The next time Arnold and Kriss met was at breakfast the next morning. They both acted as normal as possible and nothing was said about the previous evening. It wasn't until Kriss put her index finger into her milk and sucked it while looking at Arnold in a sexy way that Arnold even thought about it. He knew something was going on with him; it had been a while since the last practical joke was played on him, which must've been what she was doing.
Kriss retreated to her quarters to get ready for her date with Dave that evening. She tried to think about what might happen but all she could do was think about Arnold, his story about her had really touched her and she couldn't stop herself from thinking about it. One thing really made her think though, why was she seducing him, why the kiss, why the milk, why? She couldn't understand herself. One thing she did understand was that she couldn't go out with Dave, she'd have to cancel, say she was ill or something.
Arnold was thinking about the flirting. Should he flirt back or should he leave it. Kriss was subtle with her flirting but Arnold knew he would blow it if he even tried, if he gave the game away then there'd definitely be no chance of any thing between him and Kriss.
Dave had a spring in his step, he was going on a date with Kristine Kochanski nothing could dampen his spirits. He reached her door and knocked on it. She stood there with a big woollen dressing gown on.
"Aren't you ready" he asked her "oh" he replied without giving her time to speak "it's a bit early in the relationship for that isn't it? Didn't think you were a first date type of girl"
"I'm not" she stated, "I'm too ill, I can't come out"
"You were fine this afternoon" he pleaded, "what's gone wrong? You don't sound ill"
"I just don't feel myself, Dave" she insisted, after all she wasn't lying to him, it was true, she didn't feel herself. "Can we do it in a couple of days?" Dave threw the flowers onto her bed
"Fine, if that's what you want" he complained and then walked out. Kriss felt really bad about this, but she couldn't worry too long about it she had other things to attend too, Arnold Rimmer!
Kriss played different scenarios over again and again in her head. She must've come up with about two hundred possible outcomes, some of which weren't nearly realistic. She came up with the two most likely outcomes and the consequences. The first one was if she ignored the tension between them and tried to carry on as normal. The consequences were simple, she wouldn't be happy and he defiantly wouldn't be very happy. The second option would be to try to have a relationship with him, she didn't want to just sleep with him, if she was going to do that she'd have to be his girlfriend too. Kriss decided that she quite liked the idea, but what were the consequences. Well, Dave would be devastated, Kryten would be very cross and Cat, well to be honest, Cat probably wouldn't care. He'd just accept it and move on. She couldn't just ask him out though; she'd have to toy with him a bit first or at least let him ask her.
Arnold was contemplating weather to go and see Kriss, he didn't know what to do, he couldn't ask Kryten because he would tell Dave and he couldn't talk to Cat because he would tell everyone. What did he have to loose. He got up, combed his hair and started making his way towards her quarters. Step by step, inch-by-inch, metre-by-metre, he was there!
Arnold knocked on the door she looked up from her book and called out: "Who's that?"
"Arnold" he replied "its Arnold!"
"Oh, ok" she started to get up "two seconds"
She opened the door and invited him in. He sat down on her bed and put his head in his hands.
"Why are you doing this too me?"
Kriss was surprised by this comment
"Doing what" she asked "I'm not doing anything to you"
"You're taking the smeg, why are you flirting with me when we both know you don't mean it"
"I didn't know I didn't mean it," she stated "in fact, I meant it a lot"
Arnold looked up at her; he couldn't hide the beaming smile on his face
"You mean…" he started "you mean you want to be with me?"
"Yeah," Kriss answered, "I think I do" she smiled too, she knew what she was doing was right and she could see that Arnold agreed with her.
"One thing," she demanded "you better take me out on a date first"
"Ok" Arnold didn't really care; as long as he could be with her it didn't matter. "Cinema?"
"Sure" Kriss smiled, she hadn't felt this happy in a long time "5.30, I'll choose the film"
Arnold skipped back to his quarters, he couldn't wait he was taking Kristine Kochanski on a date tomorrow, he had to prepare, what was he going to wear, what was he going to say? He had no clue at all.