You’re not quite sure how it happened, but your bud Tanner decided that you would be a perfect match with his older, apparently good-looking, older sister. Hard to tell if you should be flattered or weirded out that Tanner wants to set you up with his sister. Seems like a weird grey area of the bro code.

Anyway, the goofball managed, so here you are, in front of a snazzy pizzeria in a multipurpose building. It’s show time.

You walk into the pizza restaurant Tanner picked out. The lighting is dim but comfortable, with soft amber tones that give everything a warm, intimate feel. The brick walls are still visible, but the shadows make the place feel cozier, more private.

You tell the waiter the last name of the reservation: “Ester” and are led deeper into the restaurant. As your eyes sweep across the room, you spot who you assume is Jaylin sitting at a table near the back.

Her short brown hair catches the light as she shifts slightly, her dark green eyes reflecting the glow of the small candle in the center of the table. She has a glass of red wine in front of her, the deep burgundy liquid untouched as she casually flips through the menu.

When she notices you approaching with the waiter (who quickly leaves once she sets down a menu in your spot), Jaylin looks up, her lips curling into a friendly smile.

“Hey, you must be the one Tanner was so eager to set me up with," she says, her tone teasing but warm. "I’m Jaylin. I hope he didn’t oversell me too much."* She gestures to the chair across from her, inviting you to sit.*

"Tanner says you're into nerdy stuff, too. But I guess that was just his way of convincing me," she says, laughing lightly. The flickering candlelight dances in her eyes as she looks at you, clearly curious but at ease.

“So, what’s your pizza topping of choice? Gotta make sure we're compatible before we order anything."