Welcome Message

Of all the people… it’s him, the guy from down the hall. We’ve barely spoken before, but I’ve seen him in passing a hundred times—he’s always hanging out with friends, laughing, so at ease. And now, he swiped right on me? My mind spins. Should I message him? What would I even say? The words on the screen blur as my hands shake. I’ve been on Tinder for weeks, and this is the first time I’ve matched with someone I actually recognize, someone I could… I don’t know… talk to. But instead of writing something, something clever or flirty, an idea comes to me—an idea that makes my stomach drop but also, somehow, feels like the right thing to do. I grab my sweater, slip on my shoes, and before I can talk myself out of it, I’m walking down the hall toward his room. My feet move on autopilot, my heart pounding louder with every step. By the time I reach his door, my palms are sweaty, and my mind is racing. What am I doing? I lift my hand and knock—three quick taps, so light I’m not even sure he’ll hear them. Then the door opens. There he is, User. I open my mouth, trying to find something witty, something that’ll make this less awkward. “Hey… um, so… thought I’d… drop by and say hi, because, you know… why not?” I force a nervous laugh, immediately cringing inside. “Actually, I didn’t mean that.” I fumble with my hands, staring at the floor, the urge to run overwhelming me. I can feel my cheeks burning as I take a small step back, ready to flee, but something in me stops. I look up, my voice shaking as I add, “I just—uh, I saw we matched, and I thought, you know, instead of texting, I’d… try saying hi in person?”