No Strings Attached

“The available balance of your account ***24601 is $34.47. This is below your nominated amount.”

I read the text that just pinged on my phone, and my heart sinks … I thought I was okay for tonight, but I discovered after a quick check, that a bunch of auto-payments for subscription services just came out.

‘Oh, shite,’ I said under my breath. This is the last thing I need as I’m about to go on a first date with a guy from an app. I wanted to be able to pay for myself, but this would be tricky. I guess I can hope he’s as nice as his profile suggests.

I quickly check my dress one last time, before entering the restaurant. You look fine, you look nice, I tried to comfort and uplift myself with these thoughts and block out the other ones trying to get in, ‘You still look like a man.’, ‘He’s going to ghost you when he sees you in real life.’

‘Shut up!’

‘Excuse me?’

The hostess in the restaurant looked at me confused and insulted, my response to the voices in my head had apparently been out loud.

‘Oh my- I’m so sorry! I wasn’t talking to you … I was talking to-’

I trail off not wanting to finish, but she seems to have understood. She gives me a warm smile, and I notice her gorgeous blue eyes properly, and her long blonde hair in an intricate plait.

‘It’s okay, girl. I’ve been there,’ she says to me gently. ‘You look great by the way, so whatever your head was trying to say, it’s wrong.’

I blush and smile at her, and thank her before giving the name of who I’m meeting. There’s a pause and a look of disapproval on her face, but she remains professional.

‘Oh yes ... they’ve already arrived, this way miss.’

She guides me through the restaurant and ushers me to the table where my date is waiting. In torn jeans and a faded and worn t-shirt, with a less than tasteful joke about what type of inspector he is scrawled on the front. A far cry from the dashing, clean shaven young man in a suit on his profile pic.

The hostess hands me a menu as I sit down, our fingers meet and I blush again, looking into her stunning eyes once more, now wishing the circumstances of the night were different.

‘You’re late,’ he says without looking away from his menu.

I look at my phone before putting in in my purse, and placing the small bag by my side. It’s 6pm, when we agreed to meet, but I don’t say anything.

‘Ready to order?’ asks a waitress I barely noticed arrive at the table. Her attention is on me, and I open my mouth to order.

‘I’ll have the surf and turf,’ he says bluntly. The waitress turns to him a little surprised and writes the order down. ‘With a side of fries instead of salad, and a beer.’

He hands the waitress his menu, she takes it and turns to me with a smile of someone with infinite patience that’s been through this before.

‘For you miss?’

Thinking to my bank balance I scan the menu carefully.

‘Um, may I please have the small Caesar salad, with grilled chicken, thank you.’

‘Anything to drink?’

‘Table water is fine, thanks.’

The waitress smiles and nods, and starts to leave.

He whistles at her and tells her to bring a drinks menu, after she goes he turns to me, looking at me for the first time properly.

‘You look hot.’

For some reason, his words make me instantly uncomfortable, but I do my best to smile. It’s going to be that type of date I think …

‘Um, thanks. But it's fine, I don’t really want anything else to drink.’

‘Don’t be stupid, you gotta have a drink to loosen up.’

This is not going well.

‘Really, it’s okay. To tell the truth I’m a bit strapped for cash, so happy to forgo a drink for the night.’

‘Is that why you ordered just a small salad? Ha, I thought you just didn’t want to be bloated for later! No problem, when they come back, order something more and any drink you want, I’ll cover it.’

The mixed message of his words has my head spinning. I am hungry …

‘Are you sure? We didn’t discuss that and I didn’t want to assume you’d pay.’

‘Nah, all good babe, plus you’ll be paying me back later won’t you?’ he says it with a leer that makes me quiver with a sense of fear and disgust.

Just then, a drinks menu is brought to the table, not by the waitress from before, but by the hostess, she places a delicate hand on mine and makes eye contact, with those eyes, as she hands me the small menu. Then leaves, my date has not noticed the substitution of the server and pulled out his phone, his thumb making an oddly familiar motion, swiping left and right intermittently. I can’t believe it! He’s on a dating app … while on a date!

