Having boy trouble?
An ex holding you back?
A crush ignoring you?
Boys putting you down?
Well, here are top ten easy steps to forget him!
Bridgette Cheng wasn't sure about this. Before her, her best friend was holding a magazine, beaming as if it was the Noble Prize. Bridgette only stared back. Allegra doesn't even like science, she takes music.
"I don't know about this, Allegra."
"It's foolproof!"
She still wasn't sure.
"But-"
"Bridge." Allegra cut her off with a hard frown. "As your best friend, it pains me to see you getting your heart stomped on by Felix over and over again. It's not healthy." The blonde musician gently shoved the magazine into her best friend's arms. "Read it."
Then she left for her music lesson, leaving Bridgette by herself, with the magazine. Bridgette looked at the glossy page, thinking over what Allegra had said.
She loved Felix. It was true. But Allegra had a point. All he did to her was turn down her invites, toss away her presents, tore up her letters, even snub her. Bit by bit, her heart broke. The constant rejections were taking its toll on her. Lately, she has been feeling depressed, low on energy, not smiling one inch. Her posture sagged, shoulders slumped. Even her hair went limp.
And all because of Felix.
She released a long, deep breath of relief she didn't realise she was keeping in.
"Maybe it is for the best."
Step 1.
Distance yourself from him. Cut off all contact. Phone, email, letters, everything. Stop talking to him! Disconnection is the key. You can't move on if he can get to you.
Easier said than done.
But it had to be done.
She stopped stalking him. Stopped talking to him. Stopped staring at him. Stopped giving him gifts of affection.
And he didn't even noticed.
Step 2.
Get rid of everything that reminds you of him. Even the smallest thing, throw it out. A fresh new start. Can't have him hanging over you, can we?
She threw out everything. Everything he touched, anything that reminded her of him. Pictures, magazines, handwritten notes, food wrappers, napkins, a grey t-shirt, a pale yellow top, a green handkerchief. Even a misshapen doll of him.
She hesitate on a dry, dark red rose that he had for a photoshoot and left behind. But she dropped it into the bin anyway.
Right after cleaning out his clutter, she screamed.
Step 3.
Accept your negative emotions. Let yourself grieve. Accept it's never going to happen between you and him. Don't be afraid to let your emotions flow.
She screamed. She cried. She stomped on the floor, wept tears on her pillows, acting like a child in a tantrum.
Once she calmed down, she was a mess.
But she never felt better.
Step 4.
Surround yourself with support. Get in touch with your friends and family. People who love you, unlike him. Feel the love!
This step, she liked.
She spent time with her parents, her lawyer father and housewife mother. She talked to Marinette, her little cousin from Paris, through webcam. She loved her little cousin as if they were full-blooded sisters. She spent more time with her friends. She, Allegra, Allan, and Claude went to the park, the movies, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace.
Doing this step, she realised how much time she wasted on chasing Felix when she could've been enjoying life.
After Allegra's concert, the four friends went to their favourite cafe, talking, laughing, applauding Allegra. Bridgette ordered a coffee for a change, to try something new. She took a sip and recoiled in disgust. The dark, hot, bitter taste stung her tongue, which she cutely stuck out. In her mind, she was already formulating her own recipe of a better coffee.
Felix, sitting by himself nearby, glanced to Bridgette without her noticing. By now, he was beginning to note her absence.
Step 5.
Accept his choice in breaking your heart. Recognise his pain too. Stop denying the pain! We are all human beings with complex feelings. Even if what he did was cruel, there's no need in letting it haunt you.
Instead of writing down history notes, Bridgette pondered over he who shall not be named's choice to continuously reject her.
Was she too pushy? Too obsessive? Did she made him uncomfortable? Maybe he couldn't handle a relationship? Maybe he wasn't interested in her or any other girl or romance or any kind of socialising?
Maybe he just didn't like her?
She was starting to understand him through this step.
Maybe he was cold because he lost his mother and his father neglected him.
Maybe he was lonely because he was mostly home-schooled until last year when he joined her school. Maybe he didn't how to turn her down kindly because he was lacking in social interaction with girls.
Just as she fully accepted his choice, the bell rang, making her jolt into action. She grabbed her things and ran off, yelling for Allegra to copy her notes.
She didn't even notice the magazine accidentally left behind.
Felix did.
