We’d been talking on the phone for months. This was before video calls or WhatsApp; the only way I could see him was in person or on Facebook. We didn’t have phones with Skype, so we stuck to voice calls. I fell in love with his voice—it was deep and soothing, and I often imagined what it would be like to finally meet him.

One night, while we were talking, I asked, “Can you send me a picture on Facebook? I want to see you—I can’t wait anymore.”

“You’re so impatient,” he teased.

“Yes, I am!” I replied, laughing.

That night, he tagged me in a few photos on Facebook. I looked at them, and my heart raced—he was tall, dark, and handsome. Just my type! “You’re so fine,” I complimented him.

“Now let me see your recent photos,” he said. I tagged him in some of mine, and his compliment made me smile ear to ear.

“So, when are we meeting?” I asked. We set a date for the next week at the mall, and for the next few days, I could barely contain my excitement.

Finally, the day arrived. I dressed up enthusiastically and hurried to the mall. In the parking lot, I scanned the faces around me, looking for someone familiar. Then I got a text from him saying, “I’m here.” I searched around again and called him. “Let’s meet at the Willows Café entrance,” he said.

I rushed over and saw a man standing there. But he wasn’t tall, or dark, or anything like his photos. My heart sank. I called again, and when he answered and looked up, he could see the disappointment on my face. I turned and ran, faster than his plump body could keep up.

When I got home, I blocked him instantly. Since then, I’ve never dated anyone I haven’t met in person. Video calls or not, I know now—people lie too much.