Chapter two

Lofty sat at the table in the staff room with Robyn; it was their lunch break, and it had become a custom for the two to share their hour laughing at the latest celebrities and talking. Lofty yawned and scratched his head as Robyn focused on the magazine she had poised in one hand. Happily, she crunched the chocolate bar grasped in her other as she began to read aloud from one of the articles.

"Mystic Mandy can predict your dream partner with just these simple questions" she cooed, her eyes wide and looking at Lofty - as if to imply he would be her test subject. Lofty's face dropped after a moment of recognition; he shook his head.

"No Robyn, I hate those tests. They don't tell you anything!" he reasoned, but the red haired nurse just laughed.

"Come on, what harm can it be? Okay question one… which of these dates sounds the most appealing to you: A) Going for drinks in a loud nightclub B) A quiet night in with a takeaway C) A fun outdoor activity?" she asked curiously. The male nurse sat for a moment and contemplated the options. He had never been the type to stay out partying; he always found it too loud to actually hear what anyone was saying. Lofty wasn't very good at outdoor sports either, always finding a new way to trip and fall flat on his face.

"It'll have to be B, then" he huffed, an irritated tone in his voice. Robyn used the Biro lodged behind her ear to tick the appropriate box, before heading to the next question.

"Okay question two… ooh this is a fun one – which of the following words would you use to describe yourself: A) Athletic, competitive and confident…" She winced, almost bursting into laughter, "B) Sweet, sincere and kind… or C) Witty, popular and relaxed?" This was the reason Lofty hated these kinds of personality tests; they made him feel like an idiot for actually trying to match his quirky self up with any of the categories.

"B, again… I'm telling you this isn't even worth the paper it's printed on. It's all a bunch of-"

"Question three!" Robyn interrupted, "Which of the following traits attracts you the most: A) Confidence, B) Caring or C) Successful?" She set the chocolate bar down and sipped from the mug of tea sitting next to her. Lofty furrowed his brow and gently rested his head in his hands.

"Caring?" he sighed. "I don't really care about the other two, they don't define a person in a way as nice as being a caring person does." He admitted. A variety of different questions were tossed back and forth, and soon Lofty grew tired of such a repetitive activity. Finally, Robyn's eyes lit up and Lofty knew this signaled the end of the quiz, a moment he was glad had finally come.

"Okie dokie, mostly Bs… Mystic Mandy has predicted your soulmate has a hard shell to crack, but can occasionally demonstrate a soft side if you look for it. They have a strong moral compass and are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Your dream partner prefers to be alone sometimes, but is a great addition to any team. They may be a tough cookie but they are worth it in the long run." Robyn looked unimpressed by the prognosis, letting the magazine tumble to the counter surface as she finished her snack.

"You're right; maybe it is all a sham…." She sighed. Just as Robyn flipped the page to begin reading from another pointless article, a head popped around the staff room door.

"Ready?" Dylan asked, his voice seeming slightly higher. Lofty's face lit up; this was his chance to escape Robyn's embarrassing interrogation without coming across in a nasty way.

"Absolutely."