The Love Box Experiment

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO.

The hologram filled Paul's large computer screen as he sat back to review it. The early morning sun came through the studio windows to set down patterns on the pine wood floor. A mug of tea sat untouched on the desk next to him. The image on the screen moved in exactly the same way as the model from the agency. In fact it was nearly her. Her expressions and smile still looked stilted, caused by the transition from a vast number of photographs to a film of the model's face and head. 

The guys in America were working on the image lines to make them closer. His team were as excited as he was. He turned his attention to the voice technology and switched to a different keyboard. The second computer was programmed to trawl conversations on the internet, via YouTube as well as other vocal connections like advertisements. . . hundreds of them which Paul's software swept into a file. The programme had run for several days. It wasn't a surprise to him the speed at which the word count reached over a million, now saved on his data base.

'Okay,' murmured Paul, 'what happens when I do this?' He switched the word base into the saved conversation patterns. Thirty seconds later, the hologram could say anything from the million words stored, as if it were talking, in her own way. 'Wow,' he said to the screen, 'now I need to solve how to get the hologram to respond to my random questions.' He sighed with satisfaction. 

He thought about the chance meeting at the cafe. Katie was the one who intrigued him. She had something about her, something that her friends didn't quite have. Although Michelle had an overt sexual attraction he would feel trapped if he let anything develop with her. Rachel seemed the most sensible of the three but she had a boyfriend. Yet, it was Katie whom he spotted when he came into Costas, even from a distance of ten yards. Little things like her innocence, the way her face went a little pink whenever he looked directly into her eyes, the way her infectious laugh made Paul automatically smile . . . he couldn't help it.

And he couldn't help looking at her stored mobile number as he switched her into 'favourite contacts'. Nor could he stop himself thumbing in a text. 'Hi Katie. So good to meet you. Hope you haven't changed your mind to meet again. Paul.' By the time he put the kettle on to boil, his iPhone vibrated.

'Hi. Looking forward to it. Let me buy you coffee this time. Katie.'

'I'm buying and lunch afterwards. Ok for that, you and the others? P.' He secretly hoped Michelle and Rachel would not be joining them. Even though he had no intention of forming a close relationship, he knew himself better than anybody. He liked women, he liked their company; he liked the way they reacted to him; and he preferred them to men friends. But to get too close to any female was dangerous, as far as he was concerned.

'Mich is up for it. Where are we going for lunch? K.'

'Anywhere you like. You choose. You're in charge! P.' The fact remained, Paul knew his weakness, he liked girls, he liked sex, but he didn't like any commitment. 

'I'm in charge? Hmm. You decide. Just tell me what to wear. K'

Texting could cross the invisible line between normal conversation, and sexy comments, but although he felt in the mood he didn't want to risk ruining a friendship with Katie. He could so easily make some remark to her to suggest she wear something sexy. Paul held back and played safe. 'Whatever you wear will be perfect.'

An uncomfortable guilt settled on Paul. He knew he fancied Katie and would love to play mind games with her. But he was afraid to give a hint of how he felt. He wanted to see her again, by herself, to touch her, to . . . He stopped himself from letting his thoughts go any further.

          ***

Katie and Michelle strode across the street to Costa's.