Curious about his suitorette's change in behaviour, he wondered over to her desk, gazing down on the glossy magazine on her desk. His eyebrows arched as he picked it up. She had that for a while. What was so special about this issue?
He skimmed the pages, looking for an answer. Fluffy articles, Agreste ad, fashion pages, movie highlights, how to get over a guy...
He quickly flicked back, reading more of its contents, with eyes widening in horror.
The next day, Bridgette entered her history classroom, searching frantic for her magazine. Luckily, she found it on her desk as if it was never touched.
"See? I told ya the list will help." Allegra was saying on the way to class with Bridgette. The blonde was mighty proud of herself for leading her abused best friend on the path to empowerment.
Bridgette smiled. "I have you to thank for it. I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
"That's good. Halfway through it and you're like a whole new woman already! No more trouble from what's his-"
The girls stopped talking when Bridgette bumped into someone. She glanced up to see-
"Felix!"
She jumped back, blushing. The list didn't instruct her on how to face him yet.
She only squeaked a word. "Sorry."
To her surprise, he smiled.
"It's ok."
She stared at him, confused by his answer. He stared back, where she thought she saw a smile tugging at his lips.
Allegra led her away from him to class. But that wasn't the last she heard of him today.
He started to appear wherever she is. In class or lunch, he sat near her, practically right next to her. He left her no space between them. He never left her alone the entire day until the bell rang for home. His eyes never left her once.
She ran straight home and collapsed head first onto her bed. The magazine laid abandoned in her bag for the meantime. After the confusing day she had, her energy drained from running and panicking, the list had to wait.
Step 6.
View the breakup or rejection as a learning experience. This won't be your only relationship. Learn what happened and be prepared for your next boyfriend.
Bridgette sat on a bench on the school grounds, thinking about the latest step.
What does she like in a guy? She supposed she liked mysterious, sophisticated men, a refreshing change from the immature boys in her class. Felix stood out, maybe that was why.
Evaluating her approach to that kind of boy, she found that she definitely needed to change. Be less clingy. Be subtle. No more stalking.
Suddenly Bridgette felt a body sitting down beside her. She turned and slightly jumped at the sight of Felix calmly reading a book.
Of all the benches around, he picked this one.
Bridgette crissed and crossed her legs several times, unable to get comfortable. She ripped a Cadbury's chocolate bar open, chomped half of it in one bite and finished the rest in another one, and wiped her face with a napkin, all the while keeping her eyes on the article about an actress's approach to yoga, even if she had already read it a hundred times.
Then Felix rose from his seat.
When she turned to glance, he was gone and so were the chocolate bar wrapping and used napkin.
Step 7.
Deal with seeing him on occasion. Treat him civil. Don't waste time on treating him like dirt, he is still a person.
"Big Ben is sooo big!"
Bridgette laughed as her little cousin stared up at the humungous clock tower, tilting her round head back as she gave out her adorable squeal.
"Upsy daisy, Mari!"
Bridgette scooped her up. With bluebell eyes and midnight hair, they were more like sisters rather than cousins.
"Wanna go see the London Eye?"
"Yeah!"
They crossed the big bridge to the opposite side. Halfway there, Marinette suddenly gasped. Bridgette glanced to her cousin. The little girl was staring ahead, her rosy cheeks blushing red, her eyes wide.
Bridgette followed her gaze. Just ahead of them, there was a cute little boy, her cousin's age, hair of gold, cherub cheeks, glowing tan skin and gleaming bright green eyes.
He almost looked like...
"Hi, Bridgette."
Him.
Felix showed up, out from walking bypassers, with the little boy in hand. He wore an outfit different from what he usually wears. A white shirt, purple tie, blue trousers, black jacket and brown shoes.
The colours reminded her of-
"Is she your girlfriend, Feely?" The little boy asked, gazing up at the bigger boy.
Feely? He hated that nickname. She used it once and received a murderous glare. But he smiled down on the child, not one bit bothered by the pet name.
"No, she's a friend."
A friend? He thought of her as a friend?
"This is my younger brother, Adrien."
The boy waved, smiling at Marinette, who just blushed and curled up more in Bridgette's arms.
Remember. Treat him civilly.
"Hi, Felix. How are you? I'm showing my cousin, Marinette, the sights. She's from France. I was just about to bring her over to the London Eye, so you can excuse us..."
