I sat staring at my laptop screen, before typing in the letters, "Shemtra", into the search bar. My fingers drummed on the edge of the keyboard as I waited for my laptop to load. My mouse made a click as I did on the laptop screen and the homepage to "Shemtra" popped up.
The classic colours of baby blue and pastel yellow appeared at the top of the screen, while the logo, a bouquet of flowers (the same colours as the top of the screen) and two bumble bees meeting above them, loaded next to it.
I pressed start chat immediately, after checking behind me to make sure neither one of my parents had quietly came into the room to see what I was doing.
My parents, like every other didn't approve of any online site that enabled me to talk to strangers. I'm not stupid, I'm not going to give my address and phone number to the first person who asks for it.
After about five porn offers and three different girls offering me nudes, I finally met another "decent" person on the site. At least, someone who wasn't offering me the chance to fill my "sexual desires".
I typed, making the first move.
You: Hi.
Anonymous: Hi.
You: M or f?
Anonymous: M. You?
You: F.
You: Age?
Anonymous: 19.
Okay. I'm either talking to a 19 year old boy or a potential paedophile.
A message popped up on my screen.
Anonymous: Wau?
To catfish, or not to catfish, that is the question. I looked at the screen again, puzzled. Would it be rude to catfish someone? But would it even matter if it was rude, if there was a 50% chance that the person on the other screen could be doing the same thing to me? In the end, I ignored my parents first warning. Never tell strangers your age.
You: 17, going 18.
Did age really matter? What could a stranger do with an age? There's about a billion other kids out there who are the same age. It could be any one of them. Anonymous answered almost immediately this time.
Anonymous: Cool.
Anonymous: What you doing at the moment?
You: Just lying in bed. You?
Anonymous: Same as you.
Anonymous: Great minds think alike.
You: Country?
Anonymous: England.
You: Same.
England. Interesting. Most people I've met before hand on "Shemtra" were from America.
You: So what do you do for fun?
Major question. Not to some people, but to me. This would give me a basic idea on what sort of personality I'm dealing with. The horny would usually read it in horny context and answer using an intricate description of what they like to "do". I know from experience.
My finger hovered over the "Esc" button on my keyboard waiting for a supposed explicit response.
Anonymous: Go out with friends I guess. Well, at least I would if I had any.
Honestly, same. My finger instantly moved away from the "Esc" button.
Anonymous: I'm joking by the way, I do have friends. I have a ton of friends. Please don't leave.
That made me smile.
You: I believe you and no I would never leave you. ;)
You: Do you have any idea what you want to do in the future?
Anonymous: I want to join the army or navy.
You: Cool.
Anonymous: What about you, sunshine? Got any plans for the future?
I smiled again, at the nickname.
You: Honestly, no clue.
Anonymous: That's alright. There's plenty of time, sunshine.
Anonymous: Hey, sunshine! Did you see that, my last message rhymed at the end?
You: Hahaha.
You: What job do you have at the moment?
Anonymous: I work at the boat rides on the Thames for the ******** company.
You: So you live in London?
Anonymous: Nah, I live in ****.
You: Well, one day you'll have to give me a boat ride.
Anonymous: I'd love to, sunshine.
I quickly looked up how far away the boat ride company was from where I lived, flicking back between the website pages, checking Anonymous hadn't sent me any other messages.
You: I'm three hours away from you!
You: That better be the best damn boat ride I've ever had if I'm travelling that far!
Anonymous: I'll try my best, sunshine.
You: Well, with you on board, I'll have good company at the least.
Anonymous: ;)
I tapped on the edge of the keyboard again, trying to think of something else to say.
You: Single?
Typing it felt so wrong. No way, in real life, I would ever straight up ask someone if they were single. It's such an embarrassing moment of waiting. I was suddenly thankful that there was a screen in front of me, preventing Anonymous from seeing a splash of crimson creep over the bridge of my nose.
Anonymous: Yep. You?
You: Yeah.
Anonymous: Cool.
You: Wait. How are you single? You've got the most adorable personality.
Anonymous: That's what I've been wondering, sunshine. But really, you're giving me way too much credit.
You: ;)
You: Have you gone out with many girls?
Anonymous: Only two. But the first one cheated on me and the second moved away.
Anonymous: What about you, sunshine? Tell me about your previous love life.
You: I've only had one boyfriend and that was ages ago.
"Ages ago" was an understatement. We had gone out in year one and ended it after several months. In my defence we did get "married". It was a serious relationship between two six year olds.
You: Have you done it yet?
I cringed again. Why did I even ask that?
Anonymous: Nah, was going to with my first girlfriend but she cheated on me.
Anonymous: But I have done other stuff. ;)
I ignored his last comment. I don't want to talk about sex. My mind is too innocent for this.
You: I hate cheaters. I'd rather they break up with the person, than go behind their back.
You: There's literally no gain in it.
Anonymous: Exactly. It was why I was so weary with my second girlfriend and didn't want to have a long distance relationship, in case she cheated on me too.
You: Well if she did cheat on you it would only be her loss. You sound like such a sweet guy.
Anonymous: Thanks, sunshine. ;)
You: Got any plans for today?
Anonymous: Not really, sunshine.
Anonymous: Maybe if you lived a bit closer I could've taken you out...
Anonymous: ;)
You: Well I would've had to decline, anyway.
You: Going out with the girls tonight!
Anonymous: Alcohol?
You: Wouldn't be a party without it!
Anonymous: Boys?
You: Nope. Just a girls night out.
Anonymous: Thank god! I don't like competition.
You: Haha, very funny.
You: Lucky you, there are no boys in the queue to the "be my boyfriend" rollercoaster.
Anonymous: Does that mean I get the first ride?
