Okay, look, I’m not a total idiot. It’s not like I thought I really had a chance with Jayden. I mean, think about it. Jayden Depaul and Latoya Rampele? Yeah, right. Most. Unlikely. Hook-Up. Ever. It’s just that he’s been so kind to me lately, and we’ve been getting on really well, and sometimes… the way he looks at me… I thought…

Well, anyway. Apparently not. To be honest, Jayden Depaul and Amanda McBurney makes a lot more sense. She’s just a natural match for him.

I spend the whole of Saturday trying not to think about it. But I can’t help myself. I know exactly where they’re going. I got it all out of Jayden at rehearsals. They’re catching a movie at The Zone in Rosebank and then getting something to eat afterwards.

I know I should just stay home and not even think about it. Maybe do some World of Warcraft before my avatar dies of neglect. But my snooping habit is too strong. I need to know what they’re up to. I need to see it with my own eyes.

By 8pm, I’m back in 007 mode. I’m dressed all in black with rubber-soled shoes and a pair of binoculars. And yes, possibly a balaclava tucked into my rucksack too, just for authenticity. I may have got a little carried away here. I get my mom to drop me off in Rosebank, telling her I’m meeting friends at McDonalds. Then I double back towards The Zone and practically run up the escalator so I don’t miss them in the ticket queue.

I spot them straightaway. My heart squeezes as I see what a well-matched couple they are, both of them so tall and good-looking. I guess I was really hoping to find them with a whole group of friends, because that would mean it wasn’t a real date. But no, it’s just the two of them.

They’re keeping their distance from each other, thank goodness. There’s no touching at all, not even during the movie. Afterwards, they wander up and down Craddock Street, past all the open-air eating-places, before deciding on Kauai. Trust Amanda to choose the fresh and healthy option. I bet she’s thinking about her figure. Kauai is pretty full, being a Saturday night, but Jayden manages to snag them a table in the corner.

I wait until they’re concentrating on their wraps before slipping in and hiding behind a big pot plant. Oh, yes, this is perfect. I can hear every word they’re saying. I lean forward with my ears flapping.

Image: Paul Jacobson, CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0