The Date Set Up
1161 Words
Samantha’s POV
“What?! A blind date? Are you f*****g kidding me? Hell no, Rosy!” I exclaimed, shaking my head.
I hated blind dates. To me, they were the last resort for people desperate to meet anyone. And desperate was one thing I was not.
“I’m not interested, Rosy,” I said firmly, pinning on my name tag as I made my way toward the exit.
But, of course, Rosy stepped right in front of me, blocking my path. “Wait a minute, Samantha. Just hear me out, okay?”
I sighed, crossing my arms as I looked at her. Knowing Rosy, she wouldn’t let this go until she’d laid out her full pitch. “Fine... I’m listening.”
Her face lit up instantly. “Okay! So, I’m thinking maybe you can open an account on this dating app I found. We set up a profile for you and everything, and then you go on four dates, just four! Out of four guys, you’re bound to meet someone special.”
I scrunched up my face in total disgust. “Absolutely not. I am not going on some random, ridiculous date with anyone, alright?”
“Oh, come on, Sam!” she said, hands on her hips, refusing to back down.
“What’s the harm in trying?”
“The harm,” I replied, raising an eyebrow, “is wasting my time and sanity. I’d rather spend the holidays working, thank you very much.”
She sighed, but I could see the wheels still turning in her mind. “You can keep saying no, but I’m not giving up on this.”
I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as I brushed past her, knowing this wouldn’t be the last I’d hear about it.
Rosy, naturally, wasn’t about to let me just walk away. She moved in front of me again, her hands on her hips and that determined look in her eyes.
“Listen, Samantha,” she said, her voice softening, “you’ve been locked up in this little bubble ever since… well, since things ended with him. You’ve shut your heart off to anyone who might actually be good for you. This could be a great chance to open yourself up again.”
I sighed, knowing I wasn’t going to win this one. Rosy had a way of bulldozing through all my defenses until there was no option but to go along with whatever wild plan she’d concocted.
“Fine,” I muttered, finally giving in. “Fine, if it’ll get you off my back.”
Rosy’s face lit up with triumph. Before I could even blink, she snatched my phone from my hand, fingers flying over the screen as she searched for the dating app.
“Okay, first things first we need to set up a profile.” She was in full project mode now, eyebrows knit in concentration as she typed in details for my account.
“Wait,” I said, a bit alarmed as I watched her entering info at lightning speed, “what are you even writing on there?”
“Oh, just the essentials,” she replied, barely looking up. “Let’s see… ‘Talented artist, passionate about her work, looking to share laughs and good conversation over coffee or a holiday hot chocolate.’”
I groaned, pressing my hand to my forehead. “Sounds like someone else entirely.”
Rosy gave me a don’t-start look, then tapped the next button. “Now, we just need a couple of profile photos, and we’re good to go.”
She held up my phone, ready to take a picture, and I crossed my arms, not even attempting to hide my disinterest.
“Come on, Samantha, smile!” she coaxed.
I gave her a halfhearted smirk, barely moving my lips.
Rosy rolled her eyes, laughing. “You look like you’re being held hostage. Try again! Just one small smile?”
I forced myself to smile a little wider, though every part of me wanted to escape this whole setup.
After a few more awkward photos and reluctant poses, she finally clapped her hands in satisfaction.
“There we go. Profile complete. Now we just wait.”
“For what, exactly?” I asked, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice.
“For the magic to happen,” she replied, grinning. “If I did it right, you’ll have four dates lined up before Christmas.”
I sighed. Four dates before Christmas. It sounded like the last thing I wanted or needed.
******
Later that day, after work hours, I was in the locker room, swapping my work vest for my coat and getting ready to head home.
Just as I was zipping up my bag, Rosy burst into the changing room, grinning like she’d just won the lottery.
Before I could even say a word, she snatched my phone from the bench, her fingers already tapping furiously on the screen to open the dating app.
I shook my head, amused and baffled at her persistence. *What kind of human being is she?*
“Oh my god!” she squealed, her eyes widening with excitement. “You already have someone interested in going on a date with you!”
She practically shoved the phone in my face, and I had no choice but to look.
On the screen was a profile picture of a guy with warm brown eyes, a little scruff on his jaw, and a smile that, I had to admit, was pretty nice.
“Isn’t he cute?” Rosy beamed, nudging me.
I raised an eyebrow. “I mean… he’s not bad.”
“Not bad?” Rosy scoffed. “Come on, Sam, he’s practically model material! And he wants to meet you tomorrow night!”
My stomach did a little flip, and I quickly looked away, shoving the last of my things into my bag.
“I don’t know, Rosy… Tomorrow night? That’s so soon.”
“Exactly,” she said, as if that solved everything. “No time to overthink it. Just go, have fun, and see what happens. You don’t have to commit to anything. One drink, one conversation. That’s it.”
I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. “Fine,” I muttered, rolling my eyes, “I’ll go. But only for one drink.”
Rosy threw her arms around me in a tight hug. “You won’t regret this, I promise! Tomorrow night is the beginning of a new you.”
As I walked out of the store and into the chilly night air, I couldn’t help but feel a nervous excitement mixed with dread. A date. I hadn’t been on one of those in… well, longer than I cared to remember.
Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t be the disaster I imagined. Or maybe, I thought with a small, nervous smile, it would be exactly that.
- Writer
