I have never been a big fan of an arranged date but my friend assured me that I would like his friend. They had been friends since university so it made me a bit comfortable with the situation. Additionally, Jesse, my friend, was the best guy I had ever met. So, I was hopeful about the guy he wanted to introduce me to. I was very specific about the kind of guy I like.
“No womanizers,” I said firmly.
Jesse laughed then replied, “Why would I introduce my best friend to a womanizer?”
This was the least of my worries if I was being honest with myself. I simply didn’t want any weird people around me. I had met enough creeps in my life and I was done with that chapter of my life. However, it seems like the universe had other plans for me.
“I’ve set up a date for you. All you have to do is show up and have fun.”
“I’m nervous.”
“Don’t worry. He’s absolutely fun. I know you’ll get along with him.”
Well, he wasn’t lying. Paul was fun indeed. From the minute we exchanged numbers, we couldn’t stop chatting. I noticed he liked texting more than calling which took me a while to adjust to but he was a good conversationalist and I hardly noticed that I would chat with him for hours. I looked forward to our date and getting to interact with him on a personal level.
“You seem very interesting.” I texted him.
“You too. I can tell we will get along.”
“So where are you taking me on a date?”
“Jesse hasn’t told me. He said he’ll be our chauffeur so we can both enjoy the night.”
“I wasn’t aware of this. This means he’ll be with us on the date?”
“Yes, but he won’t come in the restaurant obviously.”
“Obviously,” I replied.
I started getting uncomfortable with the situation. Why would my friend follow us to our date? What was he not telling me? I had watched too many romantic comedies to know this could only end in premium tears. Nonetheless, I was still eager to meet the guy. He did live up to the expectations despite his few shortcomings. At that point in my life, I didn’t have the luxury to nitpick. Time was ticking and I needed to find someone to settle down with or at least that’s what my family and friends wanted for me. Even my own best friend, Jesse, was pressuring me to get in a relationship.
“You know you’re not getting any younger.”
“And?”
“You’re beautiful now but we all know that doesn’t last.”
“If someone will marry me for my looks then I’d rather he doesn’t marry me at all.”
“This feminism will be the end of you. At least, Paul is all on board with the movement. You can rant to him about your woes as a woman all you want.”
Yea, that was another reason I was attracted to him. He was intellectual and open-minded. Our conversations were always fun and light. I could truly be myself around him. There was almost nothing about him that turned me off.
So, when the day of the date came, I was pretty excited. I dressed up in a crimson dress that I hadn’t worn in years. I was surprised it even fit me. In fact, it hugged my curves just right since I had gained a little weight. I didn’t want to overdress since I wasn’t sure where we were going. I still felt a bit uneasy about the whole arrangement. For all I knew, they could have been playing a bad prank on me. However, I trusted my best friend and I knew he couldn’t embarrass me like that.
They both showed up at my house around 6 pm looking sharp. Jesse introduced us though it felt like we had known each other for years. I giggled at his silly jokes as we walked hand in hand to the car. Jesse barely said a thing as we conversed at the back seat all the way to the restaurant.
A table was reserved for us courtesy of our sweet friend so we headed straight in a settled at an intimate corner table with a view of the city. Jesse had really gone above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed our day.
However, I noticed Paul’s lustful looks from the moment we saw each other. He couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering to my hips. At first, I thought it was flattering but it was getting annoying. Even while seated, he still bent down to look at my thighs. It made me feel uncomfortable. When he finally excused himself to use the washrooms, I thought I had a few minutes to myself. I took the time to check whether I had missed any important calls or texts. Then I saw a text from Paul. It was weird but I assumed he needed my help so I opened it.
It read: “What’s up, bro. The date is going great. She’s even sexier than I thought. Do you mind if I go home with her? I’ll tell her you had an emergency.”
I was paralyzed. Just as I thought this date couldn’t go wrong, the worst thing that could possibly happen happened. Now I had to deal with the embarrassment of him trying to explain to me what he “meant”. Part of me wanted to leave the date but I decided to give him an opportunity to save himself. He came back to the table visibly embarrassed and sat quietly.
“Well?” I asked.
“What did you expect? You look so sexy.”
That was his big apology. For a man who was all about feminism, his womanizing side was showing. He ended up taking an Uber home and I went with my friend to my apartment where we laughed about the whole situation. However, I didn’t think it was funny and I still don’t.
More stories in the Singlehood Series:
When He Shows Up To Your First Date With A Friend
I Had Three Crazy Tinder Experiences Which Forced Me To Delete The App
He Went On A Blind Date And Had Dinner With The Wrong Girl
I Went On A Date With My Instagram Stalker Without Knowing It
She Showed Up To Our First Date With Her Ex-Boyfriend
The Singlehood Series: My Boyfriend Pressured Me To Lose Weight
