Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dani : Thank you ! Thatsnot how you spell Dani. Is Danithaq even a name ?
A guy in a plaid shirt over by the milk and sweeteners flashes you a smile. Commented [HN1]: Tot ming ci
Evan : They never spell my name right either. Im Evan. Or Effin, according to my coffee cup.
Dani : Im Dani.
Evan : So, Dani, do you take sugar in your coffee ? Because Im pretty sure youre sweet enough as
it is.
Dani : You think Im sweet, huh ? Youre gonna need a better line than that. Wanna try again ?
Evan : Uhokay, how bout this ? I like my women how I like my coffee. Hot and from Seattle ?
Evan : I know, I know, but I already used my one good line, and you put me on the spot. What are
you, an expert on flirting ?
Dani : Its kinda my job, soyeah. Its my first day at Clicktl. You know, viral posts, life hacks,
listicles ?
Evan : Ive heard of it. 20 Things Only 90s Kids Will Understand That kinda stuff ?
Dani : Exactly. Im the newest writer for their love and dating section.
Dani : Honestly ? Im still talking to you, arent I ? Thats usually the first indication that youre
doing alright. You were confident, but not creepy. Your body language was open, but not aggressive.
With just the right amount of eye contact before approaching. And you used a pick up line, which
can come off as unoriginal, or even fake. You should be yourself.
Dani : Kidding ! Youve done well enough that if you gave me your number, I wouldnt immediately
delete it. I might even let you show me around the city sometime
You exchange numbers with Evan, who smiles the whole time.
Evan : Wow, you really are good at this. How is someone like you still single ?
Dani : Im single because Im waiting for true love. Dating is fun, dont get me wrong, but Im still
looking for the real thing.
Evan : Im sure youll find it. It might be closer than you think
Dani : Maybe
Evan : Any chance youre walking my way ? Im headed to the Zamble offices.
Dani : Cushy tech job, huh ? Im actually heading the other way. Cant be late for my first day on the Commented [HN2]: Nhn h
job !
You walk into the Clicklt office for the first time
Martin : You must be Dani. Im Martin, editor-in-chef here at Clicklt. This way. Were about to start
our daily stand-up.
Martin : I dont know how they do things on the East Coast, but out here, we host a meeting each
morning so all the writers can sync up.
Martin leads you to a brightly decorated lounge area where several men are already sitting on bean
bag chairs.
Dani : This place looks like something out of Architectural Digest. Open spaces, modern dcor
Everything is so hip and chic
You try to settle onto a bean bagbut immediately sink deeply into the plush !
TJ : A chick on the staff for one minute, and already shes sucking up. Typical woman. Total buzzkill. Commented [HN3]: ph m
Dani : Excuse me ?
Felix : Hey, TJ, can you turn down the douche ? She just got here Commented [HN4]: Nghi vn, thng h
Martin : Behave now, boys. Everyone, meet our newest Clicker, Dani. Shes the head of the new
LoveHacks page. Shell be our resident expert in all things fashion and romance.
Martin : Dani knows what shes doing. Her personal blog post, The Worst Date Ever, went legit viral Commented [HN5]: Hp php
! Two million likes, five hundred thousand shares, and more retweets than Kendall Jenners latest
selfie. And Im sure she has plenty more ideas up her sleeve !
Dani : Oh, right ! Actually, Im glad you brought that up, Martin, because Ive done a lot of
brainstorming lately Hows this for a headline ? Not Just Sex : How to Bring Love Back Into the
Bedroom.
TJ : Oh, yeah, cause thats what were selling the bad part of relationships.
TJ : Get in touch with your emotions and be a total loser. Please. Any reader who tries to pull
that stuff on a guy will get dumped in a heartbeat.
TJ : But if you insist on catering to the touchy-feely audience, you gotta at least make it snappy. Commented [HN6]: Khng khng
Something likeFive Ways to Replace Your BF With a Body Pillow ! That sorta thing. Commented [HN7]: Phc v cho
Commented [HN8]: Gii by tm s
Dani : Thatsthats actually not bad. Commented [HN9]: Nhanh ln
TJ : You know, Id happy to help you with some field research, if you want. Teach you a thing or two
about love.
Martin : Field research ! Thats a great idea ! Dani can go on dates and write The 10 Guys You Date
in Your Twenties ! What do you think ?
Soon after, you settle into your new workspace, a desk clustered together with others in the big, Commented [HN10]: Tm li
open space of the Clicklt office. Suddenly, a kind face leans into view from the workspace next to
you.
