When my best friend Mia set me up with her boyfriend’s friend, Eric, I didn’t expect much. But he seemed perfect — polite, confident, and thoughtful. Our dinner date felt like something out of a movie: roses, compliments, and easy conversation. I actually texted Mia afterward, “You might be right about this one.”
The next morning, my excitement turned to disbelief. In my inbox sat an “invoice” from Eric — professionally formatted, complete with charges for “dinner,” “flowers,” and even “emotional labor.” At the bottom, it warned: “Failure to comply may result in Chris hearing about it.” Chris — Mia’s boyfriend.
Mia was furious. With Chris’s help, she sent Eric a mock invoice from “Karma & Co.” charging him for “public embarrassment” and “being a creep on a first date.” Eric exploded, insisting it was “just a joke.”
I blocked him.
What started as a romantic evening turned into a lesson in red flags and entitlement. Anyone who treats kindness as debt isn’t charming — they’re manipulative. Now, when asked about my worst date, I simply say: “The guy who sent me a bill.”