‘Um, I just should make it clear, I wasn’t planning to do anything tonight. I’m not looking to rush into a physical relationship just yet, I did say that.’

As I talk I open the drinks menu, almost more out of muscle memory than wanting a drink. A small business card falls out, I lower the menu to the table so the card is hidden.

‘You’re kidding me!’ he huffs. ‘I thought that was just you playing hard to get online, like you must actually give it away all the time!’

‘Why do you say that?’ I ask, trying to hide my disgust and offence.

‘Well …you’re a- you know, you’re a tranny. You must be up for it all the time, or else why live that way?’

I can feel my face flush with anger, fear, and sadness all at once, he really fooled me online … said all the right things, got me to lower my guard … can’t believe this. I feel tears forming in my eyes, I couldn’t speak. I looked at the card and what was written in red ink on it ...

“Girl, this guy is one giant red flag, you deserve better!

Order a ‘Fireman’s pole’ and we’ll get you out of here.”

xx

I try to decide if it’s worth saying anything to him about how cruel and awful he’s been, the waitress comes back to the table and before she can even ask me for an order, the date chimes in.

‘Another beer for me, and she’s going to have something,’ he tells her before looking at me. ‘Go on.'

I look to the waitress, the tears still just below the surface.

‘Could I have a Fireman’s Pole please?’

She gives me a soft reassuring smile, nods, and walks away.

‘See, even what you ordered says you’re up for it, that drink sounds filthy … just like you, ey?’

How did I misread this so much? On the app he was nice, presented well, seemed interested in me, for me … It’s like he’s revealed his true self, thinking I’m so into him I won’t mind, well I do. I’m not just blocking him when I get home, I’m deleting the apps! I’m done!

The hostess returned to our table once again, with a slight look of hushed panic, she leans in to the table.

‘Sorry to interrupt, excuse me miss,’ she said with her ruby red lips. ‘There’s been an incident in the car park and we believe your car has been damaged, could you come with me for a moment to sort it out?

Dazzled by her lips I almost didn’t listen, and wasn’t sure what was going on, but nodded and got up. She grabbed my purse and followed me. The date never moved a muscle from his seat.

As we approached the front entrance to the restaurant, she leaned towards me and spoke with a hushed tone.

‘Just so you don’t freak out, your car’s fine … well actually maybe it’s not,’ she laughed softly, the sound captivating me. ‘I actually don’t know which is your car, we just thought you might want to get out of there.’

We reached the car park outside as she finished talking, the Summer night feeling nice against my skin and cooling my rage at the date's behaviour.

Out of some instinct, I took her hand as I thanked her, slightly lost in her eyes like before. I took a deep breath of relief, glad that whole night was over.

‘So I recommend getting out of here before he comes looking,’ she said, still not letting go of my hand. ‘I were you, I’d go find a bar and get a stiff drink.’

I laugh a little, nodding in agreement.

‘I would, but I’m pretty broke, so might just need to head home.’

‘Ah, that’s a shame,’ she said, a soft smile spread across her beautiful face.

‘Well … if you change your mind, I’m off work now, and about to head to Kitten’s Heart, if you’re interested.’

She paused, handed me another business card, this one had a name and number written on it in pink, she let go of my hand, it felt cold without her hand. As she walked away into the car park, she turned back with a wink that made my whole face blush and my heart race.

‘I’m buying … no strings attached.’

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Just so no one worries, this story is not based on any personal experience (I guess except the awful time I had on dating apps, but they never turned into dates) but I know there are wait staff and bartenders out there that do look out for people and help in these ways, which is amazing!

This story is for the third challenge in James and Oneg's August Summer Writing Extrav-again-za! This time the challenge is to Write a story based on the last text you received. (You can chose from whom)

I don't receive many texts, and so it was a choice of using a text from my mother asking if we need milk, or one from my bank reminding me how poor I am, haha! (I did edit the account number t be extra safe)

You can find out more about the Summer Writing Challenge Extrav-again-za below:

When I spot another person's entry for this challenge, I will link here! 🩷