Felix : Hey ! Im Felix. Looks like were desk-neighbors. Sorry about TJ back there. He can be a jerk
sometimes. And by that I mean all the time.
Dani : I know the type. How and why do people put up with him ?
Felix : Despite being a human poop emoji, hes actually one of the most clicked writers on our site
and hes Martins favorite.
Dani : Thats not fair...But Im not worried. Ill be the top writer in no time. Im coming for that tap
spot. And theres no way a jerk like that is stopping me.
Felix : Hey, more power to ya, girlfriend !... I immediately regret calling you girlfriend. Lets
pretend I didnt.
Isabel : Felix, did you eat all our horseradish for your stupid video ?
Felix : Isabel ! Yes, I , uh, did! But I also got Horseradish Challenge Fail trending!
And the doctor says my sinuses will heal in no time.
Isabel : Its Dani, right ? Im Isabel. Dont let Felix rope you into any of his videos, especially
anything that involves wasabi.
Isabel turns and walks away, and you notice Felix watching as she leaves.
Dani : Oh, come on. This is my area of expertise. Did you think I wouldnt be able to tell?
Felix : Alright, fine, yes But its not my dating life we should be discussing. What are you gonna do
for your first date ?
Felix : Theres no one in town you could call up ? Word is youre originally from the Bay, right ?
Mark Collins is walking down a bustling San Francisco street on his way to the Muni bus station.
Mark : There is not enough caffeine in the world for me right now.
He finishes his energy drink before tossing the empty can into a bin. His roommate, Cole, looks up
from his phone.
Mark : I didnt sleep well last night. Ive got a lot on my mind.
Cole : Wait...Is this because your college friend is back in town ? The one who got away?
Cole : Riiight. You only talk about her all the time. And not in the have you seen the latest episode
of The Walking Dead way. In the Dear Diary, I love her sooooo much kinda way.
Mark : I cant help it if we were close. We had some good times together.
Cole : How good were these good times? Like sock-on-the-doorknob good?
Mark : On the doorknob, on the shower handle, on the picnic table in the campus rose garden
Cole : I dont know, maybe you were more adventurous before we met
Mark : Fine. You wanna know the truth ? The real, one hundred percent truth?
Mark : The truth is I dont always know how I feel. Youre always so sure of yourself. Sometimes it
takes me years to even figure out if I like a girl. All I know is that she means a lot to me. And her
coming back is big.
Cole : Should we hug? I feel like we should hug.
Cole : Anyway, you should call her up. Invite her to The Double Tap for drinks. Meet the gang.
Cole : Whatever you say, man. But shes probably wondering about you as we speak
Felix : Its complicated. Say no more. In that case, cant you just go to a bar or something and get
a guys number? Youre an expert, right?
Dani : Oh! ActuallyI picked up a phone number at the coffee shop before work!
Later, you and Felix go to a small boutique just off Market street.
Dani : Thanks for coming with me to pick out an outfit for my date tonight! I didnt think youd want
to go shopping.
Felix : Hey, Im helping you with research. Any time I can get out of the office can still get paid,
Im down. So, wheres Evan taking you tonight?
Felix : Mystique? Seriously?! That club is impossible to get into! Rumor has it the VIP lounge has an
ice luge for vodka shots and its own taco bar! And last year, DJ Khaled played!
Felix: No, Im more of a Lumineers guybut I recognize how big DJ Khaled is. Mystique is very
exclusive, but you never know who youll run into there
Just then, a little black dress catches your eye. You run your fingers over the bright sequins.
Felix: Wow. If you wear that dress, Evan will fail all over himself trying to impress you.
Dani: I definitely have to try this on! So? What do you think?
Felix: Iuhw-wow. Youre gonna make Evans head explode in that dress!
Dani: Im not sure thats exactly what Im looking for, but Ill take the compliment. Im ready for my
first big date in San Francisco!
Later, youre waiting outside when Evan pulls up in a sleek white sports car.
Vrrrroooom.
Evan gets out of the car to hold the door open for you. You get in the sports car.
Evan: You lookstunning. Im feeling a little outclassed here. Guess Ill have to make it up to you
Soon the two if you are cruising through the streets of San Francisco
Dani: I know we just met this morning, but we had such a strong connection, I couldnt resist calling.
Soon, Evan pulls up to the valet station outside Mystique. He opens the door for you, then offers
you his hand.
