Free The Oracle of Dating by Allison van Diepen Page B

chances of people liking each other. It’s Amy’s job to classify them, then slot them into the games.
    As for Evgeney, it’s unlikely that anyone will pick him. The fact that he probably knows this and is still willing to try makes me feel even worse for him.
    “Let me see the list.” Amy grabs my notepad and looks at it.

    “So we need twelve more guys and fourteen more girls to fill up the two games. That’ll be easy. Lots of people still want to sign up, they just haven’t paid yet. I still think we’ll have enough for three games.”
    I hope she’s right.

    T IME : 5:03 P.M . One hour until showtime.
    Amy’s prediction proves right: we have three—count ’em, three speed dating lineups! In fact, so many people signed up in the past few days that we’ll have twelve dates in each game.
    As of now, all logistics are in place. Each game will take one hour, with a ten-minute intermission after the first six dates. There will be fifteen minutes in between games, hopefully enough time to get one group out and the next group seated. Tomorrow we’ll compile the results. I’ve promised to send everyone an e-mail with their matches by five.
    Thanks to Ryan, the library has been transformed. Most of the lights are off, except for the ones illuminating the back bookshelves. The custodial staff wouldn’t allow candles, so Ryan brought three lamps from home and screwed in red light bulbs, creating a night-clubish ambience. He set up six dating tables, which he covered with white tablecloths and rose petals. The budget for decorating was twenty dollars, but Ryan insisted on making this his contribution to the evening.
    I go over to the food table where Viv, Sharese and Amy are putting out snacks and drinks. Everything looks so good that my stomach reminds me it’s dinnertime.
    Sharese says, “Go ahead, we have lots.”
    I don’t argue and put some food on my plate. The girls laugh when, feeling guilty, I throw a few dollars into the box before scarfing down the food.
    People start to arrive around quarter to six. I greet everybody and give them a game card on which they’ll fill in their dates’ names, circle yes or no, and write comments to remember them by later.
    At six, we’re missing five people for the first round. In the meantime, I tell the participants to take their seats at their assigned table.
    By six-ten, we’re still missing three people. We have an uneven number, eleven guys and ten girls. Amy volunteers to even it up.
    Sharese, who’s never shy to speak in public, stands up. “Welcome to speed dating! You should all have your cards in front of you. First thing, write your name at the top. The girls will stay in their seats and the guys will move to the table on their right every five minutes—we’ll ring a bell to let you know. When five minutes are up, check off yes or no. Don’t do it in front of them, please. Do it as you’re moving to the next table or at the end of the game. We’ll have a ten-minute break halfway throughthe game where you can get more refreshments. Happy dating!”
    I stand behind the refreshment table with Ryan. He’s arranging the napkins artfully, and like me, he’s watching the daters. “Check out the hot vibe at table two.”
    I nod. “Table seven looks uncomfortable. And that guy at table six is teasing them. Are they exes, do you think?”
    “They’re brother and sister.”
    “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
    “I’m not kidding. She’s a senior and he’s a junior. I guess since their last name is Smith, Amy didn’t put it together.”
    “Crap. We could’ve easily put them in different games if we’d known. I hope they don’t ask for their money back.”
    “They still have eleven non -blood-related dates. Isn’t that enough?”
    When my stopwatch beeps, I ring the bell. “Next date, everybody!”
    And I ring the bell every five minutes until intermission, then we continue until the game is over. Afterward, several of the daters linger to