Serena was excited about her first date with a charming coworker, James. She dressed to impress, but his unexpected reaction left her humiliated. Just as her evening seemed ruined, a surprising savior turned the night around, leading to a journey of love and self-discovery.
My name is Serena, a 35-year-old marketing executive who loved her job, but life outside work had become a bit mundane. That is until James, a guy from work, started paying extra attention to me.
A smiling man in an office setting | Source: Midjourney
James was charming, always cracking jokes and making those long office hours feel lighter. So when he finally asked me to dinner, I was over the moon.
I spent my Saturday at the mall hunting for the perfect dress. After a few hours, I found it: a classy, off-shoulder black dress that hugged my curves just right. I even got a fresh haircut to complete the look. By the time I was ready I felt like a million bucks.
A woman dressed for a date night | Source: Midjourney
Arriving at the restaurant, I spotted James waiting outside. But as soon as he saw me his smile faded. He looked me up and down, and his expression turned from surprise to discomfort.
“Wow, Serena, you really… dressed up,” he said, his voice dripping with awkwardness.
“Yeah, I thought it would be nice to look special for tonight,” I replied, trying to keep the mood light.
James shifted uncomfortably. “I, uh, didn’t expect you to go all out. It’s a bit… inappropriate for your age, don’t you think?”
A man looks a bit comfortable while standing outside a restaurant on his date night | Source: Midjourney
My heart sank. “Excuse me?”
“Look, you always wear those conservative office clothes. I just didn’t expect this,” he muttered, avoiding my eyes.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “So, you’re saying I look too old to dress nice?”
He sighed. “I’m sorry, Serena. Maybe this was a bad idea. I can’t take you to the restaurant looking like this. People might think… it’s just not right.”
I felt my eyes welling up with tears. “You’re kidding, right? Just because I dressed up, you’re canceling our date?”