You survey a crowd, all in the typical outfits of a Silicon Valley tech worker.
Dani: Whoa. Its like a sea of plaid button-up shirts out here.
Evan: Yeah, a lot of the guys probably came directly from work. Not all of them are lucky enough to
have a beautiful date tonight.
Evan: You could say that. Zamble rented the whole place out for the night.
Dani: Really? You brought me to a work party?! For our first date?
Evan: I just, uh, couldnt wait to see you again! And I had to come here tonight, so I thought, you
know, two birds? Plus, Zamble parties are always epic. Trust me, when we get inside, you wont
believe its a work party.
Dani: Fine. But just FYI, next time, you should really tell a girl beforehand. No one likes to be
blindsided.
Evan leads you toward the front entrance. As you pass a large group, he leans close and whispers in
your ear
Evan: You know, Im pretty sure every guy here is insanely jealous of me right now.
Evan: Because Im here with you, and you look amazing in that dress.
Inside the club, you can feel the music pulsing through your body
Before Evan can respond, one of the club staff ushers the two of you toward the VIP section.
Evan: You must be impressing someone. I never get the VIP treatment.
Dani: It must be the dress. Oh my God, theres actually a taco bar. I thought Felix was joking.
Evan: Mystique has all sorts of surprises. Now lets get you something to drink.
Evan: Usually, I am. But tonight is not a usual night. Plus, Im in the mood for something sweet.
A few minutes later, a waiter comes by with your drinks. You take a long sip
Dani: Absolutely.
Evan leads you out onto the dance floorYou step closer to Evan, wrapping your arms around his
neck. He puts his hands on your hips as you sway them back and forth
You spin in his arms, then dance with your back pressed against Evans chest. He matches your
moves beat for beat. Suddenly, you hear a familiar voice calling your name.
The crowd parts, and a handsome guy you havent seen in years steps into the light.
Mark: Dani?
Dani: Mark?!
You step closer to Mark, putting a hand on his arm to steady yourself, and give him a peck on the
cheek.
Evan: Ahem.
Dani: Oh, sorry, Evan. This is Mark, one of my good friends from college.
Mark: Wow. You lookwow. New York was good to you, huh?
Dani: More than good. But I have to admit, I missed the Bay.
Dani: Well, no, of course not. I also missed the weather. Sohow do you two know each other?
Mark: We worked on the same product team last year. We shared a desk pod and everything.
Evan: Until Mark decided he was too good for us. Isnt that right, Mark?
Dani: Sounds like they had to make a tough choice between you two.
Evan: Thanks.
Evan heads toward the bar, leaving you and Mark alone.
Mark: So. Youve been in the city for a few days already and didnt call me, but you called Evan.
Whats the deal, New York?
Dani: ActuallyIm pretty sure the phone works both ways. You couldve called me.
Mark: I was hoping you wouldnt point that outbut I guess I shouldve known better. Seriously
though. Its good to see you again, Dani.
Dani: Mark
Just then, Evan calls your name from the other side of the club.
Dani: What do you say? You wanna play some beer pong?
You and Mark make your way through the crowd to Evan.
Dani: Mark and I will take on Evan! Itll be just like the good ole days.
Evan: I hope youre ready to lose.
Mark: What do you think we did in the good ole days? We got last place in every tourney we
entered.
Evan grumbles but starts to set up the cups on his side of the table. Before long, the game of beer
pong is in full swing, and its Evans turn to shootEvan is about to throw the ball when you step into
his line of sight
Evan: Huh?
Mark: What?!
Evans throw is off the mark, landing harmlessly beyond the table
Evan: No fair.
The game continues until each team has only one cup leftIts your turn. You pick up the ball to
throw
After the game, the three of you are resetting the table when one on the ping pong balls gets away
from you.
You and Mark watch as Evan chases the ball through the club.
Mark: SoEvans anintense guy, huh?
Evan: You will not believe what just happened! The VP of Marketing wants to partner up with me for
the pong tourney! Its starting right now. We could go all the way! Sorry Dani, dates come and go,
but this is a huge networking opportunity for me. Ill give you a call some other time. You
understand, right?
Dani: Oh, I understandThat youre ditching me on our date. But honestly? Im not even surprised
at this point.
Evan: But I
Mark: Dani, wait up! Sorry about Evan. Hes kind of a hothead, and hes pretty touchy when it comes
to the job.
