Just to give a little background: I'm a recovering average frustrated guy still trying to get his first date. There's this girl who works at a place I frequent to meet my friend. I've spoken to her a few times, and we hit off well. She's not my friend's friend, though.

But I haven't been seeing her for a couple of weeks at her place. I don't get to meet girls that often, so I can't let go off any opportunity. So I went up to her friend and asked what happened to that girl. She said she has quit the place, and moved elsewhere. I managed to get her phone number convincing her friend that I won't cause any troubles. After resisting a bit, she gave me her phone number. I felt like a fucking boss after doing this, because this is something I would have never done if not for my practicing socialization in the recent past.

I tried calling her several times, but I would never dial her number due to anxiety. I would try to get out of my house, and go seek a perfect place to talk where there are no one around, etc., but I never had the guts to call... until today. I just dialed her number without thinking much. It rang, and she picked it up. The conversation went like this:

Me: Hi, is this Stella?

Her: Yes, this is Stella.

Me: Hi, Stella, this is Stuart, how are you?

Her: Stuart... hmm...

Me: The Stuart who used to visit your old work place.

Her: Hmm...

I deliberately paused here 'cause I had a feeling she was just faking as if she didn't recognize.

Her: Oh, yes, Stuart. How are you?

Me: I'm fine, and how are you? I didn't see you at your place, so I asked your friend. She told me you had quit. What happened?

Her: Yeah, I got a better job at Acme Inc., so I left that place and joined here.

Me: Congrats!

Her: Thank you, thank you.

And then she told me something which I couldn't hear 'cause there was a lot of disturbance in the line.

Me: Hey, sorry, I'm unable to hear you. There's a lot of disturbance in the line.

Her: I said I'll call you back some time later.

Me: Okay.

Lines terminated.

The way she ended the conversation was very clever. Obviously, she hasn't called me back, and there's no way for me to call her again since she has told me that she'll call me back. Anyway, I pursued as far as I can, and I guess that's the end of this little story.

Goodbye, Stella.