He asked me for £300 just a few days after our third date.

I was at work, taking a quick break to make myself a cup of coffee when I received a text message from my recent date. Let's call him John for now. The message read, "I spent too much time and money on you. I want £300 back". I was in disbelief. We had only been on three dates and on our last one, I had to run away from his house in fear for my safety. And now he was demanding money from me?

It was the early 2010s and I had just gotten out of a long-term relationship. Feeling a bit lonely, I decided to join a dating app in hopes of finding a nice guy. That's when I came across John's profile. He seemed genuine and I was immediately drawn to him - a handsome businessman with his own house, two adorable dogs, and a fast car. Sure, he was almost a decade older than me, but that didn't bother me.

We started texting and in just two days, we talked about our love for pets, our jobs, and how tired we were of online dating. I got the impression that he was a gentleman and wanted something more than just a fling. So, I agreed to go on a date with him.

We went to a fancy restaurant in town and John insisted on paying for both of us. I was grateful but I also insisted on paying for our next date. I was already looking forward to seeing him again. A week later, he took me for a ride in his sports car and even brought sandwiches and drinks for us. It was a sweet gesture and I couldn't help but think that I might be falling for him.

I opened up to him about my friends, family, and work. I told him about my job as an office clerk and my love for vintage pin-up modeling. He didn't mention much about himself - his business, his ex-partner, or his family - but I didn't think much of it at the time.

Our third date was at his office party and before that, he invited me to his house for some drinks. When I arrived, he surprised me with a dress for the party. It was a kind gesture but I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy about receiving gifts so early on in our dating. The party was at a colleague's house and not the actual office or a fancy restaurant, which I found a bit odd. But, I finally got to meet his work friends and they were all lovely.

However, during the party, I noticed that John had left me alone and was outside chatting with his male coworkers. I didn't mind because I was enjoying the conversation with the other women. But, in hindsight, it should have been a warning sign. Who leaves their date alone at a party?

At the end of the night, he asked me to stay over and I agreed. The next morning, I woke up to a text from my gay best friend, asking how my night with John was. That's when John's attitude completely changed. He was angry at me for texting another man while I was still in bed with him. I tried to explain that my friends had the right to check up on me, but he wouldn't listen. He called me shallow and compared me to a sex worker, even though I had told him before that my modeling was just a fun hobby and had nothing to do with sex work.

I was shocked and scared. Who was this person? Where was the John I was falling for? I knew I had to leave. So, I took my phone, locked myself in the bathroom and called a cab, telling the Uber driver to wait for me for 10 minutes. Fortunately, I managed to leave and go home safely.

Afterwards, I didn't hear from him for a few days until he messaged me demanding money. My best friend suggested going to the police, but I decided to just reply and tell him that I never asked him to pay for me and that we were even since he had called me a prostitute. Then, I blocked him. Luckily, I never heard from him again.

Since that experience eight years ago, I've become very cautious. Maybe even too cautious - I haven't been in a relationship since then. But, I've learned to always listen to my gut feeling and if a guy doesn't seem honest or doesn't like the fact that I'm a model, there won't be a second date.

My advice to other women is to always let your family and friends know where and with whom you're going out. And to the men who think women owe them money after a failed date - grow up. And never, under any circumstances, resort to abuse.

So, How Did It Go? is a series that will make you cringe or feel jealous as people share their worst and best date stories. If you have a story to share, don't hesitate to contact us.

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