Him

Chapter 1

"You'll like him. I really think you two would get along. Just see how it goes." Michelle was always trying to set me up with someone. It's understandable though, I understand how much she cares. She means well but her matches never really work out and that's that.
"You do remember what happened last time you tried to set me up with someone right? Everything went completely downhill so quick." I roll my eyes and sit back against the wall with my legs crossed on the mattress set uncomfortably on the floor.
"Okay last time wasn't the best set up which I will take full blame for but I really think that you and Derrick will work out. Please just give the poor guy a chance." She sounds genuine. She really wants me to talk to him so of course, I cave in and hit the follow button on Instagram. That's all it really takes right? A follow on Instagram and I'll meet the love of my life. Ugh this is so stupid.

A whole five minutes go by as this Derrick guy accepts my follow request and immediately follows back. I shake it off and continue on with what I was doing but then I feel my phone vibrate and see at the top of the screen the little DM notification from the same guy who followed me back.
I panic. I always do. Even if I don't know the guy, I still get butterflies in my stomach. It's just who I am.
I open the DM to just a "hi". Okay sweet and simple. That works. I look over at Michelle who's mesmerized by whatever Instagram video she's watching then back to my phone. Considering I'm socially awkward it takes almost five minutes to reply back.
Then I tell Michelle that her Derrick friend DMed me first. She goes crazy. She's proud of herself and of her friend who apparently is socially awkward as well. I laugh at her reaction then go back to my phone.
My conversation with this Derrick guy continues. We talk and talk until two am when we realize that we're both too tired to think anymore. After finally saying that he should probably get some sleep, we say our goodnights. I stay awake though, thinking about this guy. This guy I just started talking to today but somehow I feel something different with him. I never had anyone make the effort to talk to me for that long. The part of me that wanted to move on from my ex boyfriend was telling me that this time would be different, in a good way.
I'm awoken by Michelle laying down right beside me and whispering my name. After she knows that I'm awake she forces me to watch a video. Considering I'm half awake, I don't find it too amusing but she cracks up laughing anyways and moves back over to her bed. I tap my phone screen to see the time being 7:30 in the morning. Great, I got only five hours of sleep.
Almost an hour later, I finally decide to get up and get ready for our small date before I have to head to work. It takes us a while to make the bold choice of McDonald's.
On our drive over there, Michelle mentions one the two guys she wants to set me up with. Obviously Derrick and some guy Jason. She wants me to meet one of them and considering I talked to Derrick until two in the morning, I choose Jason to meet us over at the fast food restaurant. Jason is a little troubled. He's not the greatest influence and his parents let him do whatever but oh lord is he attractive. So being the good friend she is, Michelle called him and invited him to meet us at McDonald's. As we sit in the McDonald's bench, waiting for Jason to show up, Michelle decides to interrogate me.

"Listen, you've talked to Jason over the phone plenty of times but you've never actually seen him before and let me tell you, he is FINE." She bites her lip and starts nodding her head.

"He may be fine as hell but you do remember that I broke up with my ex barely even two weeks ago right?" I roll my eyes then sit back in the bench.

"Yes. I know Val but listen you need to put yourself out there! You'll never know if you never give it a shot!" She hops a little out of her seat from excitement. She means well, I know she does but I don't think she understands what I'm going through. Everyone was right about my ex boyfriend and I constantly refused to believe that he was a bad person. I continuously told myself that he's changed but once again, I was wrong.