Mark: I know your dates over, but the night doesnt have to end.
Mark: Im meeting some of my friends at The Double Tap later. You should come! Come onitll be
like old times! Well pick up where we left off!
Mark: You know what I mean. After college you kinda packed up and flew away all of a sudden
Mark: I know, I know. New York was the right move for you. But now youre back, and youve got a
chance to reconnect withSan Francisco. We gotta start somewhere, right? Come have a drink with
me, Dani.
Dani: Alright. Lets do it. But you know youre buying ,right?
You follow Mark inside The Double Tap toward the booths along the far wall
Mark: Hey guys. This is Dani, my friend from college. Dani, this is
Mark: Brooke. As you can see, she is incurably friendly. Or just Midwestern. Were not sure.
Brooke: Ha ha, good one! I can already tell were gonna be best friends by the end of the night!
Horatio! We need drinks for Mark and Dani over here!
Brooke pulls you into another hug, and the woman on the other side of the booth rolls her eyes.
Sereena: Brooke, we talked about personal space. For strangers and roommates. Sorry, Dani.
Brookes a personal trainer and prone to excessive peppiness. I havent found an off-switch yet.
Brooke: Dani, this is my roomie Sereena! Shes very angry on Twitter and in public, but at home shes
a sweetheart.
Sereena: I am not a sweetheart! Thats just another infantilizing label imposed on women by the
patriarchy!
Sereena: Thathas nothing to do with the Revolution! Leave my cocoa out if this!
Sereena: Yeah, when the landlords not gutting us with rent increases. Youre gonna hae to find
another roommate soon.
Brooke: I just had like, the best idea ever. You should take Sereenas room!
Sereena: Brooke! You cant just ask a stranger to move in with you.
Brooke: Shes not a stranger! Shes Marks friend, which means shes our friend.
Dani: Uh, Im actually crashing with family right now. Ill have to, uh, you know, think about it.
Horatio: Here you go, the last drinks of my shift. Pilsner for Mark and The Bayshore Welcome for
Dani.
You go to take a sip of the drink, but stop when you catch Horatios expression.
Horatio: You cant just drink it! You have to savor it.
Horatio: The Bayshore Welcome is a Double Tap specialtyOne part coconut rum, one part
cranberry juice, muddled with organic raspberries and then spritzed with a homemade elderflower
tincture You have to breathe in the drink before bringing it to your lips After all, digestion
begins with your sense of smell.
With Horatio eagerly looking on, you follow his suggestions before taking your first sip.
Horatio: Where else goes a romantic, but toward the pursuit of passion?
After clinking glasses with the guy, Cole makes his way back to the booth.
Cole: Olivia? She broke it off a couple days ago. I guess she couldnt handle our differences. After
all, Im a young, successful entrepreneur launching a new app every quarter, and she
Cole: Flirting is like a weapon. If you dont use it, your blade gets dull.
Dani: Cole may be wrong about that, but he has a point about flirting. Practice makes perfect.
Cole locks eyes with you. He smirks and offers you his hand.
Cole: Well, well, well. Who is this lovely woman in the gorgeous dress, and why havent we met yet?
Mark: Cole
Cole: What? Im not going to pretend like I dont notice how beautiful she is.
Cole gives Mark a sideways glance, but Mark focuses on taking a long sip of his beer.
Cole: Thats how we got our motto What happens in Red Herring stays in Red Herring.
Dani: Well ! Youre on! Im always down to learn a new drinking game. You guys are going down!
Sereena: Also, I dont think you can tell people not to be cocky, Cole.
The gang relocates to the bar, and Horatio starts pouring drinks.
Mark: Shotgun that baby, and well explain the rest of the rules as we go, dont worry.
You grab your keys from your purse and puncture the can in the side. Then you lift the beer to your
lips and You pop open the tab and drink the cool beer as it guzzles out the side of the can.
As the game continues, the rules become more and more complex
Horatio: As the current Bottle Master, Cole chooses the next challenge!
Cole: Buckle up, my little lambs. I choose a round of Never Have I Ever
Cole: Hush. Now, where was I ? Oh, yeah. Never have I everhooked up in a public place!
Cole: Exhibitionism isnt one of them! Now, drink up, you deviants!
Brooke takes a long draw of beer, followed by Horatio. Sereena, Mark, and Cole dont move toward
their drinks.
Mark: In the bedroom, right where I like it. What about you, Dani?
