My Cinderella Moment: The Abrupt Departure

One might stop and question why Cinderella bolted out the way she did, until being confronted with the difficult decision of choosing between staying or leaving…

A while back, I went on a date with a guy whom I matched with on a dating app. The text exchanges were inconsistent, which made me question if a date was even in the cards. Prior to meeting, I told him about my disability to prevent any surprises or misunderstandings.

Click Here To Read: How to Enjoy Dating Without Stressing!

Anticipation and Nerves

Usually, my go-to statement for disclosing my disability is something like this:

“There is something you need to know about me: I have a disability, Cerebral Palsy to be exact. It affects my speech and some motor skills. Let me know if you still want to meet after learning this.”

Looking back, it wasn’t the best way to reveal my disability. The statement was too uptight and serious, painting a somewhat distorted picture. Nevertheless, he responded a few days later, saying he was still interested in meeting.

Hearing from him after a few days was a surprise. In the past, I’ve come across close-minded men who completely vanished upon learning about the disability factor. The text exchanges were inconsistent, which boosted my confidence that it not happening. Regardless of whether the date was confirmed, I was determined to go because: 1) I had the ride all scheduled, and 2) I couldn’t change my plans at the last minute. So, I might as well enjoy myself.

Friends’ Encouragement And Getting Ready

Having close friends involved in your dating adventure adds to the entertainment factor.

To resolve the uncertainty, they advised me to text him and confirm the date. So, I did, and the date was still on. While I would have proceeded with my plan regardless, I was relieved that he didn’t bail.

Forty-five minutes before catching the bus, I swapped my worktop for a neon crop sweater and adjusted a few strands of hair that had come undone from my braid. It had been a somewhat long day, and I had put in effort to look presentable. No, I did not look bad. Oh no! I just was not as well put together as I was accustomed to when going on dates.

Arriving Early And The Pre-Meeting Jitters

I arrived at the location with more than two hours to spare to ensure punctuality. It was fine; there were things I had to do for my internship, helping to pass the time. As the agreed meeting time slowly approached, nerves began to kick in. Why is that? Scientists ought to search for the reason behind it, if they haven’t already.

I roamed the area in my electric wheelchair a few times to ease the crippling nerves. Along the way, making a handful of stops in the powder room to check the status of the loose strand of hair. It’s not like we had established this deep connection, as we barely talked on the app and hadn’t yet exchanged numbers. The anticipation of that initial meeting often causes you to be a mess.

Anyway, he finally gave me his number and informed me that he was on the way. In that instant, the nerves really started to kick in, to the point where I had to retreat into a bathroom stall to calm down. Stupid nerves and anticipation!

A while later, a new text from him lit up my phone, announcing he was in the parking lot and suggested meeting at the entrance of the restaurant. Before heading over, I mentally prepared myself with a mirror talk for self-reassurance.

The positive self-talk persisted until the entrance came into view, and I caught sight of him walking through the door. There was an instant friend vibe.

An immense sense of relief came over me as I noticed that he looked like his picture, just a tad shorter (shout out to all the short kings).

Upon entering the restaurant, we exchanged greetings. The ambiance was nice and relaxed. I opted for a tequila sunrise, and he ordered some other drinks along with an appetizer, mentioning he hadn’t eaten due to a busy workday.

Conversing with him was easy, leaving no room for awkward silence—a quality I always appreciate. We talked about everything and anything, from our passions to our admiration for the future. Vividly, I recall how surprised I was by the way he genuinely seemed interested in what I had to say. Moreover, he patiently waited for me to type out my responses was extremely pleasant.

The Clock Strikes Ten And The Missed Called

Rapidly, it was nearing ten o’clock at night as the conversation continued. Oh, shit! It was the first thing that crossed my mind. My ride was going to be arriving any minute, and the last thing I wanted was to abruptly interrupt him. The dilemma was significant, as I was having a good time and didn’t want to leave. Yet, if I missed my transportation, it meant I was going to be stranded there. Being stranded was the last thing I wanted.

“Screw it, I might as well enjoy the last few minutes before the bus comes,” I thought. Things got interesting at this moment!

Roughly, around four minutes past ten, my phone rang with a second call from the transportation company. Typically, the company would call ahead of time to notify you of the bus status. I was so invested in the conversation that I don’t recall receiving the initial call.

The Abrupt Departure

Luckily, I answered! The person on the line informed me that the vehicle had arrived and awaited me outside. Swiftly, I typed on my iPad that the bus was at the entrance, and I had to get going. He was a little taken aback by that little revelation as his facial expression changed completely.

It wasn’t the time to worry as I had a bus to catch. Once I had stored the iPad in my purse, we hugged goodbye. Then, I increased the speed of the wheelchair and got to the bus in less than a minute.

Obviously, he was displeased with my abrupt departure. ‘Guilt’ barely describes how bad I felt for leaving, and I apologized profoundly for the unfortunate turn of events.

Hey, a girl did; what she had to do!

As you would expect, I never heard from him again. The next day, I told my friends, and they couldn’t stop laughing. With how everything panned out, they began calling me Cinderella as I basically had to run away after the clock hit ten. Despite everything, it was a memorable experience!

The End!

Stay Beautiful XoXo

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