"I just decided not to do it now," Kiki replied pushing open the heavy glass double doors.

Leaving the crowded lobby of the theater, Kiki could no longer suppress the a yawn. She had not been able to sleep the night before. As a result, she could not enjoy her Saturday night out.

"So are you still trying to think of something to change?" Gwen asked in a gently teasing tone as she threw her arm around Kiki's shoulders.

"I don't know."

"You know what you need?" Joe began. Kiki rolled her eyes and teased joe by saying with him, "You need to start dating again."

The three of them reached the two cars the had brought to the theater. Kiki leaned against the car and folded her arms across her chest. Gwen and Joe stood facing her and leaned against Gwen's red Sentra. They all knew the what was going to be said next because they had all heard and said it a hundred times before.

"Look, I'll save you guys the lecture. I don't want to start dating again. I tried it with Josh just a few weeks ago and I didn't like it. Besides, I don't know anyone single."

Kiki didn't realize what a mistake the last part was until after she said it. Gwen and Joe looked at each other and smiled in a mischievous way.

"No!" Kiki exclaimed. "I'm not letting you two set me up!"

"Why not?" Joe asked in a sugary-sweet voice.

"One: because I know the kinds of guys you two date; and two: I don't want to date."

"Why?" Gwen asked in a serious tone.

"I'm not looking for any kind of serious relationship with anyone. And it's been forever since I've been out on a date," Kiki whined.

"Okay, so what it wasn't a �date?' Just a group of friends going out for an evening," Gwen proposed.

"I hate blind dates," Kiki stated.

"You've never been on one," Joe countered.

"No, but I've watched Love Connection. I know how horrible they can turn out."

The idea of being out with a group, her two best friends expecting her to get together with someone she didn't know made Kiki feel awkward and uncomfortable. Deep down she was naturally shy person, and though she seemed to be rather outgoing, she couldn't change the way she was.

"Will you give us a chance," Gwen pleaded. "Do you think we would intentionally set you up with someone we thought you wouldn't like?"

Kiki offered only a tired and defeated look which told her friends she didn't want to talk about it anymore. She knew her friends would never set her up for a bad night or with someone she wouldn't get along with. She hoped they would get the point and drop the subject. Fortunately, the got the hint and joe decided to change the subject.

"Okay, fine. You want to go dancing so you can meet some guys on your own?"

Yawning, Kiki shook her head.

"No," she said. "I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to head home."

"You're getting to be a wimp in your old age," Gwen teased.

"Bite me," Kiki replied with a smile.

Kiki hugged Joe and Gwen before saying goodbye. She moved around to the driver's side of her car, unlocked her door and slid behind the wheel. Turning the key in the ignition, Kiki put the car in gear, waved to her friends and drove out of the parking lot.

"So are we going to be nice and not set her up with anyone?" Gwen asked.

"Of course not," Joe replied.

"We'll have to be sneaky so she doesn't figure out that we did it on purpose. That means a lot of lying."

"Yeah, but we're good at that," Joe responded, looking to Gwen.

"She's going to be very mad at us," Gwen said turning to her partner in crime.

"She'll get over it - she always does," Joe replied with an evil smile.

"This is true," Gwen stated, a mischievous smile curling her lips.

Joe and Gwen had come up with a legitimate sounding story: An old friend of Joe's was dropping by and they needed Kiki to keep things even. This way it would only be one date - just to get her used to dating again without being alone.

Five minutes after her arrival, Gwen and Kiki were on their way to Charley's. Kiki questioned her friend the whole way, not totally believing the story. She knew her friends too well. Gwen stuck to her story, though, never faltering.

Arriving at Charley's, the two women made their way toward Joe and he friend, Jeff. The restaurant was crowded on the chilly night and seemed to hum as the individual conversations melted together into one constant sound. Kiki's eyes scanned the many faces as she and Gwen wound their way through the maze of tables. One face stood out in the crows - dark eyes, dark hair, round cheeks and boyish charms. It was the same guy Gwen had pointed out to her days before, only this time without the blonde. Taking her place was a group of five college-aged guys. He was watching Kiki and smiled when he saw she was looking back. Looking away quickly, she pretended not to notice him.

"Are you sure you didn't plan this?" Kiki asked nervously.

"Would I do that to you?" Gwen replied innocently.

"Yes," Kiki answered flatly.

As the women approached the table, the butterflies in Kiki's stomach multiplied. Joe sat, dressed casually in loose fitting blue jeans and a white T-shirt which was covered by an unbuttoned blue and green plain shirt, in the corner of the restaurant. Jeff sat to Joe's left.

Jeff was cute with he dirty blonde hair and intensely blue eyes. His frame was muscular and even though he was sitting, Kiki could tell he was tall. His features were defined and tanned, probably from all the sports he must have played. Wearing black pants, heavy work boots and a deep, blue shirt, he looked like something off a magazine cover.

Before he had even been introduced to the girls, all four knew it would be a night none of them would forget.