Dani: Have I ever hooked up in public? Ha! Definitely not. If a guy cant be bothered to take me
somewhere private, then I cant be bothered with him.
Sereena: I admire a woman whos not afraid to speak her mind, Dani. Most people are full of bull
At the sound of the word, everyone scrambles to put their hands to their heads, making gestures
with their fingersYou quickly make bull horns with your fingers. Mark raises his hands last.
Cole: You know the rules. The last one in the pack gets trampled.
Mark: One, cattle run in herds. Two, why would the last one be trampled? Hed be behind the herd
Dani: Ha! I finished the Emperors Cup! That means Im the Red Herring!
Horatio: Per the ancient rules, the Red Herring must draw from the Happy Ending Deck.
Horatio shuffles the deck of playing cards and fans them out for you to draw one
Cole: How very, very interesting. Mark, what does the Jack of Hearts mean?
Mark: It, uhmeans the Red Herring has to kiss a player of their choice.
Dani: Seriously?
Sereena: Oh yeah. Its obviously a rule devised by a man, but in a way I find the options empowering,
in a day and age when
You look around the table at your friends old and new
Mark grins at you as you walk up to him. You put your hands on either side of his face as his arms
wrap around your waist. You kiss him gently, sweetlyand after a moment, you pull back.
Cole: Okay, lovebirds. Get a room, or be prepared to change your answer on that Never Have I Ever.
Cole: Definitely.
You chuckle as you head back to your stool. Just then, Marks phone vibrates
Cole: I was wondering when She Who Must Not Be Named would textIts been almost a whole
hour without contact.
Mark: I really wish you would stop calling my girlfriend that. At least to her face.
Mark heads out the door. As soon as hes gone, you turn to the others.
Dani: No idea
Sereena: To be fair, we never brought up the topic. Probably because we all hate her. Im just being
honest.
You look around the table, making eye contact with each friend.
Horatio: Shesintense.
Cole: You means shes the worst. And she brings out the worst in Mark.
Dani: Well, she cant be as bad as the awful girl he dated in college. Her name was Amy. It was
terrible!
Amy: Ahem.
Dani: Amy! No! You misunderstood I said WAFFLE girl ! You know? Cause you ate all those
waffles?
Cole and Sereena stifle laughs while Brooke shoots you a sympathetic glance.
Horatio: Its fine, Brooke. Mixology is my craft, and Im happy to share it with a friendOf a
friend.
Horatio grabs a bottle of vermouth and a bottle of blended whiskey, but before he can pour a single
drop, Amy interrupts.
Amy: Actually, a real Manhattan would use rye whiskey. Its not before-it-was-cool cool, but you
cant go wrong with a classic, right?
Horatio: Right, but I just found this spirit from a great little distillery in San Ramon. It lends itself
well to the
Amy: You know what? I can just make it myself. I have particular tastes.
Dani: Guys, waitHoratio, just humor her this once. Im sure one drink wouldnt hurt.
Amy starts rummaging through the bottle behind the counter. Cole leans over and whispers to you
After mixing her drink to her liking, Amy returns to the proper side of the counter and sits in
Marks lap.
Amy: So Sereena, hows school going? Have you figured out what you want to do?
Sereena: Im a grad student, Amy, not some undeclared freshman. Getting my masters degree is
what I wanna do.
Amy: Well, youre young. Youve still got time to figure things out! And when you want to decide on
an actual career, you should really consider law. I could put in a word for you at my firm.
Amy: Oh, and did you ever give Carol a call? You two would be so cute together.
Sereena: Much as I appreciate your meddling in my love life, shes not my type.
Sereena: You mean we both like girls? My type isnt just lesbian, you know.
Brooke: Im sure Amys just trying to helpin her own, misguided way
Amy: Thats right, Sereena! Its a good thing you have someone as motherly as Brooke looking out
for you.
Cole: Trust me, you dont want to go there. You might as well wrap Brooke in a shawl and call her
granny.
Mark tries to extricate himself from Amys embrace, but she presses closer to him.
Mark lowers his voice, but you can still hear every word
Mark: Amy, come one, we talked about this. Lets not do this here in front of my friends.
Amy: No, lets. After all, our fights are always about you picking your friends over me ! I guess I
shouldnt be surprised now that shes back.
Dani: You think Mark is choosing us over you ? Thats not true ! Youre just overreacting.
Dani: I dont know how to respond to that. Just telling the truth. Someone has to.
