[ WP ] You 're on a first date and its going very well until you make a huge mistake . You somehow get a sign from future you telling you that this person is `` the one '' . Do n't screw it up .

“ I ’ ll have the linguine ”, he said, looking over his newspaper-size menu. The restaurant insisted on using paper menus to give an “ old-timey ” 21st century feel of an Italian restaurant, despite the shining cityscape being clearly visible behind fake marble pillars. He peeked at his date sitting across from him. 
 
 The cheery artificial waiter jotted something down. Why they had to write on a pad, when they were equipped with perfect memory, probably also had something to do with the feeling of authenticity. 
 
 “ We have the offer of: GMO-beef or chicken? ” 
 
 “ Hm, Chicken. Let ’ s go all out on this one! GMO never tastes right to me. ” 
 
 The girl across from him raised an eyebrow. She had look of a techno-raver, metallic shirt and black short hair. The dating service, Date-Joi, had put them together, so he supposed they should be compatible. 
 
 “ So, you prefer the option of systematic genocide of sentient meat? ” She said, casually. 
 
 Confused, he gazed at the oversized menu for this choice, then had a sinking feeling that the evening was going downhill. A Moralist. Those idiots at Date-Joi had really fucked him over. 
 
 “ I don ’ t think it ’ s technically genocide since we keep breeding more chicken. I mean, we ’ re not wiping them out.. ” 
 
 She pursed her mouth into a tiny scowl. Right then, his Tomorrow-watch started flashing a color-code. It was a message from his future self: “ This is your soul-mate. The one and only with whom you ’ re destined to be incinerated, some distant time in the future when you ’ re both bored. In other words: Don ’ t fuck this up. ” The technology was popular, since people that didn ’ t die accidentally and did n't need to work, had little other to do than to optimize their lives and try to perfect their timelines. It was restricted of course, which only made it more widely used. 
 
 “ I think we got off on the wrong foot here. If you think it ’ s better, let ’ s both have the GMO. ” He smiled winningly at the girl, who ignored him. 
 
 The waiter blinked prettily and scurried off. His date took out her DIV-ball, an older type with a light display, and started browsing the news. 
 
 “ So, do you always change your convictions just like that. ” 
 
 He groaned, but forced a smile. 
 
 “ Actually, no, but you turned me around. ” 
 
 “ Hrmph. ” 
 
 “ Anything interesting on the news? ” He was grasping for 8-bits. The girl gave him a pitying look. 
 
 “ Not really. ” 
 
 He praised himself lucky when their food arrived. The linguine was cooked with a beef-like sustenance in a grey-white sauce. It had a bland odour like a breath of warm air. 
 
 “ This is pretty good, ” he tried. 
 
 “ Look I ’ m just here because I got hungry and your profile seemed harmless. You ’ re annoying me now. ” 
 Sweet robotic Jeesus, this girl was a handful. He felt like strangling her. Would they have a relationship of fighting and make-up sex? That could work for him, except he didn ’ t feel very attracted. Actually her presence inspired an even deeper self-loathing in him than usual. He went for a final sprint. 
 
 “ So, anyway, do you want to go and get a beer after? ” 
 
 She opened her eyes wide as if seeing him for the first time. They were actually kind of pretty those eyes, bluish and white framed with black makeup. He felt a small twinge of hope, like something that was meant to happen long ago was actually happening now. 
 
 She laughed, right while staring at him. Not a girlish giggle either but great bellowing laugh. 
 
 He felt his face grow warm and stood up, as she went on clutching her sides. People around them stared. 
 
 His Tomorrow-watch lit up again, yellow with mirth. “ Just kidding. Ha. Ha. Ha. Am enjoying remembering you squirm. ” 
 
 Man, future him was a jerk.
