The day of the date has arrived. Currently, I'm driving to her house. She lives in a studio apartment overlooking the local lake. From her pictures, it is fairly upper class. The building itself is sleek and modern, with large windows and a minimalist design. She's living well from her job and social media sponsorships. I wonder, though, is ECLIPSE also a way to make money? She's only twenty-three, and her success at such a young age is impressive. I need to start gathering information on their financial expenses. Maybe Miyako can help with that. She's entrusted with most documents after all. As I waited at a red light, I glanced at my phone to check Allison's social media posts. She made a new post on Instagram, "New dress for a date tonight! Super excited!"

I parked in front of her apartment and got out of the car. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden hue over the lake and the surrounding area. I walked to her door, a clean white with a small window extending inside. Of course, it was blinded, so I couldn't see much. I held the flowers I bought behind my back. I knocked and looked at my watch; I had arrived five minutes early. Hopefully, that doesn't bother her. She opened the door, and I could barely see her eyes through the narrow gap. She wore a beautiful red sundress that complimented her great figure, and it blew me away. Do not actually fall in love, Damon. C'mon. I said, "Good evening. You look great." while maintaining eye contact. She blushed and responded, "Why, thank you." I brought out the flowers I bought her, some beautiful roses. I begged for forgiveness, "Sorry if these are tropey. Just as these roses' beauty will remain unchanged for a century, so will your beauty." She took them from my hands, caressing my knuckles. She thanked me, "Thank you so much, again. Let me put these somewhere, then we can go." She turned around and went into her kitchen to place them somewhere. I took a moment to breathe and compose myself, hoping the rest of the evening would go as smoothly as our first interaction.

She returned and extended her hand, and I took it. I told her, "This way, to my amazing twenty-year-old BMW!" I escorted her to the car, and she complimented me, "You have a car at nineteen?"

My parents bought it for me. Oh wait, I need to say that out loud. I explained, "Yes, my parents paid for half, and I paid for the other half. It only costed ten thousand." I let go of her hand for a moment and opened the passenger side door, "Come in." She nodded, praising me, "Well, just know I'm impressed. You're younger than me but so mature." I wonder why that is? Well, it's due to my parents only giving financial help, and not actual help in other ways. I had to take so many extra classes that taught me actual useful things. Those classes in budgeting, cooking, and basic car maintenance felt tedious at the time, but now I see their value. "Thanks," I said as she settled into the car. "it's been a learning experience, for sure."

I parked a block away from the Red Lobster. We walked to the restaurant, making small talk along the way. The real drilling will be when we're inside. I got out of the car and opened the door for her again, like a gentleman. She barely even fit inside the thing—not like she's fat. Her height can't be held against her. I don't insult people for intrinsic characteristics they have, only things they can change and refuse to. "Here we are." I said, guiding her toward the entrance. "Hope you're hungry." "Starving," she replied with a smile. As we walked in, the warm, inviting atmosphere of the restaurant welcomed us, setting the stage.

Inside the Red Lobster, it was as normal as it could be. Some seats were available for waiting while tables opened up, and a receptionist stood at the host table. I walked up to the receptionist and got our seats, "Reservation for Jake and Allison, two, at five pm." The receptionist looked at Allison obnoxiously, her eyes widening at Allison's height. Some of the other people did so too. The receptionist gazed up and down at her small screen and asked, "You have your confirmation number?" For Red Lobster, really? Lucky I remember. I said, "Five hundred and two." She confirmed it and said, "Follow me, please." We followed her to a booth that was open, with utensils and amenities placed on top. I said, "Thanks."

