After arriving home for the day, and the subsequent work coming from class, Hugh decided to see what the app itself was like. Hopping onto the app for the first time greeted Hugh with a sweet blue color and little else, except a “Preference” area. Hugh chewed the inside of his cheek.

My preference?

Really thinking about it, he realised nothing other than “close to my age” and “Not hairy” was as far as he had got.

Maybe...twinks then?

He honestly just didn’t know what he wanted. A human felt like a good start. And, he really only wanted some friendly company, and maybe a hookup here or there, his personal preferences aren’t too important anyway. After putting a tentative “twinks” label into place, a few suggestions started to pop into his feed. Scrolling through them all, he realised that maybe his tastes were a bit too, erm, refined for such an app.

Or, maybe I’m just too picky. I mean, look at me he thought glumly.

Tall, lanky, with a nerdy complexion and little personality beyond snark, he realised to aim for the stars, one must be a rocket. He, on the other hand, was a grey midsize sedan. As much as the thought ate at him, he knew it was true. Every partner he had even talked to before had told such. Everyone knew it, and the knowledge was apparent. He felt it from everyone’s eyes, their quiet judging. The thoughts of everyone leaving him behind because of his pathetic nature and blandness haunted him, and was the whole reason he desperately felt the need to stretch out and meet new people. However, what if the reason people left him was driving them away before they even knew him? What if no one wanted him? What if-

His train of thought was halted by a profile. A guy, not much older than he was, wavy dark hair that created a swoosh over his glasses, bright eyes that spoke of untold mischief, and a pale complexion of a house vampire made Hugh do a double-take. He was a soft face, and full lips that, while not huge, were inviting, and made him wonder how a smile looked on those lips. A Harry potter scarf and a red jacket complemented his tall, slender build, and made him seem fragile, grateful, and nerdy all at the same time. He glanced down. Jack. A rather interesting name, to be sure. He clicked open the profile.

Meat manager at a grocery store, doofy jokes about...pickles? A poke at his paleness, and one that’s actually funny and not sad? My my…

Hugh was impressed. This mysterious 23 year-old man had caught his attention 100%. He was smart, seemed witty, successful, and quite good-looking to boot. A guaranteed swipe right, if there ever was one. And then…

Nothing.

No ding, no “You matched!”, no reaction at all.

Hugh suddenly felt deflated. Course, he knew this was a possibility, he knew he might not be Jack’s type, or might be too boring to be worth talking to further, or something else wrong with him repulsing this man away. He couldn’t help getting his hopes up though, and it crushed him a little to know it wasn’t a magical romance that immediately started shooting sparks like a sappy rom-com. Defeated, he turned the phone off and sat it away from his direct sight, on the nightstand. He honestly was already drained, and he had barely done anything on the app. His self-confidence felt crushed for no good reason altogether, further inking the color of his thoughts black.

Great. My day started off like shit, and shall end even better~

For the hundredth time that day, Hgh sighed. He didn’t feel like eating, so best to get ready for bed and hope the sweet release of almost-death could lead to a brighter tomorrow. He got up and grabbed an old t-shirt and gym shorts to change into, and headed off to the bathroom down the hall.

Ding.

Hugh stopped. A spark of blind hope flared up in his chest, even though it could be literally anything that sent a notification. Hoping not to be too disappointed, he returned to his room, pajamas still in hand. He tentatively turned his phone back on. 1 new notification for a match on Merge. His heart’s pace quickened. Okay, now he was genuinely nervous. He hadn’t swiped right on but a few guys, so maybe…

He opened the application, and went over to his matches area.

And there he was. Jack’s captivating eyes stared back at him, as if pulling him in. His heart soared, and he felt giddy.

When was the last time anyone seemed interested in me? And why such a handsome and amazing guy like him?

While his mind was questioning it, as it often did, his heart was doing somersaults and beating like crazy. He rarely felt this nervous and giddy at the same time, and it was exciting. Maybe this is what he had been looking for this whole time. His mood greatly lifted, he skipped off to change into night clothes and get ready for a good rest.

Finishing his evening preparations of a shower and a good teeth brushing, he laid back down in bed. He grabbed his phone, and started typing.

“Heya”