We had planned a simple lunch date after talking for almost three weeks. I reached the restaurant and saw her sitting with another girl. She introduced her as her best friend and said she didn't feel comfortable meeting strangers alone.
At first I felt awkward because I thought it was going to be a third-wheel situation. Surprisingly, her friend barely interrupted us. She mostly kept herself busy and only joined the conversation occasionally. Looking back, I understood why she did it. Meeting strangers from the internet can genuinely feel unsafe.
The second date was just the two of us. She later admitted her friend had secretly approved of me after the first meeting. Apparently I passed an interview without even knowing it.