A long, drawn-out “oooooh” rolls through the arena, playful and approving.
Dex laughs into the mic. “Ooh la la, already talking about kissing. Nashville, pace yourselves.” He grins. “Player Two, you’re up.”
Player Two answers with easy confidence. “If she’s still smiling when it’s over and wants to do it again.”
Dex nods approvingly. “There it is. Player Two kept it cool, but he came to win.”
A round of approving applause follows.
"Player Three, what makes it a successful date to you?"
I take a breath.
“If she feels like her time wasn’t wasted,” I say. “That’s it.”
Silence.
Then Dex exhales. “Sir. This is a dating game, not a values seminar.”
The laughter that follows is warmer. Different.
Her voice cuts in. “May I use my follow-up?”
Dex straightens. “You may. You have one follow-up question for each player.”
“Player Three,” she says. “What does that actually look like for you?”
“Listening,” I say. “Showing up when I say I will. Not pretending to be someone else. And of course, enjoying the time together.”
Dex shakes his head. “Player Three refuses to lie on television.”
The crowd laughs, affectionate now.
“Player One, you mentioned kissing on a first date,” she says, tone curious, not coy. “Is that your move, or do you read the moment?”
Player One chuckles. “I read the moment. If it’s there, I don’t overthink it.”
Dex grins. “Player One trusts vibes and excellent timing. That's basically a puck-on-a-string kind of confidence.”
The crowd reacts with appreciative noise.
"Thank you, Player One. Player Two,” she says. “What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done in the last year?”
There’s a pause.
Player Two exhales. “Booked a last-minute flight to Vegas with my teammates. No plan. Just went.”
Dex blinks. “Okay. Player Two has layers. Didn't see that coming. And yeah, that was a hell of a weekend.”
Laughter rolls through the arena.
Dex lifts a hand, suddenly solemn, like he’s about to announce a starting lineup. “Alright. Decision time.”
The crowd starts chanting immediately, a messy blend of voices and guesses and pure adrenaline. They chant names, numbers, and pure nonsense, but the noise still swells until it fills the space behind my ribs.
Dex leans toward her. “Now, take your time. Or don’t. Some people think too much. Some people don’t think at all.” He squints theatrically. “Don't listen to the crowd. They are famously wrong about everything.”
Laughter waves through the arena.
