Mia took a small sip of her wine, glancing discreetly at the man across the table. Her mental checklist buzzed to life, as it always did when she met someone new.

Let's see, she thought, tapping her fingers lightly on the stem of her glass.

1. Attractive? She checked his clean-cut looks: sandy blond hair, a sharp jawline, and a well-tailored suit that definitely cost more than her entire outfit. He could have easily stepped off a magazine cover. Check.

2. Successful career? During the appetizer, he'd mentioned he was a financial analyst at some big firm. Good salary, stable-maybe even a little boring, but that was okay. Stability was practically a bonus point on her checklist. Check.

3. Loves to travel? His stories from his last trip to Italy were entertaining and he even recommended a few spots for her to visit. Check.

As she continued ticking boxes in her mind, Mia allowed herself to feel a spark of hope. Maybe, finally, she'd found someone who wasn't just "almost there."

But then, just as they started discussing hobbies, he leaned back in his chair, stretched his arms, and glanced down at his phone as it lit up with a notification. He barely looked at her as he started scrolling.

"Just a second," he muttered. "Sorry, work stuff."

Oh no. She fought the urge to sigh. 4. Attentive and fully present?

Strike.

She watched as he continued tapping away, his face lit by the screen. The seconds ticked by, and with each one, her checklist grew heavier in her mind, the unchecked boxes glaringly obvious.

To distract herself, she reached for her water glass and took a sip, running through a quick mental list of all the other things she'd been hoping for.

5. Has good manners? She watched him set his phone down and proceed to cut into his steak-using the back of his fork. Mia winced. Strike two.

He continued talking, not seeming to notice her deflated expression as he launched into a lengthy description of his latest work drama. Mia tried to listen, she really did, but her inner checklist was officially taking over.

6. Sense of humor? She forced a polite laugh at his story, but the truth was, she hadn't genuinely laughed once all evening. She wasn't even sure he'd cracked a joke.

As her date droned on about "strategic business growth" (or was it "projected quarterly returns?"), she let her gaze drift, wondering if maybe her checklist was flawed after all. Or maybe, she thought with a sigh, she'd just never meet someone who could actually fulfill it.

And then, as if on cue, he cleared his throat and dropped his next bombshell: "So, I'm really looking for someone who can support my career growth, you know? Someone who doesn't mind being a bit flexible with their own plans."

Mia blinked. Support? Flexible? She wasn't sure if he meant it as in, "I'd like us to support each other," or as in, "Please pause your life goals so I can chase mine," but either way, it was starting to feel like her checklist had gotten crushed somewhere along the way.

She forced a smile, giving a little nod as if she were truly engaged, but her mind had drifted far, far away. This is not happening again, she thought, casting a quick glance at the exit and calculating how long it would take to make a graceful escape.

"...and that's why I think we'd make a great team," her date concluded, flashing her a confident smile as if he'd just made the winning pitch of the night.

She blinked. "A team?"

He nodded eagerly.

"Exactly! I mean, with my career trajectory, there's a lot on the line, you know? And having someone by my side who can be a... flexible support system is essential. Someone who understands that my work might always come first." He paused, then added with a slightly forced laugh,

"You'd be surprised how hard it is to find someone who's, uh, cool with that."

Mia's polite smile froze as she tried to come up with a response that wasn't outright sarcasm. Cool with that? She could practically hear her best friend Jess's voice in her head: Girl, get out.

"Oh, I see," she said finally, careful to keep her tone light. "So... you're looking for a career assistant you can also date?"

If he noticed her subtle jab, he didn't let on. He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.

"No, no, of course not. I just mean... Well, there's a lot going on right now, and it'd be nice to have someone who gets that. Who doesn't make a fuss, you know?"

She felt the last flicker of hope extinguish as he reached over to take another glance at his phone. In her mind, Mia mentally checked the final box:

7. Respectful of my time? Strike three.

Mia took a deep breath, wondering if she could get away with excusing herself to "go to the bathroom" and never coming back. She picked up her phone and discreetly texted Jess: Emergency? Please say yes.

Her date droned on, oblivious, until her phone pinged with a text from Jess: You in the bathroom already? Need me to call with a "fire" emergency?

Mia stifled a grin and typed back, Yes, but make it something bigger. Like a tornado.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming call not even a minute later. Mia gave an apologetic smile to her date, who barely glanced up from his plate, and answered.

"Hello?"

Jess's voice came through, dripping with exaggerated panic.

"Mia! I hate to interrupt, but there's a... situation. I really need you here. It's... it's bad."

"Oh no," Mia replied, doing her best to sound convincingly worried. "That's terrible." She gave her date a look of forced sympathy.

"I'm so sorry, but it seems my friend has an emergency. I'll have to cut this short."

He looked up, clearly surprised but not all that bothered.

"Ah, well, I understand. We all have priorities, right?"

Yes, Mia thought, standing up and grabbing her purse, and mine is getting out of here as fast as possible.