Cole: Id be lying if I said this wasnt kind of exciting
Amy turns on her heel and walks away without a backward glance.
Mark: Its fine. Its justwith all this drama, Im having flashbacks of college. And its not the good,
drunken kind of flashbacks. I just need to go clear my head. Ill catch up to you guys another time,
yeah?
Horatio: Another rerun of the Mark and Amy Show, guest starring Dani.
Sereena: If you enjoyed that, be sure to stop by next week for another showing, some time, some
place.
Cole: Normally, Id say let him go. But tonight is different. Tonight, hes enteringPattern Three.
Cole: Marks a creature of routine. Ive lived with him for a long time. I know every single one of his
idiosyncratic habits, whether I want to or not. Ive cataloged no less than nine of these patterns.
Pattern Three is when Mark goes off on long bouts of introspection and soul-searching. If left
unchecked, it can last for weeks!
Dani: OhmygodYoure right ! He DOES do that. Ive never been able to put it into words, but youre
so right!
Cole: That sensation youre feeling right now? Better get used to it.
Brooke: Hard to say. Hes probably roaming the city. Last time he was like this, he ended up visiting
the sea lions at Pier 39seven days in a row
Cole: Dont worry. I know just where to start the search
Cole leads his friends down the street to the 404 Lounge
Cole: Guys, this is one of Mark and Amys favorite date spots! Of course, most nights its and indie
rock venue
Cole pushes open the doors. Bright, pulsing lights and thumping Latin music assail him as he surveys
the packed dance floor.
Cole:But I guess theyve started hosting Latin music nights. Not that Im complaining.
Cole: Youre right. I should canvass the dance floor and ask if these hot people have seen him.
As Dani begins to protest, Cole saunters away into the crowd. He makes eye contact with a well-
dressed man, who flashes him a small smile as he dance up to him.
Cole: Ive got a sixth sense for this sort of thing. Im looking for a man
Cole: Always. But in this instance, Im actually just looking for my roommate, Mark. White guy, plaid
shirt, techie type?
Guy with nice hair: Sweetie, this is San Francisco. You cant swing your arms without bumping into a
white techie.
Guy with nice hair: Full disclosure? Im married to my job. But if youre ever looking for a man in
L.A., give me a call. Im great with missing persons.
Brooke: Also, Ive been hit on by nine different creepy guys. I think they smell my fear.
Horatio leads the way toward a quaint taqueria in the heart of San Francisco.
Horatio: All roads lead to El Grullense Taqueria. Trust me everyone, these tacos are worth the wait.
Horatio: Dani, Ive been meaning to ask you somethingWhy is Amy so hostile toward you?
Dani: She wasnt always. I actually met her before I knew Mark. We had a class together freshman
year. She was fine then. But all of sudden, I was best friends with her boyfriend, and I guess shes
been jealous ever since.
Dani: Yeah. Shes not exactly my favorite person. Waitwere you asking if the hostility is mutual?
Or the jealously?
Dani: Hey, why would Mark come here anyway? Is this his favorite restaurant or something?
Horatio: Oh, I never said Mark would be here. I just said I know where should go next. This place
has the best al pastor in the city!
Dani: Horatio!
Horatio: Okay. But consider this Im just really hungry. How can we search with bodies and souls
unnourished?
Cole: The man has a point. And this place is highly rated on both GrubFan and Foodle.
Sereena: Im not sure I want to support the tech industrys evaluation of local business -- Oh no
wait, they have tofu tacos! Nevermind, Im on Team Food now.
Brooke: We do!
Sereena opens the door to your apartment, letting her friends in.
Sereena: We gave Mark an extra key so he could water my bonsai plant when I went to Burning Man.
And now, he comes by to crash whenever Cole is havingguests over.
Brooke: Thats the ickiest way you could have phrased that.
As the others file past her and into the apartment, Brooke pulls her aside.
Brooke: So the plan is clear right? As we look for Mark, we make sure Dani sees how great this
apartment is
Sereena: Then boom! She takes my room, and Im free to move out!
Sereena: Really? Thats oddI would think this was a natural choice, since its so conveniently close
to all public transportation lines.
Dani: YeahWeird?
Sereena: Maybe you should look over here inside one of our hella big walk-in closets ?
Dani: Okay, thats enough. Sereena, I know you want me to move in, but this wont Holy crap, this is
a big closet! You could fit a small boutique in here!
