A Georgia woman never imagined that stepping into the dating world would feel like walking into a minefield. After leaving her childhood Jehovah’s Witness faith at 18, she dove into dating apps with excitement. However, her first serious encounter post-church quickly proved that modern dating can be unpredictable, even dangerous.
After Georgia TikToker@jaellysandwich, whose real name is Jael Cunningham, thought she found her perfect match with a self-described “gamer dude” on Bumble, things quickly took a dark turn. Her match tried to mold her into the perfect gaming girlfriend by persuading her to download Discord and play League of Legends.
Things seemed normal at first, but the first real warning signs came when he invited her to the Cheesecake Factory for a face-to-face date. Half an hour away from their meeting spot, the woman learned that something seemed very off about this date. Having nothing to base her experience on, Cunningham shook off the bad vibe and proceeded to wait for her date to arrive.
She learned that not only would his friend be joining them, but that he and this friend were actually very close ‘platonic’ friends, who happened to have been intimate from time to time. Choosing to go along, she then faced an even bigger shock. It was not just her date and his friend from college that she was meeting up with.
“Looking back, it honestly makes me so sad that the girl I was then was so desperate to find love, and so desperate to be normal and be like doing normal [expletive] that I thought this was my best option”, she said. “Multiple times in this story, I could have been harmed,” she noted.
Suspicious Detours and Escalating Red Flags
Four men were in the car with them, celebrating a birthday, or so she was told. Her suspicions only grew as the “nearby” Cheesecake Factory turned out to be an hour away. The evening escalated further when a fifth man jumped out of the trunk upon arrival. During dinner, the Georgia woman endured bizarre comments about her potential as a mother. She was then asked to split the check. Serious red flags, she claims, she navigated cautiously.
After dinner, her date suggested they go to his house to “pregame.” Her story gets even more bizarre as he offered her a small pocket knife for safety before taking her on a walk. During their stroll, he continued to reveal more personal matters that made her even more uncomfortable. Ultimately, she caught a $50 Uber back home. Safe but shaken by the night’s events.
Reflecting on the experience, Cunningham admits her desperation to find love and feel “normal” led her to make questionable choices. The situation strained her relationship with her father and kept her from dating for two years.
Social media commenters were horrified, emphasizing how easily the night could have taken a far darker turn. Other former Jehovah’s Witnesses resonated with her story, highlighting the challenges of dating after leaving a strict faith.
“I’ve watched horror movies that are less scary than this. The fact that you made it home is a miracle, my goodness. Like I was screaming multiple times to get out,” one commenter writes.
This Georgia woman’s first post-church dating experience is a stark warning. Always trust your instincts, set clear boundaries, and always watch for red flags. While the night ended safely, it could have gone much differently. Her story serves as a reminder that the world of dating is not for the naive or unprepared.
Kendra Quinn 
Hunter Spears 
