My Crush Humiliated Me… I Want To Send Him a ‘Thank You’ Note!

He finally found a way to cure my infatuation, once and for all.

Disclaimer: I would never suggest treating anyone like shit to make sure they ‘get over you’. However, in my case, I eventually appreciated my fling’s BS as it led me to bury a very toxic attraction.

“I work there on Friday nights. You should come. Come with friends too, I’ll let you guys enter for free.”

Once upon a time, this is what my crush told me. This is what romance in Toronto gives you these days, a cover-free entry to some back-alley gaming bar with blacked-out windows on the first floor of a decrepit corner store. These poetic words were pronounced by Dylan over two months ago, during our courtship period.

At first, I didn’t fancy Dylan that much. I was merely curious about him. He looked like a bad boy with baggy jeans, tattoos, and had the bad habit of smoking. Still, he sounded wise from our few exchanges, and his demeanor seemed genuine and kind.

Our first date was spent chatting. It lasted over an hour during which he shared his vulnerable side — his troubled childhood, undiagnosed ADHD, the financial struggles forcing him to pursue two jobs so he could feed his fur family (three dogs and a cat). That date left me undeniably charmed and eager for more but not yet wooed.

A couple weeks later, I took upon his invite and showed up at the bar where he worked…