The initial chitchat was going well. It was true that Diana's heart was pounding, but their chemistry was, in her mind, undeniable. It made conversation flow smoothly. Diana was naturally very outgoing, and Maria seemed to have an interesting answer to everything. There were no awkward pauses; it was thoroughly pleasant.<br/><br/>She had dated enough in the past to have a general sense of what the person across the table from her was feeling. Maria seemed to appreciate the dress, and Diana knew she noticed the necklace. There was no feeling that made Diana happier than knowing she looked pleasing to Maria. It made her absolutely giddy.<br/><br/>Diana began to enjoy a small plate of calamari herself when the questions arose. "School is fine. Busy, but good, you know? I'm glad to be almost finished, although I'm a bit nervous about it too!"<br/><br/>Her eyes lit up as Maria spoke about a new piece. "You know too many people, really! It sounds wonderful, though. Definitely send me the information, and I'll try to fit it in. Where would I be without you?" She hadn't said no to one of Maria's proposals in quite some time. She trusted the woman's expertise.<br/><br/>"This calamari is amazing, isn't it?" She said, nodding and taking another bite. It was a weak point of hers. She waved her hand toward Maria nonchalantly. "No, don't worry about it. I love your advice. I'll make it happen. This is my final performance, after all. Seriously, you're a lifesaver. It's going to be amazing, and that is mostly thanks to you. Once I have the final budget details, I'll show you."<br/><br/>"Oh, yes please. More wine would be wonderful." She held her glass closer to Maria until it was filled. She was a bit of a lightweight and, after her third glass, it began to show slightly. Their conversation took another turn toward the more casual. Maria somehow managed to always keep the topic centered around Diana in a manner that wasn't obvious.<br/><br/>The main dishes were ordered and arrived. Diana had the veal saltimbocca, which was an absolute delight. Things progressed normally, until, suddenly, it took an interesting turn.<br/><br/>"You know, now that I think of it-" She blurted out. "I think the budget will be fine without any tweaking. Remember, like, two weeks ago? You mentioned how I could trim back some on security. I spoke it over with my boss, and, after I explained things to him, he agreed. We switched from private contractors to campus police. With all of the people there and security cameras, I think it'll be more than fine. Besides, local officers always seem pretty competent. We'll have more than enough."<br/><br/>She didn't realize what she was saying was music to Maria's ears. "But, anyways, no matter." She smiled. "I'm really enjoying this..." She reached her hand across the table and gently squeezed Maria's. "You're amazing. Really. No matter how great this show goes, meeting you will be the best part of it to me." Diana was<em>absolutely precious</em>.<br/><br/>