20October2025
Dear Diary,
Its strange how a simple invitation to the pictures can turn a night upsidedown. I was meeting James at the Odeon in Camden, and I kept repeating the mantra that had been in my head all day: If you disappear, hell think of me straight away. I whispered it, halfjoking, halfpleading, hoping it would keep things civil. Yet the moment his hand slipped around mine in the dark, I could feel the tension tightening like a knot.
Every woman goes into a date with her own set of expectations. Some are bold enough to think that after the film they could slip into a backrow rendezvous, letting the darkness cover everything. Others prefer the more traditional route: hold hands, exchange a shy kiss, and then be dropped off at my flat as the credits roll. Im somewhere in the middle, perhaps a little more modest, but still hoping for a proper evening.
The fact that James asked me out, of course, meant that, at least in his eyes, I was his girlfriendat least for the night. That also meant the seat beside me wasnt occupied. I reminded myself that I didnt want a repeat of the incident with Lucy, when a girl named Sarah swooped in during the foyer, clutching Jamess arm and demanding, Whos that? Why are you holding her hand? Ive been losing sleep thinking youve vanished!
Any sensible girl would have blushed and walked away, maybe hurled a snide remark about seeing double. Lucy, on the other hand, was the type that would have shouted, Youre cheating on me with two at once! and stormed off in stilettos, flowers in hand. Lucy was the daring sort, but she never got the chance to act; James snarled at the intruder, I told you to go. Im done with this. He then whisked Lucy away, saying, Come on, lets find a quiet screen. I watched from a distance, feeling oddly reassured that James wasnt seeing anyone else.
Later, after the film, we stepped out onto the lit street heading toward Hyde Park, where my flat sits above a council tower. I tried not to bring up the awkward scene in front of the other patrons, respecting the cinemas etiquette. James had paid for the tickets, after all, and I didnt want to waste that.
Walking sidebyside, he finally broke the silence. I hope you didnt think anything strange happened. I dont normally collect lunatics; my friends and family are all normal. Its just this one odd bird that turned up. He sounded apologetic, and I knew the subject hit a sore spot. With her previous boyfriend, Id been dumped because her sister and mother never accepted him. So James made a point of assuring me that his life was free of such drama.
What exactly happened with her? I asked, genuinely curious.
He laughed lightly. We thought we were datingat least thats how I saw it. You know the sort of relationship where you hang out, hold hands, kiss a bit, and in a crowd she sits on my lap, calling me sweetheart and kitty?
Makes sense, I replied, halfsmiling.
Imagine this, he continued, a girl invites me over to fix her computer, then tells me the brother took it to the country yesterday, and offers to watch a movie on Bluray at hers.
Someone still uses Bluray? I chuckled, but I sensed he was steering back to the main point. If a girl calls you over under a pretence and theres no one else home, you can assume she wants something more than a cup of tea and a film.
He painted a picture: A sheer nightdress, lace stockings, heartshaped candles, a bottle of red, and a film labelled 18+. The typical happyending romance, but with a very adult twist. I felt a cold wind of intuition sweep over me.
Thats when you should just head to the chemist for a condom and get on with it, I said, halfjoking, halfserious.
Exactly my thought, he replied. I sat on the couch, the mood was set, she landed beside me, I pulled her close, started kissing I reached for her hand, and she slapped me hard, screaming at the top of her lungs, What are you doing? Im not like that!
I shook my head. Id have fled the scene, I muttered. He admitted hed done just that, slipping on his shoes and walking away, hearing her say it was over.
The next morning, James wrote to me, saying a girl named Maya had texted him as if nothing had happened, asking why hed stopped calling, as if hed simply forgotten her. I ignored her; I have no patience for drama. He, too, dismissed her, noting that there was never any real reason to cling to someone who didnt belong in his life.
She kept chasing him, hoping for some grand gesture, but James made it clear that yes means yes and no stays no, no bargaining. I realised that in todays world, chasing someone like that is almost illegalany unwanted pursuit could land you in trouble.
I promised James Id stay clear of any wild antics, and he agreed. If anyone tried to force anything, the answer would be a firm no. My exboyfriend, for instance, would have been written off as mad and forgotten like a bad dreamif it had been a oneoff.
Later that week, as I was walking home from my lectures at King’s College, an old acquaintance, Alison, called out to me. Shed been a friend of ours, but wed never been close.
Poppy, we need to talk. You behaved badly, you know? He was taken, and you swooped in and grabbed him.
The lad told me hes single, Alison. Ive told you before to stay away.
Dont you think hell remember me if you disappear? she hissed. So just vanish nicely, or Ill
I looked at her, a hint of a smile playing on my lips. You know my dads a police sergeant, right? He has the badge and the uniform. Thats the fastest way to get rid of a persistent stalker.
It would have been easy to prove that James wasnt interested in anyone else, to turn the whole thing into a fistfight, but that would have only made things worse for me. The simplest solution turned out to be the best: Alison, when she saw a photo of my dad, blurted an expletive and fled. James stopped receiving messages from her accounts, and he told me about it a week later.
I told Alison about my little maneuver just so James would know what Id done, but I received no judgment in return. People like her need a good lesson, I thought, otherwise theyll keep meddling.
In the end, James and I both agreed that Alison was just another ordinary girl whod overreacted. It didnt matter how unhinged she seemed; what mattered was that she finally disappeared from our lives, hopefully for good.
Maybe shell find a proper man of her own, some kitchenfighting narcissist. Perhaps everyone gets paired off, leaving decent folk alone. Its a comforting thought, isnt it?
Signing off, hoping tomorrow brings less drama.
