Joyce R. Carter

The Invitation

Lily was terrified. They had been talking for nearly a year and finally she had worked up the courage to suggest a real “date.” The suggestion, much to her surprise, was accepted and to make the whole situation even more stressful, she’d suggested her place. What the hell was she thinking? It’s one thing to text back and forth, or talk for a bit on the phone. It’s also fairly easy to banter at the coffee shop. There are escape routes, dammit. You can hang up, have to go to the bathroom, or just leave. But no, you had to go and make it weird and inescapable by having it at your place. What are you going to do? Run out of the apartment and hope for the best? Girl, you are an idiot.