Sereena: Yeah. I once sublet it to an undergrad for a month. Brooke never even knew!
Brooke: WaitWhat?
Dani: Okay, this conversation is worth revisitingbut after we find Mark! Does anyone know where
else he might have gone?
Cole: Wellyouve seen our suggestions. At this point, you might have the best idea, Dani.
Dani leads the way to the top of Twin Peaks. She pauses, taking in the view
She points to an isolated bench at the end of a walkwayand find Mark sitting, looking wistfully
over the city!
Dani: Back in college, its where hed sneak off to write in his poetry journal.
Dani: You did not hear that from me. Anyway, can I talk to him on my own first?
Mark doesnt look up as she approach. He takes a swig of his flask, then wordlessly offers it to you.
She takes a sip of the whiskey as she sits down next to him.
Dani: I can see why you like this spot so much. Its beautiful.
Dani: Hey, Im sorry about earlier, Mark. I wasnt trying to upset Amy, and I feel like your fight was
kinda my fault
Mark: Its okay. And its not your fault. These issues with Amy have come up before, even when you
were in NYC. Itll be find once I go apologize.
Dani: WellMaybe she needs more than space. Friends are part of the relationship package. You
guys have been together for years, and she still doesnt get along with your closest friends. Doesnt
that say something?
Dani: Sure, but youre always the one who ends up apologizingShouldnt she say shes sorry every
once in a while?
Mark: Maybe
Dani passes the flask back to Mark, and he takes a long sip.
Mark: Look, Dani, you dont have to stay. I know Im not the most fun to be around when Im in a
funk.
Dani: You mean Pattern Three? Im told it sometime lasts for weeks.
Dani: Weve all got our patterns. Weve all got different sides to us.
Dani: Mark, Ive already seen every side of you, remember? The very first time we met, you were
completely naked! I remember the day like it was yesterday
Mark: Oh boy. Youre gonna be all dramatic about this, arent you?
Dani: Absolutely! It was eight long years ago, and we were but wee babies
Its the start of spring semester, freshman year. Danis sitting in the lecture hall, eagerly awaiting
the professors arrivalShe searches through her bag, mentally checking off each item
Suddenly, the lecture hall doors burst open with a bang, and a stream of naked guys rush in! The
guys run down the aisles, amidst laughter and cheers from the students in the hall. After a
triumphant lap through the room, they jog out through the exitexcept for one guy, who stops
right by your row!
Mark: Awesome.
The guy slips into the row behind you and takes a seat.
Mark: Yeah, sure, normally. But I really cant afford to fail this class. Ive gotta at least stick
around and sign the attendance sheet.
Mark: Yeah, I do. Just in case someone dares me to go streaking through a lecture hall. And thanks
for noticing.
Mark: Mark
Dani: Dani
Mark: I think thats my cue. Guess I may fail this class after all
Mark: Really?
Dani smirks as she reach over and write her number on Marks chest
Mark: You know you couldve written it on my hand, right? This makes reading it logistically difficult
for me.
Dani: Oh, I know. This isnt for you. This is 100 percent for me.
Vasquez: Ahem!
Dani: See? I knew I could break you out of Pattern Three in no time.
Mark: I cant believe Cole told you about those stupid Patterns. Im gonna kill him.
Cole: I heard my name. Im so flattered that you gossip about me when Im not around.
The rest of the group joins Dani and Mark by the bench. Sereena snatches the flask and takes a
swig.
Mark: More like talking about all the ways Im going to get mu revenge.
Horatio: They say turning the other cheek is the most unexpected response. A vengeance hed never
see coming.
Sereena: Personally, Ive found that ignoring him can be particularly effective.
Horatio: Did you guys hear something? Like a voice dancing on the wind
Cole: Wait a secondMark, smiling? Hes back to Pattern One. I repeat, hes back to Pattern One.
That has to be the fastest recovery time ever.
Dani: This calls for a group hug!
Sereena: Seriously?
Dani wraps her arms around Mark and Horatio as Brooke pulls Cole and Sereena into the hug from
the other side.
Brooke: This is such a touching moment! I wont judge anyone for crying right now
Mark: Amy! Shes apologizing for earlierShe wants to talk things out!
Mark: Thats exactly what Dani said! But here it is! An actual apology!
Mark: Thanks for talking things out with me, Dani. Means a lot.
Dani watches Mark walk away as a somber silence settles over the group
Cole: Well, theres only one thing left to do at a time like thisWho has the flask ?