a disappointing night

Odessa felt her stomach sink, she was starting to lose interest. She wanted to have a connection with Alexander, but he kept talking about himself.

She put up with it for as long as she could, trying to show interest and hoping the evening would improve. But it never did, the conversation was just constant praise towards Alexander and his achievements.

Eventually, Odessa decided that enough was enough. She was tired of waiting for Alexander to ask questions about her, she had no time for a self-centered husband.

"I think I've had enough," she said, getting up from the table.

"Oh?" Alexander asked, a confused look on his face. He looked around the restaurant, expecting her to say something more.

"I was enjoying our conversation," he continued. "Wasn't the dinner to your liking?"

Odessa shook her head, she was done pretending to be polite in order to put up with a selfish guy.

"No, the dinner was fine." She said softly. "I've just had enough of our conversation. I just don't think we're right for each other."

And with that, she started to walk away.

Alexander looked surprised, he didn't seem to be expecting that.

"Wait," he said. "Are you...breaking up with me?" He seemed to be in disbelief.

"You haven't even heard my side of the argument," he continued. "Surely you wouldn't make such a bold judgement based on one meeting?"

Odessa kept walking, ignoring his cries of incredulity. He clearly didn't understand how draining it was for her, how selfish he was being on their dinner date. But more than that, she knew in her heart that he wasn't the one for her.

She got back home, feeling drained after the failed date. Of all the things that could have happened, meeting a potential suitor that wasn't right for her wasn't one of them.

She needed some time to process what had just happened, and the idea of meeting more men was daunting. She needed to calm her nerves before trying again.

For now, she would just focus on her own life and the things that she enjoyed. Who knows, perhaps the right person would come along when she had learned to be content with who she was.

"Is everything alright, Odessa?"

It was her father, greeting her at the door. She had only just gotten home, she didn't expect anyone to be waiting.

"Everything is fine," she replied, keeping her tone soft and careful.

"Did the meeting go well?" He asked, an expectation in his tone.

"Not quite," she answered. "It wasn't a great fit, I don't think our personalities matched well."

Her father sighed, shaking his head. "You won't have an easy time finding a suitor by being so picky."

She bit her lip, realizing that she sounded more defensive than she had meant to. She wasn't trying to be picky, she just wasn't sure if Alexander was the right man for her. She didn't want to settle, and her father seemed to think that she was being too critical.

"It just didn't feel right," she explained. "His entire conversation seemed to be about him, he never once asked anything about my life or anything else. I just don't want someone who thinks so highly of himself."

"I see," her father said patiently. She could tell that he was upset, but tried to remain understanding.

"Well, then, I will arrange another meeting," he continued. "You don't have to worry, you will find someone soon enough."

Odessa felt her heart sink again, she couldn't believe that her father was already ready to move on. It felt too soon, she was still processing her meeting with Alexander.

"Can we not wait for just a little while?" She asked. "I had a bad experience with this meeting."

"Fine, fine," her father said, an irritation in his tone. "We can wait just a little bit before you go out on another date."

She let out a deep breath, not wanting to upset her father but also not wanting to continue a relentless search for a suitor. She was already burnt out from one bad date, she couldn't imagine spending another whole evening with another potential husband.

She looked up at her father, smiling slightly in an attempt to ease the tension. "Thank you for understanding," she said calmly.

"Of course," he said, his tone softening slightly. He still seemed frustrated, but she was grateful that he had given her a little more time before expecting her to go out again.

"Just remember," he continued, "It's important to find a husband. I don't want you to waste your best years on nobody. Your time is limited."

"I know, father," she said, an air of sadness in her voice. She felt defeated already, it was only one meeting but it felt like she had already failed.