falling for the bad boy

The plan

(Barneys pov)

I finished getting a girls number it had been 3 years 7 months since I saw theo so I started dating other people.

"I'm sorry. I-I missed the first half of this. Um, why is picking up a drunk chick sitting alone and rubbing a tan line on her finger where a wedding ring used to be, a challenge?" robin says

"Because I said challenge accepted. "

"See? That's your problem, Barney. You only accept challenges you came up with."

"Just once, I'd like to see you accept someone else's challenge."

"Challenge acc... Wait-- what's the challenge? Interesting. "

"An opportunity rife with possibilities. We need to find something with just the right amount of poetic... Get a girl's number while talking like a dolphin!"

Later one

I stand in the apartment and smile to myself

"Congratulations, you win."

" Win? No, I don't want to win. I want to keep playing. More challenges. "

"Fine, you want another challenge?"

"More challenges, more challenges."

"Fine, here's your challenge."

"Go down to the pharmacy and buy some diapers."

"And, uh, get me a Samosa from the Indian place."

"Sounds like an errand. "

"While picking up a girl. "

"Challenge accepted!"

I walked to the store and see a girl with brown hair.

"Target acquired. I'm recruiting volunteers for the starving puppy orphanage where I work. For free. So, if you wouldn't mind just writing your number down on this signup sheet...? "

"Listen, I appreciate that you feel like you need my number. Um. Maybe it's because you're really sad about something and this is your way of feeling better about yourself.  But... since I have a boyfriend, and I'm pretty sure I heard you call me a target earlier over there, Wha...? I'm gonna go ahead and not give you my number. "

"I'm gonna give you something even better."

"Wow, right to the chase. Meet you in aisle six. "

"I'm gonna give you this. Okay. It's gonna be okay. You're a good guy. You will get through this."

"Uh, okay. Weirdo alert."

"Have you met...?"

"Excuse me."

"What do you mean "sad"?"

I walk outside later on. I sit on a bus bench

"There was this girl Theo. We tried dating a while back and it was a disaster. But I-I always regret giving up. It just ended so quickly.  What about you? You and your boyfriend gonna go the distance? "

"I don't know. I think maybe I still haven't met the right guy. Hmm."

"I wonder if I know someone to set you up with. Drawing a blank. "

"Are you gonna go get this girl? Or what?"

"I don't know. I'm kind of at my peak right now. I don't know if I can just walk away from the game. "

"Do you want to keep playing or do you want to win? "

"I want to win"