I was just clueless as fuck. I've got the sum total of zero game when it comes to dating, not that it matters now I've settled down.

I did learn my lesson though. Met a girl who was absolutely stunning, like cover girl model looks, and she was lovely. Asked her out on a date expecting to be shot down, and she said yes. At that point I was like a dog that had chased a car and caught up with it, I didn't know what the fuck to do.

Anyway, we went out a couple of times - nice restaurant, bowling, the cinema... had a great time with her but it wasn't really moving forward and just kinda started to fizzle out, which was no big deal.

One evening she phones me, saying she was at a house party two or three towns over, and was getting bored - and asked me to take her home. No worries there, I wasn't doing anything, so I drove over to get her and she hopped in, a bit worse for wear after a glass or twelve of wine but not absolutely munted.

Halfway down the road home, she's like "actually, can we go back to yours? I don't really want to get in and my parents see me like this". Not a problemo, took her back to mine, got her a coffee and sat and chatted. She came through to my room when I was getting changed and crashed out on the bed beside me, faced me, and said "maybe I'll sleep here tonight?"

I'd learned my lesson, I could see that she wanted all two inches of this rage and disappointment. So I said "sure, no problem... I'll sleep on the sofa".

I drove her home the following morning and she never said a word. I desperately wished I could have taken that opportunity, but the whole consent thing after her sesh at the party made it a little bit dicey. I never did get another opportunity. She was absolutely lovely though and I hope she found a guy that made her happy. 😊