What started as a casual almost-date spiraled into months of being pursued by someone who thought obsession was romance
Please note that the names referenced in this story have been changed to maintain confidentiality and protect the privacy of those involved.
So, we didn’t even get to go on a real date, but I needed to get this one off my chest because it honestly felt like I was being stalked by an NPC with a glitch in his programming.
After I blocked him on Instagram, the weirdness leveled up. Suddenly, I’m getting follow requests from accounts like “user4837492010” and “privateuser444” — zero followers, zero posts, no profile pics. Like straight out of a cyber horror film. I obviously didn’t accept, but that didn’t stop the 3 a.m. notifications. Then came the random phone calls. Always from different numbers, same area code. Whenever I picked up, it was just… breathing. Not heavy, not loud. Just this slow, eerie breathing like someone watching me sleep from behind a door.
So, naturally, I changed my number. Thought that would be the end of it.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
A week later, I got an email. Subject line: hi hi hi Dora
The message?
“Not sure why you haven’t been picking up my calls and you blocked me on Instagram. I thought we would be a great match, but I’m not sure why you’re playing hard to get. Don’t worry though, I love a challenge and I will make you go out with me.
Hit me back,
Dylan (123-456-7890)”
The way I actually sprinted to my settings to filter out any email not on my contact list. I blocked that one, but he kept making new emails.
New subject lines:
“Still waiting”
“Why won’t you talk to me Dora?”
“You can’t hide forever.”
It lasted for months.
Eventually, I changed my email. Scrubbed my info from every public site I could find. It’s been quiet now for a while, so I’m hoping this saga is finally over. Will update if there is anything else to update you on.
First off, I’m so glad you’re okay and that he’s not still trying to contact you, because this went from awkward-date material to straight-up Netflix true crime pilot, real quick. The “hi hi hi Dora” email…that’s nightmare fuel.
The burner accounts, the 3 a.m. breathing calls, the endless emails…that’s not persistence, that’s obsession. You handled it exactly right by cutting him off, changing your information and protecting your peace. Honestly, if in that situation, I would have been calling a priest, a hacker and possibly the FBI all at once.
It’s even worse that he probably thought he was being romantic. Like sir, Romeo wrote poetry, not Gmail drafts titled, “You can’t hide forever.”
I really hope this saga is over, because you deserve dates that end with dessert menus, not restraining order applications.
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