Picture the worst first date imaginable, where everything that can go wrong does. My date with Gemma was a fiasco from the start, but this hilarious mishap unexpectedly led me to make one of the best decisions of my life.
Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted the earth to open up and swallow you whole? Well, I have, and let me tell you, it’s not a feeling I’d recommend. I just wanted to vanish into thin air…
Close-up of a young man in a gym | Source: Midjourney
But before I spill the beans on that fateful day, let me give you some backstory. Trust me, you’ll need it to fully appreciate the comedy of errors that was about to unfold.
It all started during my sophomore year of college.
I was sitting in psychology class, trying not to doze off, when this girl plopped down next to me.
Her name was Gemma, and little did I know she’d end up being the love of my life. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here.
A college student standing in a classroom | Source: Pexels
After class, we got to talking.
“Hey, I’m Gemma,” she said, flashing a smile that made my heart skip a beat.
“Kevin,” I replied, trying to sound cool and probably failing miserably. “You new here?”
“Nah, just switched majors. Psychology seems more interesting than watching paint dry… I mean, studying accounting.”
I laughed. She was funny, I’ll give her that.
“Well, welcome to the wild world of Freud and friends.”
We chatted a bit more, and I found out she was a commuter student.
A girl talking to her friend in college | Source: Midjourney
To be honest, I wasn’t really into her romantically at the time.
She seemed like a cool girl, and I did feel butterflies in my stomach while talking to her. But was I really attracted to her? Was it love at first sight? Nope.
Guess I was still trying to figure out what I felt about her.
We talked occasionally for a week whenever we met in class.
Now, here’s where things get interesting.
College students in a classroom | Source: Pexels
I was really into martial arts and MMA. And by “really into,” I mean I spent more time at the gym than in class.
Little did I know my hobby was about to play a starring role in the most awkward first date in history.
Every weekend, I’d head to the college-run MMA club.
Saturdays and Sundays, 5 p.m. sharp.
It was my thing, you know? My escape from the mundane world of textbooks and ramen noodles.
So, one Friday night, Gemma texts me out of the blue.
A young man using his phone | Source: Pexels
“Hey, Kevin! I’ve got a group project on campus tomorrow. Wanna hang out after?”
My heart pounded faster.
“Sure!” I typed back, trying to keep it cool. “What time?”
“How about 5?”
And that’s when it hit me. My MMA class. Oh, no.
“Uh, actually, I have MMA practice at 5,” I replied. “But I can skip it, no big deal.”
“MMA? That’s so cool! Can I come watch?”
A woman texting her friend | Source: Pexels
Now, looking back, this is where I should’ve pumped the brakes. Suggested a nice, safe coffee date. But no, my brain decided to take an impromptu vacation.
“Sure, why not?” I replied.
“Awesome! Oh, and don’t worry about being sweaty after. I can just shower at your dorm.”
I nearly choked on my own spit. Was this really happening?
“Okay, cool,” I managed to type with trembling fingers.
I was suddenly so excited… but I had no idea how things would soon take an unexpected turn.
A boy smiling in his bedroom | Source: Midjourney
The next day, I met Gemma outside the gym. She was bouncing on her toes like a kid on Christmas morning.
“This is so exciting!” she squealed. “I’ve always wanted to try MMA!”
I laughed nervously. “It’s pretty intense. You sure you want to jump right in?”
“Are you kidding? I was born ready!”
We walked into the gym, and I gave her the rundown.
Our club was a mixed bag of meatheads and nerds, thanks to being at a tech school.
A person in a boxing gym | Source: Pexels
I felt so happy to see Gemma fit right in. She was already chatting with everyone like she’d been there for years.
The first part of the practice went smoothly. We went over the basics, and Gemma picked it up faster than I expected. I was impressed, and maybe a little intimidated.
Then came the sparring. Now, here’s where Gemma did something I wasn’t expecting.
This part of our practice really made me regret bringing her to the gym.
A girl standing in a gym | Source: Midjourney
I’m not a big guy, and Gemma was my guest, so naturally, we got paired up. I figured I’d go easy on her, you know? Just enough to show off a little without actually hurting her.
