When my best friend Mia suggested setting me up with her boyfriend’s friend, I hesitated. Blind dates weren’t my thing — awkward silences, forced conversation, and the invisible pressure to impress always left me drained. But Mia insisted. “You’ll love him,” she promised. Somehow, I agreed.
His name was Eric. From our first text, he seemed different — thoughtful, articulate, genuinely curious about me. After a week of messages, he invited me to dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant. I hesitated briefly, reminding myself it was “just dinner,” and said yes.
Eric showed up early, flowers in hand, dressed neatly, and wearing a practiced yet sincere smile. He pulled out my chair, complimented my dress, and handed me a small engraved keychain. Dinner flowed effortlessly — laughter, shared stories, and a sense of ease I hadn’t expected. When the bill arrived, he insisted on paying, an old-fashioned gesture that somehow felt comforting. Afterward, he walked me to my car and left me with a flutter of nostalgia for simpler, thoughtful dating.
The next morning, I woke to an email titled Invoice for Last Night. At first, I laughed, thinking it a joke. Then I opened it. Eric had sent a full, professional-looking invoice itemizing dinner, flowers, a keychain, and even “emotional labor,” complete with warnings about non-compliance involving Mia’s boyfriend, Chris. My stomach sank. This wasn’t playful — it was manipulative.
I texted Mia, and she immediately looped in Chris. Together, they retaliated with their own “invoice” from Karma & Co., charging absurd fees for “emotional disturbance” and “public embarrassment.” Eric flipped, texting indignantly that I was “too sensitive” and “missed out on a great guy.” I didn’t reply. I blocked him.
Looking back, I’m relieved. Eric’s attention to detail revealed entitlement and control, hidden beneath charm. That invoice spared me weeks of pretending everything was fine. Now, when asked about my worst date, I smile: “The one who sent me an invoice.”
In the end, I did pay — just not in the way he expected. I paid attention, gained clarity, and walked away with a story worth far more than any dinner.