Gina’s Blind Date Experience

Gina took a deep breath as she stepped onto the porch, her stomach twisting in knots. Standing at the doorstep was a tall, well-dressed man with dark hair and a faint, mysterious smile. His eyes gleamed in the evening light, but something about him made her skin crawl.

“Hi, you must be Gina,” he said, extending a hand. His grip was firm, but cold, almost unnaturally so.

“Yeah,” Gina muttered, trying to muster a smile as she shook his hand. “You must be... Steven.”

“Indeed,” he said, his voice smooth, like silk. “Shall we head out? I know a great place.”

Gina nodded reluctantly, following him to a sleek black car parked in the driveway. As they drove, the conversation started off slow but quickly picked up.

Steven was charming, asking about her interests and making her laugh. For a moment, she even felt herself relax.

But as they pulled up to a quaint little restaurant nestled between tall buildings, Gina muttered to herself,

“I swear, Raquel, if this guy turns out to be a WEIRDO, I'm switching your oat milk with powdered creamer. And not the FANCY kind.”

The restaurant looked promising, almost like something out of a romantic movie. But as they entered, Gina noticed the odd silence, the lack of bustling chatter typical of a busy night. The place was almost empty, except for a few shadowy figures in the far corners.

“Um, is it usually this quiet here?” Gina asked, trying to push the growing unease out of her mind.

“Of course,” Steven replied smoothly, leading her to a dimly lit table near the back. “It's a special spot. Not many know about it.”

As they sat down, the waiter—a pale, gaunt man—appeared and gave them both an odd, almost vacant smile before taking their order.

“What's your poison?” Steven asked, his voice laced with an eerie calmness. "I recommend the house special—it's... unforgettable.”

Gina’s unease deepened. “Just water, I guess.”

Steven grinned. “Water is fine. But you'll miss out on the best part of the night.”

The food came quickly, far too quickly. It was plated so delicately, it seemed almost too perfect. Gina picked at her plate, trying to hide her discomfort, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly off.

Suddenly, the lights flickered.

“Is this place always this... strange?” Gina asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Strange?" Steven’s smile faltered for a moment. “Not strange, my dear. It’s just... different.”

Gina raised an eyebrow and muttered under her breath, “Different? I’ll show you different, Raquel. When I get back, I’m drawing a mustache on your family photos.”

Before she could respond, the waiter returned, this time with a note on a silver tray.

“Excuse me,” the waiter said, placing it in front of Steven. “A message for you.”

Steven’s face hardened as he read it, his expression quickly changing from calm to something colder, darker. He turned his gaze to Gina, his eyes no longer twinkling with charm.

“We need to leave,” he said sharply, standing up abruptly.

Gina's heart raced. “What’s going on?”

Before she could react, Steven grabbed her wrist, pulling her from her seat. “They know. They all know.”

He was dragging her toward the door when Gina’s eyes landed on something in the far corner of the room. A man in a dark suit, his face obscured by shadows, was watching them intently. His presence sent a chill down her spine.

“Who are they?” Gina gasped, struggling to break free.

But Steven only tightened his grip. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.”

As the door slammed open and Steven ushered her outside, Gina felt the cold night air hit her like a slap in the face. Relief was short-lived, though. Across the street, the same shadowy figure from the restaurant stood, flanked by two others.

“Get in the car,” Steven commanded.

Gina froze, staring at him and murmur to herself,

“Raquel, I swear on every throw pillow in your house, you’re going to PAY for this. YOU HEAR ME? I’m naming my next zit after you!”

Steven shoved her into the car, slamming the door shut behind her. The engine roared to life, and they sped off into the night.

As the car sped through winding streets, Gina tried to make sense of the strange encounter.

“Who are they?” she asked again, her voice trembling.

Steven’s gaze was cold and distant. “They're not people you want to know. And as for me...” He leaned in closer, his voice a whisper, “...well, I’m not your AVERAGE blind date.”

Suddenly, Gina’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She quickly pulled it out, her heart stopping when she saw the text message:

“Gina, don’t trust him. This is a trap. Run. Now.”

The message was from Raquel.

Gina stared at the screen, her eyes wide.

“Are you kidding me, Raquel? Now you warn me? After I’ve been dragged to a haunted restaurant and almost kidnapped?!”

Then she growled, “Run? RUN?! I’m running straight to your apartment, Raquel, and throwing your favorite yoga mat off the balcony!”

She shook the phone in frustration. “Raquel, if I survive, I’m signing you up for jury duty. Every. Single. Time.”

Before she could say anything, the car screeched to a halt, and the doors flung open. A group of shadowy figures surrounded the car. Steven didn’t flinch.

“Get out,” he said, his voice a low growl. “Time to meet your real date.”

Gina staggered out of the car, her purple heels wobbling on the uneven pavement as she glared at Steven. But before she could start yelling at him, her thoughts turned to someone else—her best friend.

“Raquel,” Gina muttered under her breath, her voice dripping with venomous sarcasm. “She’s done. When I get home, I’m deleting her favorite Pinterest board and replacing it with nothing but pictures of crocs. The shoes, Steven. Not the animal.”

Steven raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. “You’re ranting about shoes... now?”

“Don’t interrupt me,” Gina snapped, pointing at him. “This is between me and her.”

“What’s the worst that could happen, Raquel? I get kidnapped by Creepy McSilky Voice, that’s what!”

Steven sighed, clearly losing patience. “Are you done venting, or should I come back later?”

“Oh, definitely not,” Gina shot back, her voice rising.

The shadowy figure finally stepped forward, and Steven stiffened, shielding Gina with his body.

“Hand her over,” the man demanded, his voice low and cold.

“Hand me over?” Gina barked incredulously, peeking over Steven’s shoulder. “What am I, a hot potato? Oh no, sir. If you want me, you’ll have to fight me and write a formal complaint to Raquel, because this is her fault. I bet Raquel’s laughing her butt off at home, sipping chamomile tea like a PSYCHO.”

Steven turned to her, his tone serious. “Stay behind me, Gina.”

Gina’s blood ran cold. “Holy crap, are you freaking serious right now? This is the worst blind date ever!” she spat out, half-laughing, half-panicking.

“Raquel, you’re a cursed genius for this one. But also, you’re dead to me. And so is your pet ficus.”

Steven smirked faintly, amused by her tirade, as the shadows closed in.

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Author’s Note :

Hey there, fabulous readers!

First of all, if you’re reading this, thank you for surviving!

I know what you’re thinking: What’s up with Steven? Who are those shadowy figures? And, most importantly, what will Gina do to Raquel’s Pinterest board next? Fear not, because Part 3 is coming soon!

And guess what? This very creator Rowan Finley will take you deeper into the chaos and drama as like Part-I ;)

Here's the Part-I :