01/01/2026
👲 They set up the single dad as a joke on a blind date with an obese girl—his words left them in tears
I arrived at the café at 2:00 PM, my heart hammering in my chest. It had been four years since my wife left me and my little daughter, and I hadn't dated anyone since. Today, Jasper and Kyle, two coworkers known for their cruel pranks, had set me up with a "friend." I tried to ignore them snickering in the corner, their phones pointed at me like predators waiting for the kill.
Then Aurora walked in. She was timid, anxious, clutching her purse like a shield. I recognized her instantly—the quiet girl from accounting. When she saw me, relief washed over her face, only to be quickly replaced by confusion as she noticed Jasper and Kyle’s mocking gazes.
"They... they set this up as a joke, didn't they?" Aurora whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "Because of how I look. Because I'm the fat girl in the office."
My heart clenched. I saw the cruelty in Jasper's smirk, the eagerness waiting for me to humiliate her so they'd have office gossip for a month. But instead of embarrassment, a white-hot anger flared within me. I knew what it felt like to be judged, to be deemed "less than."
I looked straight into Aurora's eyes, ignoring the idiots in the corner.
"Aurora, please look at me," I said, my voice steady. "When I agreed to come here, I was terrified. But when I saw you walk in, do you know what my first thought was?"
She shook her head, a single tear escaping.
"I thought, 'She has kind eyes.' And I thought, 'She looks like someone who would be patient with a clumsy single dad like me.'"
I took a deep breath, seizing the moment.
"I don't care about their joke. But I genuinely want to have coffee with you. If you're willing to stay. Not because of them, but because I really want to get to know you."
The entire café seemed to hold its breath waiting for her answer. Jasper's smile vanished.
Aurora looked at me, weighing the urge to run against a fragile hope. And then, she smiled. Read more in Comment or Most relevant -> All Comments 🗨️