My girlfriend and I started dating in May of this year just a few days before summer break, compelling us to figure out how, or if, we would do a long distance relationship. We messaged every day, kept up communication, and counted down the time until we would get to see each other again. We decided I would drive back to our college town to visit for the Fourth of July, which also happened to land on our two month.

We planned out the best date night: we would get all dressed up to go to dinner at a fancy-ish restaurant then take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway to see the beautiful views. The perfect first date.

Soon after I arrived in Asheville, it was time for the date night. She wore a long black dress, the same earrings from the first night we hung out, and a yonic necklace. I was awestruck by her. Of course, that made me so much more nervous about fucking up our date.

It didn't go as planned. Obviously. First, the dinner place we chose ended up being a lot like Carrabas, not some fancy local Italian place but instead, it was a chain restaurant in a strip mall. Pomodoros may not have been what we were expecting, but at least it was still yummy.

Secondly, on our way to the Parkway I got us a little lost. The GPS was having some trouble working, but we got to Craggy Gardens in one piece! I grabbed my camera and walked out with her to observe the view. It was stunning, nearing sunset with a sky of pinks and blues over the mountains on the horizon. I clicked a few pictures and then we went to get back into the car to keep driving.

I tried the door, kept jiggling it and tried all the other doors but... they were all locked.

I reached to my side thinking my bag would be there with my keys inside but instead all I had was my camera flung over my shoulder and my phone in my pocket. I shaded my eyes and looked inside the car to see none other than my bag, the keys peeking out from the opening of it. Of course, we were stuck on top of a mountain with little to no reception as the sun was setting.

Spoiler Alert: It took three hours for us to get back into the car. We were alone, for the most part, and would be spooked whenever a car would drive by us, worried that someone creepy would stop since we are both very clearly queer. We were shivering an hour in as the sun set, my girlfriend more than me because her dress was so thin. A billion mosquito bites, many dead zones, and multitudes of calls later we finally had AAA come to our rescue to open up the door. We drove back down the Parkway into Asheville, got some coffee at a gothic-looking coffee shop, and slept soundly for the night after the most exhausting, stressful, and scary first dates of my life.

All dramatics aside, while getting locked out of a car wasn't the plan for our first date, it sure was an exciting time. We bonded while we sat and chatted, watching the sunset and lights come on on the dark sides of the mountains. We learned how each other reacts in stressful situations and we worked together to make sure we got back to Asheville safe and sound.

It can be hard to have a rough date with a partner. It's also pretty embarrassing but it's those kinds of adventures that allow people to grow together and become even closer. A first date or any date after can make or break a relationship but as long as you continue to work together, you can make it turn out in your favor.

Take it from us. We're celebrating our sixth month this week, we may not have plans for an extravagant date but we know that we both enjoy a good night in. So, we'll swap some gifts and relax with our cat. This time we know for sure that we won't get locked out of a car on top of a mountain.