Noah
Noah
What’s the name of the place again?
Katie
Katie
Lady Yo-Ga Ga.
Noah
Noah
Haha. No, seriously, tell me.
Noah
Noah
I’m almost there.
Katie
Katie
I am being serious.
Noah
Noah
That’s…an interesting name.
Noah
Noah
Is it the place with the bright purple awning?
Katie
Katie
Yep! I’m inside already!
Noah studies the sign on the awning and starts to get nervous.
He pushes through the glass door.
He sees a roomful of people in spandex with beach towels.
No, wait, those are yoga mats.
Katie spots him and waves. He is startled by how pretty she is in person.
She gestures him over to where she has laid out two mats.
His cell vibrates so he holds up a finger to answer the call.
Ian
Ian
Are you there yet?
Ian
Ian
What did she choose for her half of the date?
Noah
Noah
I don’t know if I can do this.
Ian
Ian
What? It can’t be that bad.
Noah
Noah
I’m at a place called Lady Yo-Ga Ga.
Ian
Ian
What?!
Noah
Noah
It’s a yoga studio. She signed us up for a freaking couples yoga class!
Noah
Noah
I haven’t voluntarily broken a sweat since like ninth grade.
Noah
Noah
This is going to be a disaster. I can’t do this.
Ian
Ian
You need to chill out.
Ian
Ian
Take a deep breath or pop a pill or whatever you need to do.
Noah
Noah
I think the deep breathing is part of the class.
Noah
Noah
I’m going to look like an idiot.
Ian
Ian
Then you’ll just have to look like an idiot.
Ian
Ian
Come on, man. We can’t afford for you to blow it with this Katie girl.
Ian
Ian
Then you’ll have to find someone else, and we don’t have time for that.
Noah
Noah
Crap.
Noah
Noah
You’re right.
Noah
Noah
This is going to suck.
Noah
Noah
Why on earth would she choose this for a first date?
Ian
Ian
Come on, dude. Please?
Ian
Ian
We need this campaign to work. Swipe won’t be any fun without you.
Noah closes his eyes and sighs.
Noah
Noah
I don’t have a choice, do I?
Ian
Ian
Nope.
Ian
Ian
Go get your Yo-Ga Ga on.
Noah
Noah
All right. Urgh! Talk to you later.
Noah puts his phone away.
He goes back into the studio and approaches Katie.
They have the kind of awkward introduction that can only happen on a first date.
But even still, he really likes her smile.
The class starts. Not only is Noah NOT athletic, but he is dressed in jeans and a nice shirt.
Bending is difficult.
Noah sweats and struggles, but he tries his best to pretend that he is enjoying it.
Not only does he need this date to go well for the job…
But he finds that every time he makes the extra effort, Katie smiles.
And he really likes when that happens.
Finally, the class ends.
Noah pulls out his phone as Katie heads into the locker room to change clothes.
Katie
Katie
That was fun! Thanks for doing that with me.
Noah
Noah
Yeah. It was great!!
Katie
Katie
What?
Noah
Noah
It was great. Fantastic idea.
Katie
Katie
Really?
Noah
Noah
What do you mean?
Katie
Katie
Nothing. Anyway…
Katie
Katie
Should I change into a dress or jeans?
Noah
Noah
You brought options?
Katie
Katie
What can I say? I’m very organized.
Noah
Noah
Jeans.
Noah
Noah
I’ll wait for you out front. I could use some cool air after that class!
Katie changes, then pulls out her phone to send a quick text to her editor.
Katie
Katie
He said he liked the yoga class! I’m shocked.
Melanie
Melanie
What?
Katie
Katie
Yeah. He wasn’t expecting it at all — he showed up in jeans 😂
Katie
Katie
And he was sweating and grunting a lot.
Katie
Katie
I thought that he was definitely going to bail.
Katie
Katie
But he stuck it out and then said it was great 🤷♀️
Melanie
Melanie
You’re going to have to do better than that.
Katie
Katie
I will. I’ll up my game.
Melanie
Melanie
You’ll have to.
Melanie
Melanie
I just received a freelance article that is pretty solid.
Melanie
Melanie
And I’d rather publish yours. I really would.
Melanie
Melanie
But at the end of the day, I need something compelling.
Katie
Katie
Please don’t use the freelance article.
Katie
Katie
I can make this work. I promise.
Katie
Katie
It’s Swipe — no one’s on here to actually date.
Melanie
Melanie
Okay…keep me in the loop.
Katie feels the pressure.
She hurries outside to where Noah is waiting.
They walk three blocks to the marina.
Noah
Noah
I booked us a boat ride for an hour!
Noah
Noah
We should be able to catch the sunset.
Katie feels a surge of excitement.
She loves being out on the water.
But then she realizes that if she lets Noah know that she’s excited, the date will go well.
And she can’t afford that.
She needs to break this guy.
Katie
Katie
I’m so sorry, but I can’t go on boats.
Katie
Katie
I get…seasick.
Noah
Noah
Oh, no. Really?
Katie
Katie
Yeah. It’s not pretty.
She cringes.
Noah
Noah
Hang on! I have an idea.
Katie follows Noah to the dock.
He buys them each a pop from a vending machine.
They sit on a rocky patch by the water.
After a few moment, Katie yells over the roar of boat engines in the marina.
Katie
Katie
I’m sorry I've ruined our date.
Noah
Noah
You really haven’t.
Noah
Noah
Look at the sun coming down on the water.
Noah
Noah
It’s just as pretty here as it would be on the boat.
Katie
Katie
You’re pretty easygoing, huh?
Noah
Noah
I try to be.
Noah
Noah
It helps with my job.
Katie
Katie
What do you do?
Noah
Noah
I work in marketing at a new app.
Katie
Katie
Like a phone app?
Noah
Noah
Yeah.
Katie
Katie
That’s so cool!
Noah
Noah
Thanks. There’s a lot of turnover in my field though.
Noah
Noah
So, I try to just go with the flow.
Noah
Noah
Right now I’m on a six-month contract.
Noah
Noah
But I’d really like to turn it into a full-time position.
Noah
Noah
Living in the city is pricey.
Katie
Katie
Tell me about it!
Katie
Katie
I work at an online magazine.
Katie
Katie
And I love my job…
Katie
Katie
But I’d really love to open my own magazine instead of writing for someone else.
Noah
Noah
Your own online magazine? That would be so cool!
Noah
Noah
What kind?
Katie
Katie
I haven’t decided, exactly.
Katie
Katie
But I want something with a hook. A theme. Like…
Katie
Katie
Looking for love in the city!
Noah
Noah
Looking for love? Not a hookup?
Katie
Katie
Yeah. Something with the potential for more…
Katie
Katie
Right?
Noah looks at her.
She thinks he’s about to kiss her.
Her phone buzzes.
Melanie
Melanie
???
Katie jerks away from Noah.
She feels sick — she wanted that kiss.
But she can’t actually fall for someone she met on Swipe.
Noah
Noah