Rules to Date By
By angellwings
What follows are rules to date by. Consider each carefully when considering a man. As usual, all rules stem from a problem. So let's start with...
The Problem: you are the rule not the exception
Ella huffed and reluctantly walked into the City Supper Club. It was the gang's usual night for drinks but Ella had already told them she wouldn't be attending. She had a date. A date she had been really excited about, only the guy never showed up. He didn't even call her to say he wouldn't be coming. He just stood her up and she could not figure out why. They'd had a good time on their date and they'd immediately made plans for a second date. She'd thought he had liked her. She'd been assured his actions indicated that he did by all of her friends. Well, all of her girl friends.
So now, much to her humiliation, she was going to be attending their usual bar night at the City Supper Club. She waved to the hostess and made her way to their usual table. Mitchie gasped when she saw her heading toward them and her brow furrowed in concern.
"Ella! What are you doing here?" Mitchie asked in surprise.
She rolled her eyes and angrily plopped down in the open chair next to Nate. "He stood me up."
"But you were supposed to meet him two hours ago," Caitlyn said from her seat where she was leaning into Jason's side. "Don't tell me you waited there all alone for two hours?"
Ella stayed silent and sighed. "I guess I won't tell you that then."
"Oh, Ella," Tess said sympathetically as she reached across Nate and patted her friend's shoulder. "Do I need to kick his ass?"
Ella chuckled quietly and shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but no. I just don't understand it, though. What happened? Last week went really well I thought."
"Maybe he got stuck in traffic?" Peggy suggested.
"Oh! Yes! Or he's trapped in an elevator!" Tess added. "Happened to me once on the way to a date. It sucked."
"Or, God forbid, there was a death in the family," Caitlyn said with a nod.
Mitchie thought for a moment and then added her own theory. "Or maybe you intimidate him and he was too nervous to go through with it."
Nate groaned as if he were in pain and Jason and Shane shared awkward looks before their youngest brother finally voiced what they had all been thinking.
"Or maybe he just wasn't that into her," Nate said with a sigh. "No offense, Ella. I know they're trying to make you feel better, but take it from a guy, if he liked you at all he would show up or call to let you know he wouldn't be showing up. If a guy stands you up, he's blowing you off. It's that simple."
"Well, don't skirt around my feelings, Nathaniel," Ella said with a small stunned grin.
"I like you too much to let you think this guy likes you, Ells," Nate told her with a gentle smile. "If a guy likes you then he doesn't treat you like crap. If he's older than 8 being mean to you does not indicate he likes you."
Jason nodded. "You'd probably all do well to remember that," he said as he looped an arm around Caitlyn's shoulders.
Caitlyn chuckled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "No need. I've already got a boyfriend who treats me pretty well, thank you."
"I meant, all of them," Jason said with a beaming smile and a blush. "Ella, Tess, and Peggy. The single ones."
"Yes, thanks for that wonderful reminder of my aloneness, Jason," Tess said dryly. "I appreciate that."
Ella angled herself to face Nate. "I don't know, Nate. My friend Terry from work knows this girl who was stood up by this guy and she was totally pissed at him. She wrote him off and then a few days later he called her and told her he'd been there the whole time. Standing outside the restaurant trying to work up the guts to walk in, but he couldn't do it. He said that he didn't think a girl like her would really go out with a guy like him and asked for another chance. And Terry says that they've been married now for almost ten years! Ten years! And it all started with the guy standing her up! To say that a guy standing you up always means that he isn't—"
"Stop," Nate said with a huff as he rubbed a hand across his brow. "Stop right there. First of all, your friend Terry is an idiot. Second of all, you have to quit thinking that every guy you go on a date with is where you are. Not every guy really wants a relationship and if you keep thinking that they're looking for happily ever after like you are, you're going to end up very hurt. Those stories your friends tell you are exceptional and you are not an exception. You're the rule."
"Did you just tell Ella she wasn't exceptional?" Mitchie asked with a glare.
"No, not all," Nate said calmly. "Ella is an exceptional person. No doubt. Very talented and very charming. But the men she dates aren't going to get that right away and she needs to stop thinking they will. For her own good."
Shane nodded in agreement. "They'll take advantage. Trust us."
Ella tapped her chin with her manicured finger thoughtfully before she smiled graciously at Nate. "Well, thank you, Professor. You taught me a few valuable things that I'll need to think on."
"Glad I could help, Ells," Nate said as he slipped an arm around the back of her chair. "Guys who stand you up aren't worth your time. Believe me."