When Art Donaldson asked you out on a date, you thought your chest could just about burst.

You'd been partners in a chem lab, but had only hung out a few times beyond that. He was a good friend, and it was easy to talk to each other, but if you were being honest you had always craved something more.

So the idea that you were out with him felt like a dream. At first, at least.

It was a double date, something you'd been warned about and approved far ahead of time. You'd met Tashi a handful of times, always with Art, but you saw her around campus constantly. Banners, posters, her name in the newsletter. Until now, you just thought it was cool to know someone that was so recognized. Patrick you'd never met, but Art talked about him constantly, and Tashi had brought up her boyfriend in passing.

You maybe would have preferred for your first date with Art to be alone, but you convinced yourself it was no big deal. Lucky to even be going out with him, right?

But as the night progressed, and the dreamy haze of being on his arm wore off, you realized you may be in a less fortunate position.

At this point it had been twenty minutes since you'd even been spoken to, Art's eyes locked on only Tashi for at least half an hour at this point. Maybe Patrick hadn't noticed either, or maybe he was into it.

You didn't care about that. What you did care about was how your drink was empty, no waiter was coming by, and your date was flirting with the girl across the table as you twisted the napkin in your lap.

It was shameless, and neither of them even seemed to care. Hell, Patrick was smiling as it happened. It felt like one huge sick joke, like maybe someone would burst out from behind a planter with a camera and announce that you were being pranked. But this restaurant was too nice for planters. And this was all too real to go on some prank channel.

Instead you sat next to him, dolled up and willing the waiter to show up with the check, with a refill, with any distraction. You'd take anaphylactic shock at this point.