moving up?

relationships are tricky things. take mr now. we're friends - there's no question about that. are we good friends? maybe. i'd put him on the same level as my teammates - more or less. (keep in mind that i spend a lot of time with the latter.) are we dating? hm. i think so. but not a very regular basis, i would say. am i being sized up for girlfriend material? lord knows what the guy is thinking in THAT respect. interpret the data for me, please.

spent a night listening to old-school jazz in his favorite weekend pub. other colleagues left early, and we were the only two people left from the group. when the band finished their third and last set, we got up to leave. he has struck up a conversation with an older man, and as i stood next to him, this man started talking to me as well. it so happens that he has friends visiting that weekend, who were in the same venue. he went over to the back room to pay courtesies, left me with the older man - who also asked me to stay, anyway. then meantime guy came back, and asked me to go with him so he can introduce me to his mates. (the older guy tried to detain me again, but of course, he was just teasing.) so i met some of his childhood buddies. then we left, and he walked me to the tube station. once we got near the station, i turned and gave him a good-bye kiss on the cheek, then walked over to the other side of the road.

"it used to be two!" he remarked.

i turned and smiled. "oh, alright." (for the record, it was never two kisses with him.)

i walked back to him and gave him a peck on the other cheek. then summarily turned around and walked into the station without looking back.

the following evening he started chatting me up on instant messenger, and said, "we will have to arrange for that dinner."

"dinner?" i asked.

he was referring to our discussion on the guest bed he and his flatmate have constructed. "it's just too good not to show off," he says.

he was about to scratch the plans when i had asked what he meant about dinner. i expressed interest, and he said he'll have to check his flatmate's schedule. so potential dinner at his place. with or without his flatmate, i do not know.

then there is the movie tomorrow eve. with other friends, of course. it's actually just a spontaneous hang-out together kind of thing. (it was supposed to be for tonight, but it got pushed back for tomorrow.) anyway, we seem to be spending more time together this year. hrm.

could it be that i am moving up the relationship ladder?