It began on a balmy Friday night in June, where the warm breeze carried the sounds of laughter and music from the nearby passing cars. 28-year-old Donna Jo "D.J." Tanner stood at the threshold of the bookstore, her anticipation mixed with a slight nervousness. Beside her were her date, Johnny Lawrence, with his tousled blonde hair and a confident grin, and his friend, the ever-charming Daniel LaRusso, who was quick to scan the crowd, looking for familiar faces. They paused at a small table adorned with flickering candles where D.J.'s younger sister, 23-year-old Stephanie Tanner, sat perched on the edge of her seat. She had just checked her cell phone for possibly the fourth time, its bright screen illuminating her worried expression, before slipping it away into her purse, the silence hanging thick in the air.D.J., Daniel, and Johnny exchanged concerned glances as an unspoken question lingered: Where was Stephanie's date? Shouldn't he have arrived by now?"Hey there, Steph. How are you doing?" D.J. asked, her voice gentle yet probing, sensing her sister's unease.Stephanie let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I've been better," she replied, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice.D.J.'s brows knitted together in confusion, mirroring the bewildered expressions on Johnny and Daniel's faces. "Been better?" she echoed, searching for clarity in her sister's tone.Stephanie nodded solemnly, and just like that, silence enveloped the group, thickening the tension. Unsatisfied with the quiet, Johnny leaned forward, trying to lighten the mood. "Then why, may I ask, are you still sitting here all by your lonesome?"Daniel, the mediator, said, "Last time I checked, you said you had a date, and he was supposed to meet you here. What's going on?"Taking a deep breath, Stephanie decided to be straightforward. "The truth is, my so-called 'date' never even showed up. Guess he had something better to do with his time." Her voice softened with disappointment, but her heart hardened against the slight. She caught the exchanged glances between Johnny and Daniel, realizing they were sharing a silent communication about her predicament. "It was definitely a prank he pulled on me because, as you can see, I fell for it... big time. But it doesn't matter, really."