He was hilarious. I kept refreshing GroupMe to see if he’d say anything smart aleck.

We were laughing and joking the whole day.

“Aye, who is this?”

I hit my homeboy up who added him in the Coachella chat. He sent me a picture and I thought he was handsome.

I DM’d him because hell, why not? He doesn’t even live in Atlanta and if anything, this could end up being someone to hang with at Coachella and again when I go to Chicago in the summer.

Continuous laughs.

Endless jokes.

Unmatched energy.

I headed to Puerto Rico with my best friends and brought a bathing suit that would bring in a new me.

Super low-cut, black and white, cat-eye glasses.

Posted an Instagram story and, hello DMs.

He started talking spicy, so I gave him my number. Then came the texts. Phone calls. Facetimes.

Twenty five.

What in the hell was I even doing entertaining a 25 year old. But, he was consistent and a needed stress relief.

He mentioned how he recently went through a break up.

Because I’ve been in this predicament, I already knew some bullshit was bound to happen.

Bullshit I was on, nonetheless.

We talked almost every day. Facetimed almost every night. Texted all throughout the day.

I wanted to meet this man.

After a few weeks, he mentioned that I should come to Chicago. His birthday was a few weeks away and he thought it would be a good idea.

Me, flewed out?

I asked my friends their opinions on going to Chicago, in the winter, to meet a funny, but handsome, 25 year old.

They all thought I lost my mind.

They weren’t getting the videos sent to their phones during work meetings like I was. So, they didn’t have the same level of thirst I had.

I wanted to see what he was really about.

He suddenly started becoming a little distant. He mentioned how he was going on a trip with his ex; explained how he bought the tickets before we had met for her birthday.

Cool, right? I had no choice but to be cool.

This isn’t my man.

But, this isn’t just a trip; it’s a full blown baecation.

He’s still texting me throughout his trip because, 25.

I sent him a text the day he came back.

Me: How was your baecation?
Him: It was amazing. Loved it. Need another.

WHAT?

I immediately weighed my options. Do I let him get me out of character, or do I give him the shovel and watch him bury himself?

The latter, of course.

He continued the disrespect:

Him: Before you were good. I wasn’t with her. Now I’m being upfront telling u we good now. I even told you I might be back down [with her]. So u even saw the shift in my messages with you.
Me: Did I see a shift or were you blatant? Bc I don’t read minds.
Him: So why are we having this back and forth about my personal life at this point?
Me: And you said you might get back with her and you also told me to hurry up [and see you] lmao
Him: And u didn’t hurry up now did u?
Me: So what did you expect? Me to fly out to Chicago to prove myself?
Him: It doesn’t matter now does it? Lol
Me: Nope! Not at all, my guy. This was fun. Glad you had a great time. This is my exit.

The audacity.

I honestly couldn’t believe what just happened.

It was completely unwarranted and unnecessary. Though, I was grateful he never got the opportunity to meet me.

A few days later I went to a friend’s birthday party where I cried the entire time about my dating woes.

It was at that moment when desperate times called for desperate measures. I was encouraged by my friends to download Bumble.

And nothing has been the same since.