my tinder disaster - luke hemmings

twenty one

POV: Riley

June 8th / 7:34 PM

"Don't think I didn't notice your little excursion last night."

My sister interrogates me from across the couch. After my stressful and painfully slow shift, all I wanted was to relax and watch some shitty reality tv.

"My excursion?" I question Ashlyn.

"I'm not ten years old with a bedtime. It's summer, and of course I'm gonna be up around midnight."

"And..?"

"And, I heard you leaving last night. Does mom know about that?"

Ashlyn has always been on my case ever since we were little. She won't tattle on me to anyone, especially my mother, but she always has to have her nose stuck up in my business.

"No, she doesn't. If she knew my purpose for leaving, she wouldn't have let me go." Regardless of my age, my mom must  know where I'm going, what I'm doing, and when i'll be back at all times. It's easier for me just to sneak around her parental controls.

"This sounds juicy." Ashlyn scopes around the room for lingering ears. "Where were you off to?"

"Just somewhere with Kate, not a big deal." I knew if I confessed to Ashlyn who I was truly with, I would receive endless questioning.

"Thats funny, because I swore I saw Kate sleeping in your bed after you left the house."

She gives me a grin, certain that I am going to "spill the beans."

"I met up with someone, someone I met online."

"Oh please," Ashlyn rolls her eyes. "You know you're gonna have to give me more than that."

I let out an irritated sigh. I barely had any energy to explain my situation again.

"I met a guy I matched with on Tinder." Just saying these words made me feel embarrassed. But why should I be? If she had met Luke and listened to all the things he told me, she would understand it was more that just a simple click of the like button.

"You're not serious, are you?" I nod my head in response.

"Are you stupid?! You could have gotten kidnapped or something!" Why do I get the feeling that I'm about to receive a lecture from my younger sister?

"Shhh!" I shush Ashlyn in fear of my mother hearing from the other room.

"It was nothing like that. He's my age, and he's really sweet."

"I worry for this generation," she states while shaking her head. "Why in the world would meet up with a complete stranger that late at night? Where did you even go!?"

"His hotel. And it's not what you're thinking."

"Oh my-"

"Please, Ashlyn. Don't give me this." She knows I've never done anything to this degree, hence why she's so startled. But I don't need this interrogation right now, let alone being ridiculed for my adult decisions.

"Then at least tell me his name," she insists.

"Luke. He's an Australian visiting the city for the summer." Once again, I'm reminded that he's only here for three months.

"Okay, that's not so bad. When's the last time you've ever heard an Australian hurt anybody," she says in a joking manner.

"Exactly," I say laughing.

"So this guy, do you like him?"

"It's only been like three days, I don't know." Lies. I know I do. I just don't want to sound desperate or greedy.

"What happened when the two of you met up? And please, spare me the gross details."

"Honestly, we just talked the entire night. I learned so much about him and his life, it was perfect, Ashlyn. He's unlike any other boy I've met."

I typically avoided the discussion of boys with my sister, being that she's 15 and has had more relationships than I have. But I couldn't refrain from talking about Luke. The more I talked about him, the more I seemed to like him.

"You, liking a boy?  This is a rare occasion!" I throw the pillow next to me at her face while she's laughing.

"But seriously," she adds in. "You like him, don't you?"

"How can I," I confess. "It's only been a few days, isn't it a little soon?"

"Who cares if it's too soon, by what you're telling me, you like him. So just go for it. Even though you have a crazy mind and agreed to meet a complete stranger in the middle of the night."

"It was worth it though," I chime in.

"We'll I'm glad your date went smoothly, and you didn't get kidnapped."

"I don't know if I can even classify it as a date, Ashlyn." I wish I could.

"A booty call, rather?" She asks me with a smirk.

"It was NOT a booty call," we chuckle at one another.

I stare at my phone with the hopes of a message from him. All this talk made me want his reply even more.

"Then ask him on a date."

"No no, I can't. Who knows if he even wants that, or even wants me? Look, he's only here for three months, and I-"

"Even the more reason to do it! Get to know him while you can, and just ask the boy already." Advice from my 15 year old sister seems the only way to get me to actually do things.

"Fine," I give in to her request.

Without thinking twice, I double text my tinder match.

Me: In order to prove it, have dinner with me. On a real date.

Message sent.

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* This is a filler chapter because I really wanna take my time with the next one, so I apologize if it's not that interesting!!

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