“SWIPE IT!” screamed Allie as she slid right on her phone screen. “Great, now what?” She wondered.
“I shouldn’t have done it. This is pathetic. Ridiculous. Desperate.” All the negative vibes rushed into her head. She looked at her profile she’d made. It was an online dating app called “Let’s slide.” She had attached three of her best-looking pictures on her profile. She thought of calling Tessa, her only friend. But, Tessa was never keen on such topic. Apparently, there was no one she could talk to about this.
It was not until a year ago that Allie stopped seeing people. Allie was 26 when she found out about online dating apps. She was ready to look for someone she’d be interested in. In an hour, she was matched with 7 different men. They were gorgeous. How can men be gorgeous? She would spend much time texting and knowing the person she would eventually meet. Then, there was one guy who stood out. Dan. Dan was 30. He was into medical franchise and travelled many places. He loved hiking, travelling places, meeting new people and cooking. Well, that’s what his profile showed. “Ooh! He’s interesting.” Allie was excited for her date as she agreed to meet Dan for dinner one evening. She started getting ready. She put on her pretty violet cocktail dress with her shimmery black pointy shoes. She straightened her hair and brushed it very slick and shiny. She did her eyes and brows. She put on a red lipstick which went perfectly with everything. Before she left her apartment, she got her important things in her purse and drizzled a bit of her perfume on her neck.
“Are you near?” texted Dan as she made her way into a fancy restaurant. “Hey! I’m here,” said Dan loudly waving his hand. He was wearing a blue cocktail shirt and a pair of trousers. Allie found it attractive. “Hi, Dan. How are you?” The dinner went for hours along with their conversation. They seemed to be getting along well. Allie and Dan had many things in common. They liked cooking, reading and travelling to new places. They talked about their experiences and hobbies. Basically, they were getting to know each other better. He paid for the dinner and asked if she’d like to go to some bar for a drink. Dan was well-groomed, and he was what Allie was looking for. But, it was too early to know about anything. After dinner, they went to a bar where there was a band playing some live shows. Allie was glad that the night was going great, and Dan turned out to be a nice guy. As she held her cocktail and watched the band play, They got closer, and Dan invited her for a dance. Both of them were not good dancers at all, yet they made the best of it. The night was full on laughter, cocktails, music, dancing and smiles. In a while, Dan pulled her close to him, and said “I think we should get out of this place.” He looked at her and smiled. "Wow! It's impossible to say NO to that smile," thought Allie and left the bar with him.
They decided to stay over at Dan’s room at a hotel he was staying temporarily since he was only visiting for work. For Allie, it seemed that the night had just started. For Dan, it didn’t take long to make his move. “You are so beautiful,” whispered Dan as he undressed her slowly kissing her cheeks. Allie remembered the last time she had an intimate moment with a guy. She was 23, and it was not like this at all. Allie was nervous now. But, Dan was gentle. He made her feel like it was her first time. All over again. Allie closed her eyes and kissed him back. “This is the best night,” thought Allie as she buried herself in his arms.
The next morning, Allie woke up in an empty bed. She hasn't noticed the room last night. It was a pretty hotel room with a fireplace and a small working corner. The blinds were barely closed with rays of light falling on the rug. It felt warm. Then, she noticed something weird. She couldn’t see Dan’s stuff. She checked the bathroom, but he wasn’t there. Suddenly, she felt this feeling of emptiness in her stomach. “He left.” At that moment, she found a note on the side table, and it read “Thanks for last night. It was great.” It crushed Allie. It hurt her. She wanted to ask him the reason for him to leave her like last night meant nothing. Like it never happened. But, it did. It was wonderful. They had a great time. Yet, it was only for Allie. She tried calling him, but only to find out that he completely shut her out.
Ever since that night, she stopped expecting. She wasn’t interested in getting to know people better or spend much time knowing them. She started seeing people and stopped responding them after the night together. She was getting comfortable in shutting people out. She moved to a different city for work, and her lifestyle moved to a different level. She wasn’t passionate about her career anymore. She hardly stayed in and cooked. She started spending a lot over drinks and bars. Meeting someone new wasn’t exciting anymore. And, she cared less to dress up and show up. Her conversation lasted for about 10 minutes or so, and she’d suggest to go someplace. After several similar events for a year, Allie couldn’t keep up. Allie knew that this isn’t her. She didn’t like it.
In time, she stopped it completely. She went back to her lifestyle and spent most of her time home. She’d cook and invite her colleagues over for dinner. She realised that she was forcing things to happen. She was trying her best to make something work which clearly won’t.
It’s been a year that Allie stopped such lifestyle. She is 30 now and works at a corporate under management. She’s satisfied with the things she has achieved in her life. She has become a lovely individual who is determined to be kind and helpful to everyone. She wakes up at 5 in the morning every day and relaxes her mind and body doing her daily Yoga session. By 08:45, she’s already at work, clocked in, dressed smartly and ready to give her best at work. Sadly, at the end of the day, she’s alone. She has no one who’d be waiting for her to get home and go out for dinner and parties. Yet, little did she know that things are about to be different.
Allie stood still with her phone in her hands and tried to figure out if she should go on. She checked the time, and she only had 30 minutes to get ready. She hurried to her closet, picked out the first dress she could find, put on her new pair of shoes and made her way to do her eyes. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. “I can’t wait to see you tonight. I’ll be waiting for you.” She felt a rush of heat flowing into her system as she read the text. She couldn’t believe the words. Already, she was regretful and wished she hadn’t swiped right. Yet, she was intrigued. She was curious. “I have to go,” thought Allie and left her apartment to meet him.
Allie was outside the restaurant. Her mind started to overthink the situation, and she was nervous to see him. She could see him through the windows, and he sat there going through the menu. He was wearing a black shirt, and it didn't get her attention a bit. As Allie made her way into the restaurant, he caught a glimpse and looked at her. Their eyes met again. Slowly, he stood up watching at her walk towards him. “Hi, Allie. Thank you for seeing me tonight,” said Dan and hugged her tight. “I’m sorry, and I missed you.”