You: Very smooth.
Anonymous: Hahaha.
Anonymous: I should hope so, sunshine. Took me ages to come up with that one.
You: ;)
You: Kinda interested in what you think I look like...
Anonymous: Ummmm...
Anonymous: Blonde hair, green eyes? 5,1?
You: You couldn't be more off. Hahaha.
Anonymous: Enlighten me, sunshine.
You: Black hair, brown eyes. 5,5.
Anonymous: I was close. Sorta.
You: Sure.
Anonymous: Was that sarcasm, I detected, sunshine?
You: Maybe... ;)
Anonymous: Now what do you think I look like?
You: Brown hair, brown eyes, adorable smile, 6,1?
You: Now tell me how wrong I am...
Anonymous: No way.
You: What?
Anonymous: How in hell did you manage to get that all right?!
You: You're joking?!
You: I actually guessed right.
Anonymous: You sure did, sunshine.
Anonymous: Although you missed big dick.
You: Really?
Anonymous: I'm just messing with ya, sunshine.
Anonymous: You'll have to find that information out for yourself. ;)
I felt my cheeks go red at his comment.
You: Well you'll have to convince me to first...
Anonymous: I won't have too much trouble with that. Hahaha.
You: Glasses?
Anonymous: Nope. You?
You: Only for reading.
Anonymous: Cute.
You: It doesn't feel like we've been talking for over an hour does it?
Anonymous: Really? It feels like only a few minutes.
Anonymous: Well time flies by when you're having fun...
You: Hahaha. Too true.
Anonymous : So do you have a preference when it comes to guys?
You: I would like a boy preferably taller than me, funny, cute smile, and someone who hangs toilet paper over not under.
You: What about you, any preferences?
Cringe, cringe, cringe, cringe, cringe. I wanted to slap myself round the face at this moment.
Anonymous: Well, you won't believe this but... I would like a girl, preferably shorter than me, funny and a cute smile.
You: What a coincidence?
Anonymous: Oh and I also only hang toilet paper over.
You: A real coincidence indeed.
Anonymous: Hahaha. I know right?
Anonymous: I'm starting to think that this is the start of the greatest love story of the century...
You: What? Girl meets boy who only hangs toilet paper over. She immediately falls in love.
Anonymous: Sounds like a best seller to me, sunshine.
Anonymous: Although I'll have to require your presence for the happy ending. ;)
Anonymous: You know the one where we have a shit ton of sex.
You: Haha. Very funny virgin boy.
Anonymous: You're breaking my heart with the names, sunshine.
You: I'm sure I am.
You: Or there could be a plot twist... you find out you're gay and I find another guy on Shemtra to marry and have sex with. ;)
Anonymous: I'm not gay. How would I fall in love with you at the end of our amazing love story is I was gay, sunshine?
You: You'd probably find a way.
Anonymous: I probably would, I'm not letting such a nice girl get away so easily.
You: Okay, now you're exaggerating.
Anonymous: No, I'm not. You're just being modest.
Anonymous: But I really do like you and think you're such a nice girl, sunshine.
You: And how many other girls have you called sunshine on this site?
Anonymous:Zero, zilch, nada.
Anonymous: Well a part from you, sunshine.
Anonymous: I only give it to the girls I think have the potential to be my girlfriend.
Anonymous: I'm joking, by the way. I only give it to girls I get a good vibe from. And so far only you have achieved that.
You: Aw. Thanks.
You: I'm so sorry, but I'm gonna have to end this chat, real soon. I need to get ready to go out.
Anonymous: Oh don't go, sunshine. We were just scraping the surface here.
Anonymous: Do you have snap or anything?
You: No sorry. I'm a very antisocial person.
Anonymous: That's fine, sunshine. ;)
Anonymous: You're number?
You: As much as I like you, I don't think I trust you with my number.
Anonymous: I'm offended, sunshine. Why not?
You: You haven't passed my "he'snotapedophileorstalker" test.
Anonymous: Really?
You: Yep, sorry virgin boy!
Anonymous: Do I get to know your name before I go?
There's the question again. To catfish, or not to catfish, that is the question. Some of my parents' words must have some how rubbed off on me because I decided to save my real name and give him the name that my parents were going to give me, but changed at the last minute.
You: Ella.
Anonymous: Beautiful name for a beautiful girl!
You: Xx.
You: Am I allowed to be blessed with the presence of your name before you go?
Anonymous: You may... it's Nathan.
You: Aw. You've got such an adorable name!
Anonymous: Thanks, sunshine. ;)
Anonymous: My parents didn't do a bad job did they?
You: Haha. No, not at all!
Anonymous: You know you leaving is killing the greatest love story of the century?
You: Well, I'll make it up one day.
You: You could give me a ride on the Thames?
Anonymous: I would love that!
You: Goodbye Nathan.
Anonymous: Bye sunshine.
I looked at my screen sadly. I moved my mouse to the bottom left hand corner and clicked. The words "chat ended" flashed at the bottom of the screen, next to the "start new chat" button. I closed my laptop.
I wouldn't even have cared if Nathan was a catfish. He made me smile genuinely and it was something I had been deprived from for a while. Until him, of course...
a/n: This short story is based on true events (meaning that some parts to this story are very real and others are completely made up. I'll leave you to decide which is which...
"Shemtra" is not a real website. It isn't even a real word. I made the word and the website up so can you not have a go at me because you can't find the website. I was actually going to use a real website, but to ensure that I didn't have a copyright lawsuit on my hands, I decided against it.
Another thing, when talking online please try to use as little personal information as possible, the best thing to do is not talk about it at all. Don't mind my girl. She's not the smartest... Anyway no sharing personal information, I don't want any of my lovely readers getting stalked!