She nodded and left, but not before placing down two menus. The booth was cozy, with a warm, ambient light hanging overhead. As we settled into our seats, I noticed Allison glancing around, taking in the surroundings. "This place is nice," she commented, her eyes returning to meet mine. "Yeah, it has a great vibe," I agreed, opening the menu. "Do you know what you're in the mood for?" "Maybe some seafood," she replied with a smile. "After all, it's Red Lobster." We both laughed, and the ice seemed to break a little more as we began to look through the menu, ready to dive into the evening ahead.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Sitting down on the couch, it was comfortable. I narrated to myself, "Alright, let's take a looksie." I looked over the menu as a gesture, even though I already knew what I wanted. I was just seeing if they had any good drinks. Man, screw it. Just gonna get some root beer. I dropped the menu to show my face and asked, "Well, Allison, I'd like to make one thing clear." Allison pulled down her menu and asked, "Make what clear?" I said, "I am pursuing you actively and I am taking this seriously. From what I have seen, you are doing the same. Is it okay if we talk about serious things on this date today?" Allison looked to the side, then faced me again. "Sure. I do want to talk to you about many things as well." A waiter named Manuel approached our table, his name tag visible. He asked, "Are we ready to order some drinks?" I said, "I am, but if she's not ready, I'll wait." Allison gave a small nod, signaling that she was ready. I said, "Well, I'd like to have a root beer for now." Manuel wrote that down. "And for her?" Allison responded, "I'll have a cosmopolitan, please." Oh wait, I realized. She can order alcohol. Wow. Manuel said, "Alright. I'll have those back to you in a moment." He left, leaving us to ourselves. As we settled into the moment, I noticed Allison’s demeanor seemed open and engaged. It felt like the right time to dive deeper.

The restaurant was not packed, but it was lively. Me and Allison talked about many things—what time to have kids, where we want to live, and more. I understand it’s a bit unusual to dive into these topics on the first date, but I want to understand her deeply. This information will be crucial for me, especially as I work toward my goal of making my revenge easier. Allison mentioned she was ready to order, eager to eat. Bodybuilders need a lot of calories. Manuel returned with the drinks. Before he could leave, I cut him off, "Hey, I'm actually ready to order. She is too." I wanted this date to move along quickly. Allison said, "Yeah, uh, that's cool, right?" Manuel replied, "Of course. What would you like?" Allison said, "Oh, some rainbow trout, please." Manuel wrote that down as well. I said, "I'll have some red lobster, as the name suggests. Haha." I chuckled, and Allison joined in with a laugh. The shared moment of humor felt genuine, and it told me that, despite my ulterior motives, there was something real in our interactions.

The rest of the date was uneventful, and we ate. Allison was quite elegant in her eating, a detail I noted. We continued with small talk and some deeper conversations, but overall, the evening was pretty standard. As we finished up, I pulled up the menu to block her vision and asked, "Hey, you want dessert?" While saying this, I texted Tony to get into position. I’d have to trust him—he had just gotten off work and was nearby. Allison shook her head and replied, "Nah, no thanks." I said, "Alright. I won't keep you on my behalf." I signaled Manuel, who strolled up. "Check, please?" He nodded and went to the register. I turned to Allison and said, "I invited you, so it's only right I pay. I had a great time tonight." She smiled and reciprocated, "I had a great time too. You're a really cool guy." I said, "Why, thank you! I think you're a really cool girl too." As the evening wound down, I felt anticipation. Tony’s arrival would be the next crucial step in my plan.

The check arrived, and I paid with a sense of relief. We left the Red Lobster, feeling full from the meal. The town was cloaked in darkness, with only the lamplights casting a soft glow on the pavement. While approaching the car, I felt a knot of anxiety about whether Tony would show up. If he didn’t, it wouldn’t derail my plans completely, but it would certainly complicate things and delay our timeline.

Suddenly, Tony emerged from the shadows of an alley, his hands buried deep in his pockets. His muscular frame was even more intimidating now, a result of moving up a weight class for his MMA tournaments. He looked like a menacing figure from a noir film. His voice cut through the night air with a harsh edge, "Hey, hey. Give me your damn money." I glanced over at Allison. Her face was a mask of fury, her eyes flashing with anger. She was dressed in a non-flexible outfit, clearly not prepared for a confrontation. I noticed her tensing up, ready to step forward. A surge of conflict ran through me—I considered whether to team up with Tony to subdue her now, but that would undermine everything I had planned.

I took a step in front of Allison, extending my arm to shield her. "Hey. We aren’t giving you nothing. Go away." Tony's sneer was almost too realistic as he mocked me, "What? You really gonna lay down your life for this chick?" He unsheathed his hands and advanced menacingly. Without warning, he unleashed a right roundhouse kick aimed at Allison's liver. The kick sliced through the air. He's gotten even better. Allison's reflexes kicked in, and she quickly retreated, her movement a blur as she evaded the blow with grace. As she moved back, I leaped into the air, my body coiling with power. My fist was clenched tight as I executed a flawless superman punch. The punch struck Tony squarely in the cheek, the impact sending him flying onto the concrete. My voice roared with a instinctual fury, "Get away from her, bastard!"