She moved around him, but a slender blue-pants wearing leg blocked her way.
"I'll go with you."
She shot her shocked expression up to him.
"Adrien has been begging to take him there. He wants to see our house from that height."
"You don't have to do that."
"I insist."
She ended up spending the whole day with him insisting on following her everywhere with his brother on her day out with her cousin.
He even insisted on dropping her home in his limousine.
Adrien and Marinette were fast asleep on their relatives' laps, their little heads touching. Their littles hands interlocked. Bridgette sat rigidly throughout the ride, mentally freaking out as Felix sat beside her, never lifting his piercing gaze off her. Once they reached her home, Bridgette bid Felix 'thank you and goodbye' and got out of the limousine, carrying Marinette.
She didn't know that Felix had his window down to watch her go until she went inside.
Step 8.
See him for who he really is. Kick him off his pedestal. To help, write a list of what you liked about him and an equal list of what you disliked about him.
Making them lists was a LOT of work. The likes were easy, and she had a 'little' help from Allegra on the dislikes. There was a lot of unflattering things she never noticed before, from his callousness to his odd scent of cheese.
Her notebook was nearly full by the time she finished writing. Deciding to get a new one, she opened her locker to get her spare, but got something else instead.
"What the Hell?" She shrieked.
Her small locker was stuffed with luxurious gifts wrapped in crisp tissue paper, threatening to burst out.
"Blimey, Bridge. You got yourself a secret admirer!" Allegra exclaimed.
"How did they get inside my locker?"
Allegra knocked on the thin metal cheap locker door. "Can't be too hard. These things are older than WWI. Let's see what you got."
Bridgette unfurled her gifts.
A blooming, bright red rose.
A dainty China doll wearing a satin outfit, Chinese makeup and blue hair like hers.
A letter written in elegant cursive writing, expressing love and affection for her in the most confusing and poetic words.
A gold Pandora bracelet with a red charm with black dots and a black cat charm.
Clothes. Beautiful. Expensive, straight off Oxford Street. A yellow dress, a new black jacket, grey skinny jeans and a green sheer scarf.
"Whoever he is, he's got taste."
For some odd reason, these mysterious presents reminded her of the things she threw out that reminded of her-
Laughter got her ears. She looked over her shoulders, spotting Felix talking animatedly with her two good friends, Claude and Allan.
Since when he was friends with them?
Step 9.
Let's think about YOU. Focus on yourself for a change. Keep yourself busy by distracting yourself from him, or boys in general. Set goals for yourself. Do things for YOU.
Bridgette set herself to work.
She tried out many new recipes. She baked as much as she can. She even tried out for gymnastics to everyone's surprise.
Airhead Bridgette. Doing moves worthy of a superhero.
'Not-so-Airheaded' Bridgette strutted confidently down the hallway after tryouts, wearing the clothes she got from her secret admirer. The dress, the skinny jeans, the jacket and the scarf tied around her neck in a big bow at the side. She reached her locker and opened it, pleased to find more gifts from her secret admirer.
A pair of gorgeous gold earrings.
Her favourite flower, orchids in delicate purple.
A black card letter written in gold Chinese calligraphy, signed by 'Black Cat' in silver.
So the secret admirer has a name...
Black Cat.
"You look nice, Bridgette."
Once again, out of the good, Felix appeared. He was leaning against the wall beside her, writing in his notebook in between glances.
"Thank you?"
"Any idea who he is?"
She knew he meant Black Cat.
She circled her fingertips on her new earrings. A smile crawled onto her face.
"Whoever he is...I like him already."
She didn't even noticed the beaming smile on the usually stoic boy.
Step 10.
Now you're ready to see other men. Go on, play around. Date for fun. There's plenty fish in sea for you apart from that blowfish. Once you completed this step, you have officially moved on and ready to live your life.
This was it.
The last step to take.
On Friday night came a huge party, the perfect opportunity to search for Mr. New. Or Black Cat.
Bridgette forgot who was hosting the party, but that doesn't matter. All that matters was a chance to mingle and, at the end of the night, leave with a man on her arm.
She planned to her absolute best for this moment.
And boy did she.
Heads turned and jaws dropped as she strutted in her dress.
