In the days before swiping, I made a profile on an online dating website.
I was in a six-month rut, coming off a particularly strange relationship where I unintentionally started a love triangle that didn’t end in my favor. (They’re happily married now, congrats.)
Following that relationship ending, I put myself out there emotionally. I made myself vulnerable and wanted nothing more than a *relationship*. Sure, sex would be great, but what I truly longed for was someone to go on dates with, watch movies with, just hang out with.
I had a couple of friends that I thought were cute. The time of crushes, how innocent. The slight nervousness, the uncertainty of what could happen next. Back then, and maybe still now, I thought it was best just to be candid. I told my crushes how I felt, and they didn’t feel the same. The rut continued.
That’s when I made the profile. Everyone on the dating site was someone I knew from high school. I didn’t message a single person—the thought of dating someone I was aware of from high school filled me with dread. I turned off my profile.