A Philanderer

On March 21, 2025, I entered the 1st Round of the 6th annual 100-word Microfiction Challenge 2025. I had 24 hours to complete this Challenge. Four thousand three hundred thirty-nine writers participate in 75 groups, with approximately 58 writers per group.

Here are the criteria I was given to write my story:
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Action: Overcoming a fear
Word Assignment: Spirit
Time: 24 hours
Word Length: 100 Words Maximum

This is what I wrote:

He resembled Richard Gere—tall, blonde, handsome, and charming—but he had a reputation as a philanderer.

On my first date with him at a romantic play, a woman asked, "Are you Richard Gere?" He replied, "No," leaving me uncertain if he had staged the moment.

I felt uneasy about his silly romantic gestures and questioned his honesty. He was a clown, always joking and making me laugh.

His habit of hanging up on me shattered my spirit, mainly because I suspected he was with another woman at that time. This filled me with a fear I struggled to overcome.