Autumn

47: How Tinder went

Theodore was actually looking forward to his first Tinder date. He had been talking to Ebony for a week of before they decided to hang out. He wasn't sure if it was too early or not, but he was excited regardless. They decided to get sushi for lunch and wander around the city afterwards.

He knew Ebony was pretty from her pictures, but she was even more stunning in person. Her hair was the kind of silver you only saw in video games, and it tumbled down in long waves. She looked almost ethereal. Peeking behind her hair was a pair of earrings that dangled and attached to the bottom of them were little white pom poms. He couldn't stop staring at them.

"So, have you always lived here?" Ebony asked. She was an absolute goddess at using her chopsticks. She easily picked up a grilled salmon nigiri and popped it into her mouth.

Theodore had experience using chopsticks since he often used them when he had takeout with Helen. However, his nerves had gotten the better of him and he was a fumbling mess. It was as if his eating utensils were slathered in oil and he could not pick up a single bit of his food.

"Born and raised," he answered. "And you?"

"I was born here. But my mum is Dutch so I moved to the Netherlands when I was six months old. Then we moved back here when I turned thirteen. You were probably curious about my accent. Most people ask right off the bat."

Theodore smiled sheepishly. "It did have me wondering. Do you visit the Netherlands often?"

"Actually, I would like to move back and go to university there. I do miss it, especially the cold weather. I love to ice skate."

"I've never been ice skating. I am a bit too uncoordinated for most things in life so I'm somewhat useless doing things that actually require balance."

Ebony laughed and it was a loud, hearty sound, filled with joy and happiness. Theodore was surprised for a moment, but then it made him smile.

"You're funny, Theo."

His lips twitched slightly, causing the corner of his mouth to droop. Theodore focused his gaze on an upcoming plate of baby tuna rolls and picked it up from the rotating belt of sushi. The nickname made him feel incomplete somehow.

"What's your favourite animal?" she asked. He wondered if she sensed his discomfort or if she just wanted to change the topic of conversation.

"Is it too boring if I say dogs? Though, I feel like I am not a proper dog lover because I've never really had one as a pet before."

Technically, there was a dog present in Theodore's home when he was a child, but it was his father's. Her name was Piper and she was the sweetest black Labrador. Unfortunately though, Theodore's father took her when he abandoned them.

"Your favourite animal can still be something you haven't owned as a pet before. I mean, giraffes are some people's favourite animal, but they've never owned one. Some haven't even seen them in person."

"That's a valid point. In that case, I also really like penguins."

"Penguins really are pure animals. However, my favourite animals are definitely rabbits."

Theodore's lips arched upward. "Why rabbits?"

Ebony stacked her empty plate on top of the others and placed her chopsticks down. There was a brightness in her eyes. "Well, first of all, they're absolutely adorable! Second of all, it was one of the first pets I ever received as a child. My brother came home and surprised me with one and I named her Stella."

"That's actually really wholesome."

"It was initially a compromise. I was really obsessed with hamsters, but my mum thought they resembled mice too much and she hates those creatures." Ebony let out a little laugh. "But it turned out to be great, because it is how I developed my love for rabbits."

As the afternoon continued, the pair talked about their interests and fond memories, sharing some laughter along the way. Once lunch was done, they walked around the city and got smoothies. They discovered they both had a love for banana-flavoured drinks so Theodore bought them together. He was enjoying himself, so he was slightly disappointed when the date came to a close and he walked her back to her car.

"Well, I had a great time, Theo," Ebony said as she pulled her keys from her bag. Attached to it was a very large pom pom, similar to her earrings, only ten times the size. It was pink and fluffy and resembled a bunny tail.

"I did too," he said.

Then came a few seconds of silence, but it felt like a lifetime and a half. The two of them stood in front of each other. Ebony was taller than he was, especially with her platform sandals. Theodore shuffled slightly. What was good end-date etiquette? Was she expecting him to do something? Should they hug? Kiss? Finger guns with a casual, 'Catch you later'?

Before Theodore could even process a game plan, he was learning in. But as he was doing so, Ebony was looking down to unlock her car. Their heads collided. Ebony drew back and her hand instinctively went to her forehead. Theodore instantly drew back and apologised profusely. But then she laughed and before Theodore could say another sorry, she kissed the corner of his lips. A soft one. A sweet one.

"I hope you have a good rest of the night," she said softly. "I will talk to you later, okay?"

Theodore was in shambles so all he could do was nod. Then he watched as she got into her car and drove away.

He liked Ebony and he liked the idea of seeing her again, which is why he was extremely disappointed when she did not talk to him later. He didn't want to invade her personal space, so he let her be for a few days. But when Saturday night rolled around and work hadn't rostered him on, he decided to text Ebony to see if she would be down to see a movie.

She never replied. Theodore's heart dropped a little, but he was okay. He didn't quite understand why she didn't text him back, even if it was just to decline or say she wasn't interested. But he also couldn't blame her. He didn't expect explanations, especially from someone he had gone on one date with. They probably just weren't as compatible as he had thought, which was completely fine.

But since his first Tinder date experience wasn't a complete flop, he was slightly hopeful he would meet someone else. So the dating continued.