A scarlet red number, adorning a few black polka dots. Sleeveless and a skirt falling to her nimble knees with diamond-cut ends, clinging to her petite figure and bringing out her hips. A gold ring belt circled around her waist. Her midnight hair loose of her pigtails, now flowing free with long red hair ribbons entwined in braids on either side of her head. On her legs were black tights and a pair of kicking red pumps. A black satin choker adorned her neck. Her pretty face was highlighted by bold red eyeshadow, thick black eyeliner, and red lipstick. And finally, she had on the gold earrings and Pandora bracelet she got from Black Cat.
And now, she just needed to find him.
Allegra squealed when she saw her in all her redness.
"Wow, you look amazing!"
Allegra wasn't so bad herself. A big black music note painted around her left eye, white eyeshadow, black lipstick and her voluminous curly blond hair free of its confining braid. She wore a stunning white strapless top decorated with black music notes, and a black floor-length skirt also bearing music notes but in white. White heels donned her feet and her amethyst necklace and matching earrings glittered.
"Let's dish out some boys!"
Allegra grabbed Bridgette by the arm, however the Chinese girl shook her off.
"You can dish out. I'm looking for Black Cat."
"He better be here or else you might go out with someone else."
The blonde girl nudged her friend, gesturing to the line of boys staring at her lustily. Bridgette smirked. She was just about to start her hunt when Allegra suddenly exclaimed.
"Oh my God!"
"What?"
"That!"
Bridgette followed Allegra's gaze and pointing finger to a fancy silver Porsche. The car door opened up, where a slim leg stepped out, followed by the rest of the driver's body.
It was a young man of an alluring air to him, wearing a black V-neck shirt clinging to his muscular form, black trousers hugging his long legs and a black leather jacket on top. Tall black boots covered his thighs entirely and a leather strap choker with a gold bell jingling with every move he made. Silvery-blond hair flowing wild and free upon his shoulders, a pair of black cat ears perched within while on his head. His face was mostly hidden by black cat-eyes framed sunglasses with light green lens. His lips were curled in a mischievous grin.
"He is hot!"
"That's gotta be him."
"Let me find out."
Bridgette stepped forward, getting closer and closer to the man she hoped to be her secret admirer. But then she suddenly stopped as she noticed something about him.
"Wait a minute. Is that..."
The mysterious man casually took off his glasses, revealing hawk-like eyes of hypnotising green, blue and grey.
"Felix?!"
Allan, the DJ of the party, got down from his mixer and gawked at his new friend. "What the Hell are you wearing, dude? You look like a rock star!"
"Man, how you get pass your dad wearing this?" Claude asked, tugging at Felix's leather jacket.
"I got changed in the car after I left home." Felix replied.
"God, I don't know whatever to be impressed or concerned." Allegra remarked, gawking shamelessly.
"He...kinda looks like a...a..." Bridgette stuttered.
A cat.
A. Black. Cat.
No way Felix could be Black Cat! He could't be! It was just a coincidence that he was dressed up in black, looking like a cat.
Right?
"I'm gonna look for Black Cat over here." She told Allegra, walking away.
She flirted with who knows how many boys, boys that captured her interest. Tall, dark, sophisticated types. Boys who returned the interest. She was in the middle of laughing with a cute punk rocker when the boy was rudely pushed aside.
By Felix.
Intimidated by his stare, she and the punk rocker ended up drifting apart, so she moved onto the shy artist from her year. Same thing happened. Felix shoved the boy to one side and glared at him, breaking up the would be couple.
Bridgette felt her blood boil within her. Every potential boyfriend was chased off by her ex-crush and it was really irritating her.
"What are you doing?" She asked him through gritted teeth.
He stared at her, his face stoic as always. Rather than defend himself, he asked her something instead.
"Do you want to go and get coffee together?"
She used to ask him that question all the time. It took her aback. Memories of the questions flooded. Heart-breaking memories.
She gave him her answer which was also his usual answer.
"No."
That felt good, witnessing his wounded expression. She turned her back on him, her fine derrière on display for him, and she sauntered off, swelling with pride. Finally she was over-
"How about a movie?"
She halted her walk. She glanced over her shoulder and deadpanned, "No."
She tried to walk away, tried to escape, but he gave chase after her, desperately giving out invitations.
"There's a great concert on Saturday night."
"I'm not interested."
"We can get dinner instead."
"I have dinner with my parents."
