#pfow

I wasn’t looking for anything or anyone. I’d just dropped my best friend off for a first date, and went to the bar to wait for them. 

At the bar, I spoke to a couple regulars. As they were about to leave, a young guy in a jumpsuit approached the “regulars corner” of the bar and ordered a drink.

“Aw, man. Everyone’s leaving?? I just got off work.” he said.

I give him a look. He has broad shoulders and one of those hipster haircuts where the sideburns seem to long. He has both of the sleeves of his arms tattooed. And well.

“I’ll drink with you,” I say. I gesture to my drink. “I just got something new anyways.”

We spend the next hour talking. He shares an expensive bottle of mead with me. We talk about Dnd and videogames and hiking. He says he loves DMing for campaigns. I give him my number for gaming. 

“You and I should hang out.” he texts me.

That following Sunday, we meet at a Japanese Restaurant. It’s April Fools day. He gives me a beautiful 20-sided die. 

My hands are shaking. “This is beautiful. It reminds me of something I’ve read about.” I tell him.

We roll the die for the success of our date. I roll a 3 and offer to leave. He rolls a 17 and asks me to stay. We eat japanese food then later go to a coffee shop to talk. He and I spend literal hours together. I try to scare him off by being as honest as possible. He’s unswayed and shares his own past.

On Monday we meet at the same bar. I’d brought him a book to read. He also brought me a book, and also gifts me a set of Dnd Dice in a pink hand-crocheted bag. I feel llike he’s moving pretty quickly, but accept it.

We date for like a month, then our regular bar’s anniversary comes up. He’d been kind of distant but I figured it to work. He literally tests Jet engines as a career.

When I show up to the anniversary party, he’s sitting at a group of 5 people. There’s a beautiful blonde girl right next to him. He keeps whispering to her. I approach him. He seems cold but is talking to me. He buys the whole table, except for me, anniversary t-shirts for the bar. I watch him whisper to the blonde girl, asking to take her home. 

I want to leave, so I ask him to walk me to my car.

“I’m just gonna walk her to her car!!” he announces loudly to the table. It felt too obvious but I went with it.

At my car, I asked him what was going on. He tried to claim nothing was going on. I asked him about that girl. “She and I have been friends for a while.” he answers.

“We’re not going to hang out again, are we?” I ask. 

“No!! You and I are fine. We’re gonna hang out again... text me when you get home. “ he says. He quickly hugs me then walks back to the bar. 

I text him, but he doesn’t reply. In fact, he avoids social media for a few days.  A Week later he finally opens my text and by then I figure I’ve been ghosted.