Happy Valentine’s Day! Love is in the air, or at least lining the store shelf with heart-shaped chocolates, everything painted in red and more—basically, all things that scream romance. Couples are envisioning their best date scenarios, but what about the new singles or perennial singles? Well, the mushiness around in February is painful to the eyes. I mean, what’s so great about February 14, anyway? Romance dancing through the minds? No, thank you! In the era of tech-obsessed society, only dating terms seem to have evolved. Genuine relationships? That remains questionable! Either you get ghosted or may have gotten lucky. So, if Valentine’s Day is a ‘celebration of love,’ shouldn’t we acknowledge the dark side of ‘romantic celebration’ too? On a frigid February day, we asked people about their worst dates. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day 2025, here we bring you real-life worst date stories and some nightmarish accounts that are sure to make you feel glad that you are single this V-Day. Valentine’s Day 2025: How Is the Day of Romance Related to Roman Festival Lupercalia?
If I had to be honest, there were plenty of tales of woe and sadness on the aforementioned topic, but they were narrated with humour and hope. It looks like for every rom-com-worthy night, there’s a horror date story to perfectly balance the ‘dating world’, and we have collected some truly terrible dating tales. Ahead, read real-life stories – awkward, infuriating and embarrassing dates. In the meantime, know this: We all have been there. Jethalal Memes For Valentine’s Day 2025: These TMKOC Funny Meme Templates, Jokes and Instagram Reels Are Relatable AF For Singles.
Creep Much!
A few years ago, I was speaking to this guy, we had a lot in common, so we hit it off immediately. We went out on this date, and a few drinks later, he started getting touchy and wanted to kiss. I kept saying no. So, he kept ordering more food and alcohol, hoping I would agree to kiss and eventually sleep with him. We ended up being out for at least 4-5 hours, visiting different bars and trying to get away with him while he was hoping I would change my mind. Towards the end he realised that I am not interested in any form of physical intimacy, he flipped and began to gaslight me, further saying “my hookup lives next door,” to which I responded, “That’s great, You must absolutely go see her right now. If you want, I will drop you to hers on my way out.” We walked our separate ways and he was abusing and saying bad things about me because he couldn’t take the ‘no.’ It was almost 2 in the morning, and he didn’t even check if I got home safe, let alone drop me home. It was really a horrible experience.
All’s Well That Ends Well?
On a Valentine’s Day date, I had a terrible fight with my then-girlfriend. We were at the Juhu beach, walking and constantly arguing. She gifted me a watch that day. After our fight, I threw that watch on the beach. I guess it must still be somewhere there. But it ended well for both of us. She is my wife now, and we laugh about that night at times.
No Means No!
I went on a date with this guy who showed massive interest in me. We spoke for weeks before agreeing to meet. He asked me out on a date, and we met at a restaurant closer to his home. Everything went fine before he started to talk more. He began the conversation of physical intimacy and how he believes sex brings two people closer. I agreed to it. But little did I know that he would eventually force me to have sex with him that night. I denied it, and he kept pestering me about it. He even attempted to kiss me forcefully, and I pushed him away. He couldn’t take no for an answer, and soon, he flipped. He transitioned to this side of himself, which he was effortlessly hiding and began to curse. Labelled me a psycho and further said that “no man will ever be happy with me.” I refused to give that even a little attention and left the pervert’s sight immediately. I had never met someone so sick before him, let alone going out on a date, and I hope I never do again.
Date With Coupons?
This guy (let’s call him Mr M) that I met at an official event asked for my number. I was single and, without giving any thought, readily gave it to him. He seemed to have a good personality, was above average looking, and was well dressed, so I thought, let’s give it a shot. The chatting began almost right away. After a few days of talking, he asked if we could meet up somewhere for coffee. I agreed, and he came to pick me up after work in the evening. Once in the car, he insisted we go to this particular cafe. I wasn’t very keen on going. But he kept on insisting so much that eventually, I gave in. I even asked him if there was anything special about this cafe, but he didn’t give a clear answer. I thought it might be one of his favourites in town. We reached the cafe, we sat down, and the next thing he insisted on me was to order “one regular cappuccino and medium fries”. I was surprised as to why he was so particular about it, and mind you; he didn’t even let me look at the menu until then. The waiter came to take our order, and before I could say anything, he took out 4 to 5 what looked like coupons from his pocket and placed them on the table. He turned towards the waiter and told him that he had collected these coupons over his last few visits and had some offers on certain combo meals (hence the regular cappuccino and medium fries). If that wasn’t enough, he enquired about each of the coupons and the food items he could redeem in exchange for it. I was dumbfounded, and I cursed myself for being there beside him. I drank the coffee somehow and asked him to get the cheque. I lied about having a family emergency that I needed to tend to. He asked for the cheque, and thanks to all his coupons, the bill was just INR 200 or something, which he paid. And while we were departing the cafe, he told me you have my number, right? You can send your share of the bill to that number. I was shocked, but I knew I could not expect anything less from him by then. The way I ran after that “date” or whatever it was, and I never looked back. It was truly horrifying.
Catfished!
The person I went on a date with was unrecognisable. He kept a different guy’s photo, added too many filters, and the image was altered in a way that it was difficult to make a difference. But I figured that he was not the one that he posted on his display photo. I still went ahead with the date because I didn’t want to pass on a judgment that easily. While on the date, he started making small talk and then commented on how I dressed, saying that the outfit didn’t go well with my skin colour. “You should have toned it down a little,” is what he said. If this was not enough, when the bill came, he made an excuse that he forgot his wallet and doesn’t have access to digital payment. So, I took care of it, left and blocked his phone number immediately. I should have taken a U-turn, the moment I realised I got catfished.
Ouch!
She was an ex-colleague of mine. I took her out on a date at Pizza Express. After a while, without my knowledge, she invited her friends over on our ‘date.’ They were around 10-15 people. They ordered the food, ate and made me pay the entire bill. It was the start of my career, and going to a restaurant and paying the food bill for so many people did cut a big hole in my pocket. She should have at least given me a heads-up.
Good Ol’ ‘Orkut’ Date Gone Wrong
Back in college, when I was in my second year, I got a request on Orkut from a girl, and we started talking. After a few days, she asked me to take her out on a date. I booked a fancy place with whatever little money I had. The date went well, but after she left the restaurant, three to four guys came and began to abuse and threaten me. When I asked them who they were, one of them told me that he was her boyfriend and showed their pictures. I somehow managed to run away on my bike. When I messaged and told her about the incident, she accepted that he was indeed her boyfriend.
Classic Phone Call Prank
I got a phone call from an unknown number. He thought that I was a girl and kept calling me. So, I pulled a prank on him and pretended to be a girl. He was from a different city and, perhaps, got really attracted to my pretentious voice. He drove for a couple of hours to meet me, hoping I was the girl. I called him to a spot. When he reached there, a couple of my friends confronted him, saying we had pranked him on the call and ran away. It was indeed a bad date for him!
The pain and awkward misery of others can certainly be relatable for everyone. Doesn’t it? It’s never fun, but it’s also important to remember that it is through this process and by taking chances that you find the special one that is sheer magic. In all seriousness, all those things about Cupid and sweet nothings are nice, but February 14 is about a lot more than heart-shaped gifts, roses and romance. It’s about loving the one you are with. And if that person is you, it’s definitely worth celebrating.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 14, 2025 08:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
