with a love life that has almost always taken a backseat to near enough everything else on the planet, it had taken considerable insistence for behati to convince her friends that her date was not imaginary. until her boyfriend of four months decided to DUMP her the day of the big meeting. it took the brunette fifteen minutes to cry, fix her make-up, & a s s e s s her situation –– a situation growing more dire by the second as she lingers in the car park wearing a rather elegant dress. upon spotting another soul ( a rather handsome one at that ) she makes a BEELINE for the car. ‘ look, you don’t know me, & i don’t know you, but i need you to be a good samaritan. my boyfriend –– ex-boyfriend, whatever –– is unfortunately predisposed & now cannot take me to this winter dance thing. did you know that dances were still a thing at college ? me neither. point being –– i need a date. two hours, no commitment, a couple white lies. i’ll buy you a drink, write you an IOU, whatever. will you h e l p me ? ’