I don’t know if this really classifies as a date or moreso a hangout but either way it’s a huge step for me. Some context: Last time I hung out with a girl (alone) was about 2 years ago? Maybe 3? It was my girlfriend now ex. The breakup was rough and I closed myself off a lot from people especially ladies. I’m 25 now.

So I was talking with a friend yesterday and we were both bored, so I offered for us to link up and just chill for the day. I was fed up with my college assignments and she was just lounging at her place. So we meet up and we have a GREAT time! Joking, laughing, good conversation, food, etc etc just was a good vibe. One of the stops we did was to a card shop (I collect Pokemon Cards as something to do while in college. Helps with stress) and I was nervous ngl because I didn’t know how a girl would take seeing a guy collecting Pokemon. But she took it in good stride! She looked at the cards, pointed some out, and even teased me a bit saying she’d sell my collection for $1. Afterwards we went to the mall and she helped picked me out some shoes (my work ones are dead. Been through hell and back) and she wanted to go to Victoria Secret so we did….Im a 25 yr old guy and that store still has me flustered 😂 like I feel “pervy” for being there.

Then to close out the day we went Downtown and went to this tea shop (our first times) and walked around for a while just chatting. And at one point I brought up that I really needed this and I thanked her. She was slightly confused and I told her the story regarding my ex and how I was. I always had to have a plan and not a generic plan but I’m talking down to the sidewalks we are walking to go from point A to B. I failed at being relaxed and just enjoying the time with my ex..but yesterday I felt myself slow down in every aspect. Emotionally, Physically (I wasn’t walking all fast), psychologically, the best way I could describe it is when the Grinch did something nice and his heart grew a tiny bit. That’s how it felt.

We have another time when we’re going to hangout just making sure our work schedules align. She’s a very good friend and I confide a lot of stuff in her, so she knows how I views these hangouts sorta like “mock dates” and how it’s helping me not be a Grinch anymore.

But yeah, that’s my story! A nice positive story for Monday Morning.