Trapped In His Game. Finding My Own Way.

Chapter 1: The Glass of Wine

So, there I am, sitting at this fancy restaurant, wearing my best "I've got my life together" look, and there's this guy across the table, gazing at me like I'm some kind of goddess. I swear, he's been staring at me for what feels like forever, and all I can think is, "Is he gonna say something, or am I just gonna sit here and pretend this is normal?"

I'm not looking for some fairy tale, some knight in shining armor to sweep me off my feet. Hell no. I want to enjoy my night, my wine, and just be by myself for once. I've been doing the whole "people-pleasing" thing for way too long, and tonight, I was determined to just be.

I take a sip of my glass of red, swirling it around like I know what I'm doing, pretending to be all sophisticated when honestly, I don't even know what the hell kind of wine this is. It's just... red. But the whole vintage lady thing? Yeah, I'm into it tonight.

Anyway, this guy..let's call him... I don't know, Adam, for the sake of this story, he clears his throat like he's about to drop some romantic line. You know the one: "I couldn't help but notice how stunning you look tonight." That kind of crap. But I'm not in the mood for his sweet talk. Nope. I'm here for me, myself, and my wine.

"Are you gonna just keep staring at me, or do you have something to say?" I finally ask, cutting through the awkward silence. My voice is probably a little too blunt, but I don't care. If he's gonna be all intense and overly emotional, I'll just match his energy. No time for nonsense.

He looks taken aback for a second, but then he chuckles like it's some kind of joke. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he says, leaning back in his chair. I'm like, dude, you've been making me uncomfortable since you sat down.

"It's not that," I reply, swirling my wine again. "It's just... I don't need someone falling in love with me over dinner. I just wanna have a nice meal and some peace."

His eyes widen a little, and I can tell he's trying to figure me out. You know, that look people give you when they don't know whether to take you seriously or not. But I don't care. I'm not here to impress him, or anyone. Not tonight. Tonight, it's all about doing me.

"I get it. You're not into the whole... romantic dinner vibe," he says, trying to laugh it off like it's no big deal. But I can see it. I can see the little shift in his posture, like he's trying to decide whether he's gonna stay and try to convince me or just give up.

I look at him and raise my glass, smiling a little. "Exactly. I'm not here for all that stuff. I'm here for the wine, the food, and some time alone. And that's all I need."

He stares at me for a moment, like he's processing it, and then, shockingly, he nods. "I respect that."

Yeah, maybe he does. Or maybe he's just too proud to walk away now. Who knows?

I sip my wine again, enjoying the smooth taste as I watch the restaurant buzz around us. It's nice to just be in the moment, you know? No pressure, no expectations. I catch the server's eye and order some more food, not even looking at Adam.

"Fine," he finally says, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'll give you space. Enjoy your evening, vintage lady."

I can't help but laugh. "Vintage lady? I'm just trying to enjoy my wine, not live up to some stereotype."

"Hey, I think you rock the vintage vibe," he says with a smirk, and I can't tell if he's being serious or just trying to salvage his ego at this point.

I don't really care either way.

"Yeah, well... I'm more into just being real than trying to impress anyone," I say, leaning back in my chair.

He seems to get it, though, because he doesn't push further. He nods, stands up, and says, "I'm gonna go for a walk around the restaurant. Enjoy your wine."

"Thanks," I say, feeling a little more relaxed now that I'm alone again.

As he walks off, I take another sip of my wine. It's like I'm the only one in the world right now. There's this quiet kind of peace that settles over me, and I realize that I don't need anyone to make this night special. I already did that myself.

For once, I'm just... here. And that's enough.