socially-awkward

Jack coughed slightly and offered his hand. __i, uh. I__ Jack.__im took it. __ack what?___uh?___our last name, silly.___ackson.__he blinked at him. __our name is Jack Jackson?__e blushed. __o, uh, my first name__ Rhett, but I hate it, so_ He gestured to the chair and she sat. Her dress rode up several inches, exposing pleasing long lines of creamy skin. __ell, Jack, what__ your field of study?___iological Engineering, Genetics, and Microbiology. Post-doc. I__ working on a research project at the institute.___eally? Oh, uh, my apple martini__ getting a little low._____e got that, one second._ He scurried to the bar and bought her a fresh one. She sipped and managed to make it look not only seductive but graceful as well. __hat do you want to do after you__e done with the project?_ Kim continued.__epends on what I find.__he sent him a simmering smile. __hat are you looking for?_ Immediately, Jack__ eyes lit up and his posture straightened. __ started the project with the intention of learning how to increase the reproduction of certain endangered species. I had interest in the idea of cloning, but it proved too difficult based on the research I compiled, so I went into animal genetics and cellular biology. It turns out the animals with the best potential to combine genes were reptiles because their ability to lay eggs was a smoother transition into combining the cells to create a new species, or one with a similar ancestry that could hopefully lead to rebuilding extinct animals via surrogate birth or in-vitro fertilization. We__e on the edge of breaking that code, and if we do, it would mean that we could engineer all kinds of life and reverse what damage we__e done to the planet__ ecosystem.__im stared. __ight. Would you excuse me for a second?__he wiggled off back to her pack of friends by the bar. Judging by the sniggering and the disgusted glances he was getting, she wasn__ coming back. Jack sighed and finished off his beer, massaging his forehead. __es, brilliant move. You blinded her with science. Genius, Jack.__e ordered a second one and finished it before he felt smallish hands on his shoulders and a pair of soft lips on his cheek. He turned to find Kamala had returned, her smile unnaturally bright in the black lights glowing over the room. __o_how did it go with Kim?__e shot her a flat look. __ou notice the chair is empty.__amala groaned. __ou talked about the research project, didn__ you?___o!_ She glared at him.__maybe___ou__e so useless, Jack._ She paused and then tousled his hair a bit. __heer up. The night__ still young. I__ not giving up on you.__e smiled in spite of himself. __et.__er brown eyes flashed. __ever.

Restaurants are minefields for the socially inept

When you're socially awkward, you're isolated more than usual, and when you're isolated more than usual, your creativity is less compromised by what has already been said and done. All your hope in life starts to depend on your craft, so you try to perfect it. One reason I stay isolated more than the average person is to keep my creativity as fierce as possible. Being the odd one out may have its temporary disadvantages, but more importantly, it has its permanent advantages.