"Ok, how about lunch?"
"I got Gymnastics in the afternoon."
"I can get you tickets to my father's next fashion show."
"I don't even like fashion."
"Me either. Adrien has been asking for Marinette, maybe we can-"
"Enough!"
Bridgette spun around, angrily glowering at the oddly persistent boy.
"Felix, what has gotten into you? This should be your dream come true, I'm not bothering you anymore. I just want to find my secret admirer and move on from you."
Felix grabbed her hand, where he pressed his lips on her skin. His eyes kept their piercing gaze on her.
"Then you will never move on from me."
Immediately she yanked her hand out of his grasp, gawking aghast.
"YOU'RE my secret admirer? YOU'RE BLACK CAT?"
He chuckled lightly. "I thought I made it obvious with the outfit I put together. My father would've lock up if he sees me in this."
The unravelling truth shattered her. With shaky hands, she touched her earrings and bracelet. The earrings and bracelet she received from him.
"I can't do this."
She started to unpierced those gold studs.
"You never acknowledge my feelings before."
She unlocked the Pandora bracelet while clutching the earrings in one fist. Then she placed the jewellery in Felix's hand.
"Felix, I'm getting over you. I realised that I can't live like this, following you around and getting my heart broken...It's for the best for both of us."
Felix's jaw clenched.
"No, it's not."
He reached out for her, giving one more desperate bid. She jumped away, so he ended up falling on the ground, face first. His notebook came flying out from inside his jacket as he fell, landing at Bridgette's pump-wearing feet, laying open. His handwriting was recognisable. Not the content.
Intrigued, she picked up it and begun to read it.
Step 1.
Stay near her. Don't give her space. Keep finding opportunities to talk to her. No matter how short they may be, don't lose contact.
Step 2.
Keep everything that reminds you of her. Anything from a lock of hair to a shirt in her colour. Don't forget her.
Step 3.
Accept your negative emotions. Let out your them out. Scream, cry, throw your stuff across the room. Why did you ever lose her?
Step 4.
Get yourself some support. Get some friends, even the same friends as her, talk to your family. Show her you are capable of love. With love and support, you will feel better.
Step 5.
Revaluate your choice in breaking her heart. Recognise her pain. And don't deny you didn't felt hurt doing so. If you didn't, you won't be here.
Step 6.
View the breakup or rejection as a learning experience. Learn where you went wrong and don't lose her next time.
Step 7.
Repay the favour. Treat her the way she did to you. Send her gifts, flowers, letters. Even show up when she least expects it.
Step 8.
Put her on the throne where she belongs. See her for who she really is. Begin by writing up a list of qualities you liked about her and an equal list of things you disliked about her, and a longer list of What you love about her.
Step 9.
Focus on HER. Set goals for yourself in making her yours. Notice her, compliment her, send her gifts. Just stay close to her at all costs.
Step 10.
Stop pussyfooting around, go after her! Pretty soon, she'll be running off with another guy, someone who isn't good enough and will hurt her worse than you did. Don't let her see other men and just ask her out yourself. Go get your girl.
Bridgette read the notes over and over. She couldn't believe her eyes. Everything he had written does the opposite of her magazine list. His steps counteracted her steps.
"Felix, what fresh hell is this?"
Standing up, Felix released a deep sign as he was found out. His hair shadowed his downcasted face.
"The moment I've read that article, I realised I was losing you. I considered shredding that damn thing but it won't make much of a difference, Allegra will just get you a copy. I wrote that list up to win you back."
"…Why would you do that? Is this some kind of game to you?"
"I never wanted you to move on. I didn't realise it until you started following that stupid list. Eventually you going to reach step 10 and I can't..."
He trailed off, pinching the bridge of his sharp nose. And then he lifted his gaze to lay on her again.
"Please don't give on me. I'm sorry it took me so long to realise it. I'm an idiot to even think I could avoid you forever. I haven't felt this way since my mother disappeared. The list opened my eyes."
Step 1+
If he comes running back, tell him how you feel about him now. Let him have it.
"Good thing that list has an extra step just in case of this!"
POW!
Felix flew back by one single punch from the girl. One tall professionally-trained male defeated by a short minor.
Bridgette was beyond mad.