“Ready to rumble, Gemma?” I asked, putting up my fists.
She grinned.
“Bring it on, tough guy. Don’t hold back!”
“Trust me, you don’t want that,” I laughed. “I’ll keep it light, promise.”
Oh, how wrong I was. So, so wrong.
A man wearing a boxing glove | Source: Pexels
The match started, and Gemma came out swinging like a professional boxer.
I thought, No problem, I’ll just block a bit and throw a soft jab—
And then suddenly, I was seeing stars. My head was spinning like I’d just stepped off the world’s fastest merry-go-round.
In that split second, my training kicked in. When you’re a smaller guy fighting bigger opponents, you learn to counter-attack fast when you get hit. It’s like an instinct, you know?
So, there I was, dazed and confused, and my body just… reacted.
A young man in a boxing gym | Source: Midjourney
I threw my best punch without even thinking.
Yes, I threw my best punch at the girl I secretly wanted to impress.
It caught Gemma right in the face.
I still remember how the world had slowed down at that point. I could see her slowly going down like a sack of potatoes, while my eyes widened in shock. I wanted to disappear.
I could even hear the collective gasp of everyone in the gym. And then, the laughter. My friend in the corner was practically rolling on the floor.
A man laughing | Source: Pexels
“Oh my God, Gemma!” I ran over to her. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry!”
She sat up, holding her eye.
“Wow,” she mumbled. “You pack quite a punch for a little guy.”
“I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to… I just…” I could feel a lump in my throat. “Oh God, your eye is swelling up.”
“Is it?” She touched her face gingerly. “Battle scar. Cool.”
I stared at her in disbelief. Why wasn’t she yelling at me?
A man looking ahead in disbelief | Source: Midjourney
“How are you so calm about this? I just punched you in the face!”
She shrugged.
“Eh, occupational hazard. Besides, I kinda deserved it after that hook I threw at you.”
“Yeah, about that,” I said, helping her to her feet. “Where did you learn to punch like that? You nearly took my head off!”
“Oh, did I forget to mention? I did a bit of boxing in high school. Like, five years worth.”
“A bit? Five years? Gemma, that’s not ‘a bit,’ that’s a whole career!”
A young girl in a boxing gym | Source: Midjourney
She laughed.
“Oops? Sorry, I should’ve said something.”
“I just can’t believe you…” I shook my head in embarrassment.
“So, uhh… This pretty much takes the cake for the worst first date ever, right?” Gemma looked at me with a straight face.
“First date?” my eyes widened. “This was our first date? What?”
“Yeah… I mean, I asked you to hang out with me and you brought me here…” she began. “And then…”
She burst out laughing.
“Oh, Kevin. This is priceless,” she said as she caught her breath. “You’re hilarious!”
A woman smiling | Source: Unsplash
I couldn’t help it. I started laughing too.
Here we were, two idiots who’d just beaten each other up, realizing we’d accidentally gone on the world’s most disastrous first date.
“So,” I said, once we’d both calmed down. “Want to try this again? Maybe with less punching this time?”
“Absolutely!” Gemma chirped. “But next time, let’s stick to coffee. My face can’t take another ‘date’ like this.”
And that, folks, is how I fell head over heels (quite literally) for my wife. Gemma wasn’t like other girls.
A young couple walking together | Source: Midjourney
She went to the gym with me, got punched in the face, and still wanted to see me again. How could I not fall in love?
We stayed together after that day, laughing about our “first date” every chance we got. We tied the knot right after graduation, and let me tell you, our wedding vows were a riot.
Gemma promised not to knock me out again, and I vowed to always punch above my weight class. Metaphorically, of course.
We’ve got three children and a beautiful granddaughter now. We’ve stuck together through several ups and downs.
A girl with her grandparents | Source: Pexels
So, if you ever find yourself on a date that’s going south faster than a penguin on an ice slide, just remember: it could be worse.
You could be me, punching your future wife in the face.
But hey, if it worked for us, who knows? Maybe disaster is just Cupid’s way of saying, “You’re welcome.”
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