I took my crush to an upscale restaurant, and everything seemed to be going perfectly—we clicked, shared laughs, and the vibe felt right. She excused herself to freshen up before dessert, but after 15 minutes, she still hadn’t returned.
Then the manager approached me with the bill and asked me to leave. Confused, I was told she had expressed feeling unsafe around me. I was stunned—up until that moment, everything had felt so natural and positive. I had been nothing but respectful and kind.
The experience crushed me. I never heard from her again, and I couldn’t bring myself to return to that restaurant. For a long time, I avoided first dates completely.
