( Dive ── chapter three )
Fusion of Confusion

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MESSAGES
( george + liadan )

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GEORGE
hi lida

helloooo

best publicist in the whole wide world

your client requires a conversation

LIADAN
what have you done now??

GEORGE
i didn't do anything

LIADAN
i'll believe it when i see it

GEORGE
are you mad at me

LIADAN
no

GEORGE

i'm still sorry about the thing that happened

LIADAN
it's whatever

i'm over it

GEORGE
i don't want you to be mad at me

LIADAN
i'm not!

GEORGE
are you sure??

you're icy

LIADAN
i'm sorry. i've been very stressed over my dissertation and i'm a little snippy right now.

GEORGE
so no ice?

LIADAN
we are standing in a pool of tepid water

is that you wanted to talk about?

GEORGE
i was wondering what your plans were for irish george

LIADAN
he's in my backpack at the moment

GEORGE
disgraceful

LIADAN
well what would you like me to do with him?

GEORGE
put him in your sitting room for all to see

LIADAN
why on earth would i need a plushie of you in my sitting room

GEORGE
you're right. the bedroom is much more intimate.

LIADAN

GEORGE
just kiddinggg 😁

promise me you will cherish him

LIADAN
pinky swear

you better be grateful

GEORGE
don't worry i am

so how is your dissertation going?

LIADAN
ehh ...

GEORGE
that good, huh?

LIADAN
i'm two-thirds of the way finished and my brain completely burned out a month ago

i have zero ideas

not entirely certain that the second degree is worth it anymore

GEORGE
what's it about? maybe i can help

LIADAN
maybe not

GEORGE
hey i'm smarter than you'd think

LIADAN
okay

what do you know about comparing artificial neural network techniques and multivariate probit modeling

GEORGE
😀

ok maybe not

LIADAN
yeah

GEORGE
let me take you to dinner tonight instead

LIADAN
?????

GEORGE
come on, it'll take your mind off school for a bit. give you a break. a breather. a refresher, if you will.

LIADAN
george i don't know if that's appropriate

GEORGE
completely professional and strictly as friends

LIADAN
i'll check your schedule

GEORGE
it's empty

LIADAN
the hell it is

you have a marketing event with G42 in literally two hours

GEORGE
i'll pick you up afterwards

LIADAN
why are you so insistent about this

GEORGE
because i am nothing but a nuisance to you all year long and i'd like to give you a nice night away from work and school

LIADAN
that sounds like a date

GEORGE
well it can be if you want it to be, but that's not what i was aiming for

LIADAN
no i don't want it to be

that's the point

GEORGE
perfect

platonic dinner with the wife

see you at 8:30!

LIADAN
hang on i didn't say yes
seen

george
seen

you cannot gaslight me into going to dinner with you
seen

i can't believe this
seen

what should i wear?

GEORGE
nothing too fancy

LIADAN
😒

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As much as George insisted that it was not a date, Liadan still found herself apprehensive. She tried to pick the most un-date-like clothes possible, but couldn't help feeling unsure when she looked in the mirror ─ black trousers, dress shirt, forest green cardigan coat ─ was it too much? Or was it not enough, to the point where it might offend him? She wished she hadn't caved. It was all becoming much more of a situation than she anticipated, and she hadn't even left her flat yet.

When she was collecting her keys she noticed her hands shaking. That was something that hadn't happened to her before, and it unnerved her. In fact, she'd always had nerves of steel. But soon she dismissed the thought.

Her education was almost complete. She worked tirelessly in the day and studied hard at night. Her family was fine for the first time in a long time; Lochlan getting a good job in construction, and Mum finally paying off Da's funeral, getting enough saved up to retire. Liadan was living independently and had finally gotten over the boy who broke her heart. It had taken almost three years, but she hardly thought about him anymore. What could be better than that? It must be I'm not getting enough rest, that's all, she consoled herself.

That being said, she hadn't been on a date in a long time. So... well, anyway. Thank God this wasn't one, then.

When George arrived, he was perfectly punctual, as expected. Liadan didn't give him the chance to come up and ring the doorbell ─ how embarrassing would that be? ─ and instead opted to exit on her own and meet him halfway. He was dressed up spiffy and neat in a white button-up that was neatly ironed, and Liadan guessed that this was his lingering outfit from the event. Thankfully, it didn't make her feel too dressed-down in comparison.

"Hi," he greeted with a smile, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"Hey," Liadan replied, folding her hands behind her back. "How was the event?"

"Boring. How's the dissertation?"

"Worse."

"Perfect. You ready?"

"For what?"

"Dinner."

"Well, sure," Liadan said in embarrassment, and crossed the sidewalk to follow him to his car, parked a bit down the street.

Her embarrassment only heightened when she realized that he was moving to open the passenger-side door for her, and she began thinking that this was probably a date after all, despite his assurances to the contrary. For a moment she observed the car, the sleek, silver Mercedes Coupe that he rarely drove.

"I hardly ever see this one," she commented, lightly touching the top of it. The open door was separating them now, and George folded his arms over the top.

"Well, it's too pretty to keep in the garage all year 'round."

Liadan smiled and shook her head. "Boys and their cars."

"What, you don't like it?"

"I'm more of a hot rod girl myself."

"Convenient," he commented teasingly. "Get in, please."

Liadan lifted her shoulders faintly, and then finally conceded to lower herself into the passenger seat. George shut the door lightly as soon as she was inside.

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MESSAGES
( the quartet )

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GREG
fellas it has all gone wrong

ALOBONO
george it's been ten minutes HOW THE FUCK has it already gone wrong

GREG
it was wrong from the start

i decided to pick her up in the coupe and she saw right through me immediately

WOMAN REPELLENT
weird. that's never happened to me

GREG
you're no help at all lando

CHUCK
what exactly did she say

GREG
she pointed out that i don't usually drive it and then said she prefers hot rods

WOMAN REPELLENT
she prefers WHATTTTTT 😳😳😳

ALOBONO
it's a type of car you degenerate

CHUCK
yeah george i'm sorry to say it but you're absolutely cooked

GREG
i know

i told you guys it was a bad idea

WOMAN REPELLENT
i think it only ended up bad because you decided to be a cringelord about it

GREG
...

ALOBONO
george i am here to support you in these difficult times

CHUCK
i'm not. you're a loser

WOMAN REPELLENT
seconded

ALOBONO
crazy that he's ghosting my extremely heartfelt sentiments

CHUCK
well he is on a date. she probably came back from the bathroom or a phone call or something.

WOMAN REPELLENT
i'm surprised she didn't escape out the window

ALOBONO
she's too nice for that

WOMAN REPELLENT
alex exactly how much do you know about this woman

ALOBONO
a lot

she's with george pretty much constantly on media days

WOMAN REPELLENT
inch resting

CHUCK
if she doesn't quit her job after tonight, i think we need to do some reconnaissance work boys

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( note )
i'm supa dupa sorry that this took so long to publishhh i had it all planned in my head and then forgot it so i had to come up with something elseeee