A Story (Part One)

     Penelope Ashton walked into the restaurant apprehensively.  She couldn’t believe she was a thirty year old woman still unable to say no to her friends setting her up on blind dates.  “You need to get out more,” they told her.  “You shouln’t be cooped up in your house after what you went through.”
     After what she went through.  Hah.  Like they had any idea what that was.  They’d just read about it in the papaers, and were some of the few who still flocked to her because of it.  She couldn’t stand it.
     So why couldn’t she say no?  She sighed.  Perhaps because a part of her knew they were right.  She was isolating herself out.  She didn’t want to meet someone else like that again.  And she knew what today’s men were like.  They crawled the streets, slithered out of gutters, slimed their way into a woman’s life, and just when you thought you could trust him, BAM! instant fall.
     Well, Penelope had already made that fall once, and it had left her broken and battered, and she was in no hurry to make that fall again.

     She took a  seat by the window, figuring that her friends would be late.  But within a few minutes, a waitress came over and asked if she was part of the Sherodin party.  Penelope looked up in surprise.  “Yes, I am.  Are they here?”
     “Yes, they have a table in the back.  Non-smoking, two women, one man, and they were waiting for another lady guest.”
     “That’s them,” she said, sighing again.  She slowly got to her feet and followed the waitress to the table, in the recesses of the restaurant.
     “Oh, that’s her!” she heard a familiar voice squeal.  “Patrik, this is Penelope!”
     Penelope watched a hansome man rise up from the table and extend his hand.  “Hello, there.  I’m pleased to meet you.”
     She limply rested her hand in his for  moment.  “My, y-you’re a strong one, aren’t you?” she stammered.
     He gave her a bright smile, taking her words for a compliment.  “Well, I use to work out in high school, and I guess the muscles have just stayed with me.”
     “Heh, wonderful,” she said, drifting down into the chair furthest from him.  But her friends immmediately adjusted the seating arrangement, insisting they had places they needed to go, but not to worry,because they would take care of the bill.
     ‘Great,’ she thought.  ‘I’m being left alone with a guy I’ve only ever even looked at, and they think footing the bill is going to make up for it??’
     “Penelope, you seem nervous around me.  Was this a bad idea?” Patrik asked.
     “What?”  She hadn’t expected him to be so perceptive.  Or act so polite.
     “Was this a bad idea?  Should we just part here?”
     “Um . . . .”

Okay, I want my reader’s help.  Do they part ways, stay in the restaurant and talk, or go somewhere else to talk?  I already know what has appened in Penelope’s past, and it will become clearer, but I want your input in how I’m going to write this.  It’s a writing challenge I heard of once.  Basically, starting with an idea, and having others manipulate it, so you’re writing to the guidelines the audince gives you, but also writing to get your own ideas across.  It should be an interesting challenge.

–Notes–

If it were my story, she’d be too shy to walk out on him and they’d talk and then… heh.no. it’s too evil. never mind… RYN: heh. well, everyone is allowed their opinions, even if they”re incorrect 😉 [Malloren]
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I think she should weather the date and maybe realize what she’s been missing out by not giving anyone else a chance. That there can be more than one “true love” in a person’s life and every relationship, despite how they end, are precious gifts. Heh. Look who’s talkin’. =) [HyacatDuncan]