failed attraction.

The next morning, Odessa got up to get ready for the day. She put on a nice dress, deciding to look her best for her meeting. It felt like a routine now, getting all done up for another potential suitor. But for this one, she felt slightly more confident. Alexander had been lovely, even if they hadn't made a match, he had shown her a good time.

She would see what the second suitor had to offer, maybe this one would be a better fit.

Odessa met the second suitor for dinner, another gentleman her father had selected. She had to admit, she was feeling a little nervous. After meeting Alexander, her standards were slightly higher now.

The man was friendly and polite, but she felt no connection with him. He didn't seem to make her heart skip a beat, or make her smile without thinking. Everything felt forced and uncomfortable.

She tried to listen to him and ask him questions, but the conversation never stuck. This guy was not for her.

The dinner felt endless, but luckily it was over quickly. The man seemed nice enough, but he had no personality. Odessa felt so bored with him, she almost wished she hadn't gone out at all. But she had kept it polite, trying to listen and give him the chance that Alexander had gotten.

She got home quickly, wanting to wash off the evening. She needed to make sure that she didn't lose herself in the search for a husband, she couldn't let it consume her.

Weeks had gone by, and yet another disappointing dinner. Odessa was tired, frustrated, and sick of her father trying to find her a husband.

She had no interest in another man at the moment, and her heart wasn't in it. She felt defeated, as if she had failed herself.

Maybe she was meant to be forever alone. It felt that way anyways.

She let out a sigh, not caring about her next meeting. It's not like it would matter anyway.

No more meetings, for a while

Odessa decided that she would decline all future meetings. She was done, fed up of meeting men that did nothing for her.

Her father was annoyed at her decision, but she didn't care. She was her own person and if he didn't respect her choices, then that was his problem.

She was happy taking time for herself now, doing what made her happy. She would let time pass and maybe eventually the right man would come along. She just had to be patient.

A month later, she meets the third suitor

Odessa had spent a month to herself, no longer bothered with meetings. It had been a nice break, even if her father was still annoyed with her.

But now it was time for another dinner meeting, one that she just wanted to get done with. She put on her nicest dress again, deciding to make a good impression once again.

She met with the man, hoping that he would be better than the previous men she had met.

She meets yet another disappointment

The dinner went by slowly, Odessa felt disappointed again. The man was friendly enough, but there was nothing that excited her about him.

Her heart simply couldn't find any enjoyment in these meetings anymore. She tried to listen to the man explain his job, how he had been a lawyer for many years. But it felt so boring, so dull. She was having a more exciting time watching the people pass by outside.

She didn't want to waste any more time with these meetings.

Odessa was done, she wasn't going to accept any more meetings. She didn't care if her father was annoyed, she wasn't going to subject herself to another terrible date again.

She was done meeting men, she was going to wait until the right one came along. For now, she was going to just focus on herself.

She felt tired. Why was finding a husband so difficult? It shouldn't be this draining, and she hated how it had affected her mental state.