him a rushed smile and says goodbye.

Caught by surprise, Mario again thinks about what to say to keep her from getting away: Do you want me to come with you? Can I have your number? What's your name? But she's already out the door. He stays, staring at her, confused and completely at a loss.

Finally he unfreezes and runs outside. Too late: a taxi with Isabella's beautiful face inside passes right in front of him.

Five, four, seven, eight. He manages to take down the car number with his smartphone.

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