"I really cannot believe you! You've been stringing me along for months and you expect me to fall into your arms like that! All I want is an everlasting love like my parents have, and I don't care if you or anyone says it's childish! It's my dream, my choice, my decision! You don't decide anything for me, especially who I love! I am a woman, not some play toy! I thought you were different from all the jerks in my class but I was wrong about you! You really are a selfish, arrogant, cruel, know-it-all, spoilt bast-"
Firm hands grabbed hold of her yapping face and he shut her up with his mouth on hers.
Step 1+
Come clean with her. Tell her how you feel and keep telling her until she understands you love her and want to start over.
He held her, keeping her in place, all the while kissing her. If you can call it a kiss. Two mouths mashed together, not even wrestling tongues. It was all passionate on his side. She just went limp, too shocked to do anything.
Eventually, he let her go, both breathing for air. His hands moved onto her shoulders, holding her in place.
His gaze on her was soft of guilt, regret and love.
"I'm so sorry, Brie. I know I said it a hundred times, it probably won't make a difference, but I am sorry. You were always here for me. I took advantage of that. You made me feel safe, warm, loved, feelings I haven't felt since my mother disappeared."
His hands moved up, cupping his face, touching his forehead against hers.
"No matter how far you go, I will always follow you."
Bridgette took it all in. His confession spoke of true honesty, pure sincerity. It showed her another side of him she never thought of.
She shifted her head slightly in his hands. "I can't just forget everything I went through because of you. How do I know this isn't guilt talking? I don't wanna go back to the depressed mess I was."
The boy she was once crazy in love with said nothing. He just put the gold jewellery back on their original place on her body. Once done, he smiled.
"I know I'm behaving selfishly, I know I'm making many promises, I know I'm acting crazy... But I'm keeping those promises. I promise I will treat you better. I promise to open myself up. I promise to give us a chance, to become a couple. You don't have to say yes now. I can wait. The truth is..." He begun trailing his words off, almost unable to say anything else. "I think I...I believe I...I...I LOVE YOU!"
Bridgette froze. The words paralysed her. Her head went into a spin. As if she hit her head and entered Wonderland. Here he was, her crush, pathetically confessing his newfound love for her after she tried moving on.
The list didn't prepare her for this.
What should she do?
Give in?
Resist?
His eyes, usually cold and calculating her, were now big and round, the pupils taking up most of the orbs. Just like the eyes of an adorable kitten. Pleading, begging.
It was cute.
Her heartstrings strummed.
She made her decision.
"Give me a week and I'll consider it..." She said, and then she reached up, grasped hold of his shirt and pulled him down to her eye level. She giggled at his startled face. "...kitten."
She giggled at bewildered look on his face before walking away, swinging her hips sultrily as she went off.
If he really wanted her, he had to work it a little longer.
Make him pay.
The party was still raging through the night. She walked over to the refreshment table and reached out for a drink when a hand took it from her touch. A hand attached to an arm wearing the long sleeve of a black leather jacket.
Felix towered over her, smirking. Then he offered her the drink he snatched from him.
By the smirk on his face, she realized that he took her decision to reconsider taking him back as a challenge.
Over the week, Felix continued on wooing her, no longer a secret admirer.
He flirted with her. He waited on her. He kissed her hand. And all in plain view of everyone else.
He was acting just like she did.
His public affectionate acts caused public shock.
Allegra was particularly shocked.
At lunch, Felix sat right next to Bridgette and planted a kiss on her cheek, and Allegra spat out her yogurt.
"The list was supposed to tell you how to get over him, not stay with him!"
Felix groaned as he threw an arm around Bridgette, ignoring Claude and Allan's gawks. "You don't suppose there's a list on how to distract my girlfriend's annoying best friend?"
His comment made Bridgette giggle.
A week later, Bridgette put on her favourite purple dress, ran down the stairs, slipped on her black pumps and opened the door. Felix was there, waiting for her, holding out a bouquet of orchids.
After seven days of wooing, he finally won her over.
After months of endless chasing, they finally entered a new stage to their relationship.
A real relationship.
As for the list which drove them apart but also brought them together…
"Did you really have to shred it?" Bridgette asked. "We could've framed it for our future children!"
Felix scoffed, pulling her in by the waist. "Just focus on the now, Brie."
She giggled and let him lead her off to their coffee date. When she hugged his arm, he didn't yank it out.
Yes, she would definitely focus on the now.