Love on the Screen

Chapter 2

Dragging myself into The Life Center where I work, I feel as if I need a break. Having close to a hundred hours banked in vacation time I make a mental note to request the time off. Maybe... I don't know who I would go with, as my friends are all dating or engaged. No, I'll save them for a rainy day when I might need them. Clocking in, I glance at the white erase board in the wing that I work. I notice that last night they moved one of the residents to the hospice section and my heart constricts with worry.

It's one of the downfalls of my job and I'd have to say, the worse one. Day after day, year after year, you get attached to the residents. They all become some form of your extended family whether you like it or not. I push it to the back of my brain with everything else and grab a few charts to make my rounds. Today's chore is to keep busy and not critique every move I make.

The day seemed to drag along like nails down a chalkboard. The entire day was beyond grueling. Patients were cranky and it seemed as if they all needed something at once; then nothing for the rest of the day.

Happy to finally be at home, I start getting ready for dinner with Jeannette, Marie, and Tiffany. Scurrying around to get myself wrapped up, I toss some food into Gizmo's dish and head off to the local bar. It's cozy and a drink is the perfect way to end the week.

I notice right away that they've all beaten me here as I head over and slide into the booth. "Hey, ladies," I say.

"You're chipper," Tiffany responds as the other two look at each other in a weird way.

"What's going on? You're all acting strange."

"Just tell her, Jeannette," Marie instructs and I turn to look in her direction. I'm quite positive confusion is written across my face.

"Can I have a glass of wine or a beer first, something before you all start?" I whimper.

"It's coming and don't worry, we have this marvelous idea."

"No, you three don't. I'm staying single and that's final," I say with a little more oomph.

"Just hear us out. We heard about this cool new site that's increasing in popularity," Tiffany explains as if she's trying to talk herself into this incredible idea.

I grab my glass of Pinot Grigio and take an enormous gulp. Something tells me I'll need it for this conversation. As I set the glass back down on the wood table, I wave my hand in their direction for them to carry on.

"So, you've heard of speed dating, right?" Tiffany asks and I nod my head. I already don't like where this is heading. She continues, "Well, it's like that but you do it online. In a way it saves you from the first date disaster. From what we've Googled, you sign up, and it matches you with people that meet your demands. You chat, then when you're both ready, you turn the webcam on. Or, you sign into a group forum and speed date. Each of you will get a private online room and if you don't like the person on the other side, you click next. You get the general idea."

Silence overtakes the table as I look between them all. Clearly they have lost their minds. Shaking my head, I finally look up again towards them and say, "I am so not doing that. Are you serious? Online camera chats, really?"

"What's the worst that could happen? Some dude pops up on the screen with a giant penis?" Jeannette says.

"Yes, that or the guy is a mass murderer," I respond.

"You take that risk already. We have the dating map and can adjust it to fit this," Maria offers.

"No... You three have fallen off your rockers and are trying to get me killed. I refuse to do it."

"Too late, we signed you up on the way here," Tiffany pipes up and it earns all of our heads to turn her way.

"What?" we all ask in unison.

"I was bored on the drive over, so I created a general account. When Amalia gets home she can finish the rest of the questions."

"I'm not even sure I want to ask what my username is. How could you guys allow her to do this?"

"Oh no, you don't get to blame me, I was driving," says Jeannette as Maria looks to still be in a state of shock.

Pushing a piece of notebook paper towards me, Tiffany goes to explain, "Username is HOT27Ridge and your password is Gizmo."

"HOT27Ridge?" I squeal.

"It was fitting, what can I say? They say to just type the first thing that pops into your head and that was it."

"I am so not talking to you ever again. How could you? Please tell me you didn't put any private information on it? Oh My God... Did you upload a picture?"

A smile spreads across her face as she looks up and says, "Of course I put an image on it."

"Which one did you use?" I grit out between my teeth.

"Oh, you remember that one from Halloween last year when you were a sexy kitten? The one with us all together and you had the tail between your teeth, but of course, I cropped us out of it."

I can't even respond as I reach for my purse and open up the internet on the screen of my phone. I search for this site and type in my username and password. Frantically, I wait for it to load and say, "I can't believe out of all the ones you have on that phone of yours that's the one you used."

"Oh, you can't change it. Once you upload a profile picture, it's stuck."

"I might kill you. Are any of you going to say something?" I ask as I look at Jeannette and Marie who still adorn the dumbfound looks on their faces.

"I'm going home to get this taken down."

"Don't be mad and go," Tiffany whines, giving me a sad pouty face.

"Not going to work. I've been stood up for not putting out on the first date, offered a threesome, and have met every weird person in the United States. For some odd reason, you think it's cute to put me as a sex kitten on some new speed dating thing."

"Lower your voice, no need to yell at me. We just want you happy and to find your soul mate."

Standing, I toss down some cash for my glass of wine and look at my three friends and respond, "I've done speed dating and it sucks. Soul mates do not exist. They're something you read about as a child and it's imprinted into your brain. What they forgot to tell us is that all men are pigs and the prospect of love sucks," I finish as I turn and stomp away.

Cranking my car I speed out of the lot and head home. I'm furious that Tiffany did this to me. She's been with the same guy right out of college and has no idea about the inner-workings of dating these days.

This big old world is full of men that have nothing to interest me. I'm not moving anytime soon, so that right there leaves me an even smaller pool of guys. Now, after a long week, I've got to go home and figure out how to remove my profile from this new-fangled dating site.

Just as I enter the house, I hear the triple beep from my phone alerting me to an incoming text.

Tiffany: At least look at the thing, please?

Tossing the phone down on the coffee table I go to search for my pajamas and duct tape. Comfortable, I open the computer and slap a piece of tape on my camera. I'm not taking any chances, I mean, anyone could hack into my screen and spy on me as I surf the site.

Love on the Screen is complete and if you'd like to read more, please visit my website; http://amwillard.com/books/love-screen/