Storytime: "I'd rather just be single"
says Lia, who's been single so long she forgot how to date
Here’s an update on where everyone’s at:
I’m single.
Maya’s single, with one serious bachelor and one very unserious bartender (who’s also her co-worker).
Claude is single, but recently starting seeing someone new by the name of June.
Lia is too focused on her career to even entertain the idea of dating, but was recently convinced by the rest of us to download Hinge.
“It’ll be fun!” Maya said.
The idea of dating was something Lia despised. It took up too much of her time and often resulted in a waste of it. Her last serious relationship was five years ago: an ex boyfriend from college who ended things shortly after she moved across the country to live with him. She learned the hard way that a woman should never move for a man, and also that Los Angeles was a harsh city for love.
After the shock faded and the tears dried out, she realized the ending of their relationship was a blessing. In retrospect, not only was her ex so obviously not the man for her, but the relationship was also a huge distraction to her career.
Six months post breakup, she received an offer at one of the top marketing agencies in the country, doubling her previous salary, and an attractive job title that made her a hot commodity on LinkedIn. Three years later she was nominated for Forbes 30 under 30, a crown she carried proudly despite losing to someone Lia described as a ‘younger version of herself’ (minus the emotionally unavailable boyfriend).
To this day she blames the relationship as the reason for not getting the award; if only they’d broken up earlier.
“Well if you guys didn’t date in the first place, you would’ve never moved to Los Angeles” Maya says while slurping down an oyster.
We were at Harold and Belles, our favorite creole spot in the city off Jefferson Blvd.
“So what, you’re just never going to date again?” Claude asks.
“Obviously I want to date, I just want it to be my husband already” Lia responds.
“Well look no further” Maya says, cracking a smile -
A group of four Black men in their early 60s are looking sly at the four of us.
“Absolutely not” Lia avoids eye contact.
“Oh come on, have some fun” Maya smiles, extending her glass of wine in the air to which they respond accordingly with their cadillac margaritas.
“I just don’t have the energy nor the time to waste on a guy who’s not my husband.”
“Let me help” Maya holds out her hand - “phone please”
Lia rolls her eyes (even though she loved the attention), and passes her phone on over.
“Don’t judge it too much, I barely tried.”
“We may be able to tell” Claude peers over Maya’s shoulder.
The two look at a picture of a lake with Lia’s hand holding a seashell.
“What’s wrong with it? It shows that I like nature.”
“At least show your face or oh -” Maya beams “what about that photo of you from Brazil? The one in the bathing suit!” She exits hinge to search through photos but Lia quickly grabs her phone back.
“Absolutely not”
“Oh come on! How are you going to find a man if you don’t even try?”
Lia didn’t respond. She felt like she shouldn’t have to try to find her man. Her man was out there and he would find her, but she couldn’t help but wonder if Maya was right. Unlike her, Maya was constantly dating someone new, rich, poor, creative, boring- she had infinite options to choose from.
And yet she’s still single. Lia said to herself, a question that suited her ego, until another thought came, yea, because she wants to be.
“Ugh” Lia sighs out loud. “I’m over it.”
“Just promise before you give up, you’ll go on at least a couple of dates” Maya says,
“We’ll see” Lia shrugs just as the server approaches with a tray of shots with sugar rims.
“From the gentlemen by the bar”
“Awwwww” Maya looks to the group of older men.
One of them winks specifically at Lia.
Claude laughs - “whole time that’s your man right there!”
Lia rolls her eyes again, this time playfully. Perhaps her friends are right - and maybe, just maybe she’ll give this damn online dating a try. It doesn’t hurt that her inbox was full of potential suitors.
“Ugh” she says once more, not because of the effort she knew she’d have to put in but because of the tequila she’d just drank.
Until next time…
Note from the writer:
Thank you reading this series! Consistency in my writing has allowed for the expansion of each character. I am still plotting out certain storylines, but I’d love to know if there’s anything in particular you’re excited to read more about :)