The Tinder Date

There I lay, in the dark, in cold as the gusty wind howled and caressed my face. I can hear the silent, yet loud breeze, as the leaves rustles along with the loud echos of crickets or where they? Crickets I thought… Now why the hell would I be hearing crickets? Last thing I remember was walking to the bar to meet Tom. You see, Tom was a new guy I was speaking to – well dating if you will. We had met whilst doing what people do, scrolling on tinder. He is charming, kind, he is sweet, he was persistent. We’d been speaking for about a month, but never met. Why? you must be thinking… Well he’s been living abroad, he was an Engineer and was currently located in Dubai – but he was moving back to the UK and our plan was when he got back, our life would begin officially – well our dating life of course. And that’s what was meant to be happening today, now. But here I am.

The numbness in my cheeks, my fingers unable to what it’s meant to do – move. “Where am I? How long have I been here? Why does everything hurt? Why can’t I move?” My mind racing, my heart palpitating, “TOM?” I yelled with all the strength I had. But there was silence, only the whispers of the wind. Why wasn’t he answering? Why can’t I see? What the hell is going on. I knew I need to find my strength, I knew I needed to get up, but how I thought. Slowly, but, with every facial muscle I had, I squinted really hard, ensuring the bottom eyelid and top touched together, ever so tightly and 3 2 1 – with every eyelid muscle and mouth, I forced my eyes open and how the hell did I get here…

A shed? A cabin? In the middle of the woods… no seriously how did I get here. It was dark, it was quiet, the walls were padded, but leaves were everywhere, the leaves, the twigs, they laid everywhere in the cabin shed as though they had been strategically placed. The walls were padded I kept thinking… instantly my senses kicked in, survive, survive, survive is all I thought now. I bellowed “LET ME OUT” “WHY AM I HERE?” “Please, if you let me go, I won’t tell a soul, I just want to live.” I kicked, I cried, I threw my body at door, only to loudly thud on the ground, drawing blood from my right knee due to the hard concrete floor. I screamed, I shouted, I pleaded and begged but it fell on deaf ears.

I sit back down – on the floor, to catch my breath, to catch my thoughts. To recollect my memories of how I bloody got here. It was 3pm I had started getting ready for my date at 8pm. Turning on the hot shower, the room filled with the hot steam; giving me an in-house sauna. The perfect ambiance. The smell of eucalyptus rose flooded the bathroom with its gorgeous aroma and to add to the mood, my Spotify playlists of Jhene Aiko and Eric Bellinger played in the background. The scene was being set and the energy had been drawn, I was feeling like an absolute goddess, ready to show out and up for my date. As i put the final touches to my face, setting my under eyes with my Huda beauty setting powder and finally topping it up with my Charlotte Tilbury Setting Spray I was ready. However, not before layering my skin my with my YSL Black Opium and chocolate smelling perfume – sold to me by TikTok. I tell you now, TikTok has been influencing a few, no, that’s a lie but a lot of my buys and I can’t help it. I am just a girl. Last but not least, it was time to look in the mirror and cheer myself on. My gold Bottega dupe earrings sat perfectly on my ear, paired with the beautiful Vivienne Westwood Necklace my girl friend had gifted me for my birthday a couple months before. Oh damn girl, you did it again I thought, looking at myself in these gorgeous, snug yet perfect fitting leather flared pants, with a black Bardot corset fitting top with the perfect red Ruby Woo lips and slicked back hair to complete the look. I was ready. I am ready. A whole damn babe I thought, he’d be mad not to fall in love with the second he saw me.

I booked my Uber, it was going to take about 24mins to get to Clapham. Done my final touches as I waited for my Uber, as everyone knows, a lady is never finished getting ready, there is just always something but it’s the art of being a woman and I wouldn’t trade it. My phone pinged, my Uber was outside, now, it was time to go. Swiping my keys from the console table, I headed to the door, grabbing my already prepped Jacquemus bag. I was out the door and in the cab.

Hang on, what was that? As my thoughts were disturbed. “Who’s there – HELP ME PLEASE” I belted. I could hear it, someone was there. Someone was on the other side, the gentleness of the twigs breaking as if the were quietly being stepped on, the rustles and sound of the leaves as if someone was quietly yet sneakily play peeping Tom. The Irony “TOM” I thought. Now, again, back in reality, stuck in an unknown place. How was I going to get out. Looking around for anything, a tool, an escape, something. I am desperate. Then, keys were jingling and jangling outside the door, someone was getting ready to come in, I turned around, looking for anywhere, somewhere to hide – because if there’s one thing I know, its that I am escaping. As the keys slowly glide through the keyhole, quietly turning I hide in the corner. There was a little hiding corner that could just about cover me up, giving me a little shield standing up , thank you God I cried. The fear taking over, tears streaming down my face, my nose snotty – but it wasn’t time to give up. Once whoever opened that door, you are going to run Rebecca – that’s all I could think. It was time, the door knob was turning. I crouched down to catch my breath and quickly got back up. Three.. Two… One… the door swung open.