How not to fall for your grumpy best friend

Sophie's phone buzzed on her desk, and she groaned before even looking at the screen. It was another message from Ethan, and she was already tired of the relentless texts about his next "perfect" date.

Ethan D'Angelo: I think I'm ready to give dating another shot. Can you set me up? This time, I'm going all in.

Sophie stared at the message for a moment, tapping her fingers on her desk. This was going to be fun. Again.

She responded, typing back the most sarcastic message she could muster.

Sophie: I'll make sure to find someone who can keep up with your charm.

Seconds later, Ethan replied.

Ethan D'Angelo: Don't forget, they need to be perfect. No pineapple pizza lovers, no jazz haters, and they can't be afraid of a little adventure.

Sophie snorted. Adventure? This guy thinks "adventure" means walking down the street without a map.

But this time, Sophie was determined. Maybe it was the challenge of making this whole thing work, or maybe it was the fact that Ethan was starting to get on her nerves in the best way possible. Either way, she was going to take this to the next level.

---

That afternoon, Sophie was at the coffee shop when she overheard a conversation between two women sitting at a nearby table. One of them, with long red hair, was talking about her recent disastrous blind date.

"I swear," the woman said, shaking her head. "He brought his mom on the date. I thought it was a joke, but nope, she was there the whole time!"

Sophie stifled a laugh. That gave her an idea.

---

Later that night, Ethan showed up at the restaurant Sophie had convinced him to try. Of course, the place was one of those super-trendy spots where the lighting was so dim it could double as a horror movie set. Ethan stood at the entrance, looking like he'd walked out of a magazine cover. He was impeccably dressed in a suit that probably cost more than Sophie's entire wardrobe. And as usual, he was frowning.

Sophie spotted him from across the room and decided it was time for her master plan to unfold. She approached him with a big, innocent smile. "Ready for your date?" she asked sweetly.

Ethan gave her a long, hard look. "Sophie, I swear, if you've set me up with another disaster—"

"Relax, Ethan," Sophie interrupted. "I've got it all covered."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't go overboard this time, right?"

"Oh, trust me," Sophie said, her lips curving into a wicked smile. "I didn't go overboard... much."

They both turned as the woman Ethan was supposed to meet arrived. She was a tall, confident-looking woman with striking blue eyes and an air of mystery. Ethan blinked, clearly impressed. "Okay, okay. You've actually done a decent job this time," he admitted.

Sophie couldn't help but grin. "Told you."

The woman sat down across from Ethan and smiled at him. She had the kind of smile that made Ethan sit up straighter. Well, this was going to be fun.

Sophie settled into the seat next to them, arms crossed, ready to observe the chaos unfold. But just as the date was about to get started, Sophie glanced at the woman's face... and then at Ethan's.

Something wasn't right.

The woman's smile started to fade as she looked around, clearly uncomfortable. Ethan was still giving her that "perfect date" smile, but the vibe between them was off. Sophie sat back, watching the interaction. This was going to be better than she'd imagined.

---

"So, Ethan," the woman began, forcing a smile. "Tell me a bit about yourself."

Ethan, completely unaware of her discomfort, launched into his favorite topic—himself. "Well, I'm a businessman. I've been involved in several start-ups. I love the thrill of success, and I only invest in projects that have true potential," he said, leaning forward.

Sophie couldn't help but roll her eyes. She had heard this exact spiel a hundred times before. And it was clear the woman wasn't impressed. She looked more interested in her wine glass than Ethan's business talk.

Sophie almost felt sorry for Ethan. Almost.

Just when Sophie thought this couldn't get worse, the woman's phone rang. She looked at the screen, then glanced at Ethan with a sheepish expression.

"I'm so sorry," she said, excusing herself from the table. "I have to take this. It's important."

Sophie, grinning from ear to ear, leaned over to Ethan and whispered, "Well, that went well."

Ethan looked at her, genuinely confused. "What do you mean? She's just taking a call. She'll be back."

Sophie tried to hide her laughter. "You think she's coming back?"

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Just then, the woman returned to the table. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. "Ethan, I'm sorry. Something urgent has come up. I really have to go."

Before Ethan could respond, she stood up and walked briskly out of the restaurant, leaving him staring after her in stunned silence.

Sophie couldn't contain it anymore. She burst out laughing.

"What just happened?" Ethan said, his jaw slack in shock.

"Well, Ethan, I think you finally learned that a little humility goes a long way," Sophie teased.

He shot her a look of annoyance. "I didn't even get a chance to talk to her properly!"

"Ethan, you don't talk to people properly," Sophie said, winking. "You talk to your image."

---

After the woman's abrupt exit, Sophie knew Ethan would be on the warpath for a while. But deep down, she kind of enjoyed seeing him knocked off his pedestal. A little humbling was long overdue.

They sat in the awkward silence for a few minutes before Sophie decided to speak up.

"Look, Ethan," she said, softening her tone, "maybe you need to try something different. Someone who isn't going to fall for your typical 'perfect guy' act."

Ethan looked at her, eyes serious now. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, maybe you need to date someone who's not impressed by your money or your name," she said, leaning in. "Someone who can call you out when you're being a jerk."

Ethan blinked. For once, he didn't seem so smug. He just nodded.

"Okay," he said, a reluctant grin forming. "Maybe you're onto something."

Sophie laughed. "I'll take that as a win."

As they sat there, waiting for the next round of awkwardness to strike, Sophie couldn't help but feel proud of herself. She'd pulled off the ultimate date disaster—and somehow, Ethan was still talking to her.