Young Sam was new to dating. He'd just entered college, an hour by train from his small town life. His eyes were open for the first time. His schooling years were spent at an all boys private school, girls were as much of a mystery to him as astrophysics. The first day on campus they were everywhere, skinny jeans, hot pants, tank tops, dresses. His eyes strained to open any wider, and his mouth absent-mindedly hung open as he gawked at them.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!"
The yell had brought him back to reality. A gorgeous girl in a short skirt and a business shirt had broken a heel, spilling books and papers everywhere. Always the kind-hearted soul, Sam went to assist her.
"Can I help you with that?" he said in a timid voice.
"Piss off, creep!" the girl snapped back. Sam's face dropped, puzzled, as he stepped backwards.
"Sorry, I'll go."
The young woman looked him in the eye and softened. She forced a weak smile.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm just used to assholes hitting on me all the god-damn time." she blew a rogue hair dangling from her tightly bound ponytail, glaring at it when it returned. Sam decided then that he really likes redheads.
"I'm Marnie. Who are you?"
"Sam."
"Well Sam," she said, a grin creeping across her face, "Are you going to help me pick this shit up or what?"
Sam's smile matched hers as he nodded, and collected her things.
"Thanks Sam. You're a special guy. What are you doing this evening?"
Sam was taken aback. The mere thought of an unscheduled clandestine meeting with a member of the opposite sex was completely unknown to him.
"Uh, n-nothing," a stammer forming, the situation having just become a lot more complicated.
"Well S-Sam," She playfully responded, "You can buy me a drink down at the O'Reilly pub down the road. I'll see you at seven. Ciao!"
"B-bye"
Sam watched, smiling, as Marnie awkwardly walked down the footpath.
"Fuck it!" he heard her yell as her other heel broke.
---
"No mum, I'll be late tonight, I've, uh, made some friends and we're going to grab a drink. I'll probably be home at ten."
Sam scanned the bar for a sign of Marnie, but she wasn't there yet. He checked his watch, twelve to seven. Was he being too keen? Probably.
"Yeah, alright mum, I'll see you later."
"Sam!"
"Jesus!"
"Close. Nice to see I can make you jump."
Marnie had changed clothes. She'd traded in her skirt for a nice pair of jeans, and her broken heels for some sensible flats. Her t-shirt had a distressed print of the old Batman logo, and her beautiful red hair flowed freely down her shoulders.
"Wow," Sam said, flabbergasted, "You look so different."
"Good different?"
"Very good different."
Marnie's green eyes flashed as she received the compliment. She beamed with pride.
"I'm sorry about how I acted today. I find it easier to be an abrasive bitch to get through the day. That's why I actually wanted to buy you a drink. Nice guys are rare, and I'd like to get to know you."
Her freckled face blushed slight, not that Sam noticed, as he gazed deeply into her eyes. The stammer returned.
"S-sure."
"Oh, silly, I'm not going to bite. Not unless you ask me to."
Sam felt a stirring in his trousers. Quickly misdirecting, he motioned to a seat at the bar.
"Two beers please."
---