Third Wheel on a Non-Date

I moved halfway across the country about a month ago.  I'm not the most outgoing person in the world and it always takes me a while to make new friends and really start socializing.  So I felt fortunate when I made friends with a very outgoing, socially active person who works at my school in a different department.  We will call him Jason even though that's clearly not his real name.  Jason has been really great about including me in weekend plans and introducing me to other people he knows.  The first time Jason and I hung out, we went to a local festival featuring lots of vendors and live music.  Jason was going to invite some of his other friends so I was particularly looking forward to meeting some new people.

Shortly after arriving at the festival, Jason's friend Brittany (also not her name) arrived along with two of her guys friends, Paul and Chris (not their names either).  We all hung out for a while, chatting about nothing and enjoying the music.  Then randomly, Paul asked Brittany how she and Jason knew each other.  Brittany tensed up and said, "We just know each other."  Chris made a joke about them meeting at a strip club or AA; we all laughed and moved.

I didn't give it another thought until much later when Jason and I were waiting in line for food and the others were elsewhere.  Jason brought up the earlier conversation and asked if I had noticed that Brittany didn't give a straight answer.  I said, "Yes, but I wasn't really worried about it."  Jason proceeded to tell me that they met through Match.com, which is totally fine by me.  But then he told me that that was their first in-person meeting and Brittany didn't want to tell her friends that they met online.  

Let me get this straight.  You have arranged to meet a person you met online for a date.  But that person is too embarrassed to acknowledge how you met or that it's a date.  You both bring friends, but don't bother to tell said friends that it's essentially a blind date and no one really knows anyone.  Which is great, but in mid-non-date, you decide to tell me that it is in fact a date?  But I have to pretend that it's not.  And you don't think that this might be a little awkward for me, particularly taking into account that you and I have never interacted socially either?  Really Michael Vick?  Really? 

Pocket Susan Advice: If you're on a tight budget or your weekends are feeling repetitive, consider becoming a local tourist.  Visit your town or the regional Board of Tourism office or website for some great new ideas on things to do around town.  A lot of people live in places with great festivals, parks or museums and never take advantage of them.  Added bonus, those activities are often cheap or free!