When Eric insisted on paying for our first date, I thought I had met a true gentleman. He arrived with roses, a thoughtful gift, and impeccable manners, making the evening feel like something out of a romantic comedy. The conversation flowed effortlessly as we bonded over shared interests, and his attentiveness left a great first impression. When the check arrived, he firmly insisted on covering the bill, declaring, “A man always pays on the first date.” Though his tone was a bit rigid, I shrugged it off, leaving the night thinking it was one of the best dates I had ever been on.

That illusion shattered the next morning when I woke up to a DATE NIGHT INVOICE—a professionally formatted breakdown of everything Eric had “provided” during our date, with expected “payments” in return. From a hug for the bouquet to a guaranteed second date for covering dinner, he had turned romance into a transaction. Shocked, I sent it to my best friend Mia, who immediately shared it with her boyfriend, Chris—the very person who had vouched for Eric. In response, Chris created his own satirical invoice, charging Eric for the embarrassment he caused. After a heated text exchange, I blocked Eric, but I kept the engraved keychain he had gifted me—not as a memento of him, but as a hilarious reminder of the strangest date of my life.