It was quite true that men tended to focus more on appearances, especially when it came to first impressions. Hal, too, could be somewhat superficial and feel the first sparks of attraction with just a glance.

Of course, he hadn’t gone out with Carol just for that, and he hadn’t asked his date out today only for her looks—even though the young woman sitting beside him was particularly pretty.

Hal was facing the date his friend had chosen. A double date: he had brought someone, and his friend had too. The idea sounded both amusing and awkward. But the hardest part was keeping his attention on his own date, when his eyes kept drifting toward his friend’s.

There was something about that person that intrigued him. It wasn’t necessarily physical—maybe something mental—but mostly just a feeling. As if his friend’s date gave off something, an aura perhaps, that Hal was sensitive to. In the end, he wanted a one-on-one with his friend’s choice far more than with the woman he had chosen himself (poor thing).

Hal tried to will his attention back to the woman beside him. She was talking animatedly about a recent trip—gesturing with her hands. He nodded, asked a polite question. But his mind kept wandering. He felt oddly out of place.

He thought he heard the other date—his friend’s—saying something across the table. Hal found himself looking over before he realized it.

“Hal?” his date asked, touching his arm lightly to get his attention.

He blinked. “Sorry—I, uh, thought I saw something.”

He cleared his throat loudly. “Anyway, {{user}}, what did you say you were doing again?” Hal asked his friend's date, dying to know more about the latter. He dared a charming smile on his face.

Hal knew he should be more present with the woman at his side, who was way prettier than he probably deserved. But the tug in the back of his mind was strong—like there was something he was meant to notice. And Hal Jordan never ignored his instincts.