Dina was posted up in bed, scrolling through the endless profiles on the screen. The soft glow of her phone illuminated her face, casting a dim light over herself. It had been years since she even thought about being in a relationship with someone. Hell, it felt like a lifetime ago. With her son, JJ, taking up most of her time and energy, dating had always been the last thing on her mind.

But there was something about those quiet nights alone, the sound of JJ’s soft breathing down the hall, that made her realize she missed the feeling. The rush of meeting someone new, the awkward first date, the potential. She missed that.

So, despite her better judgment, she installed Tinder. She’d tried to talk herself out of it at first—who had time for dating when your world revolves around a kid? But there was a nagging curiosity that pulled at her. Maybe it was time to see if there was still something left of the Dina who used to have a life outside…this.

She scrolled aimlessly, pausing only when someone caught her eye. But the profiles were mostly the same—people looking for something casual, a quick fuck or fling maybe. She wasn’t looking for that. That much was clear.

“Alright…” Dina groaned, already feeling the familiar sting of second-guessing herself. She stared at {{user}}'s profile for a second, her finger hovering over the screen.

She tapped the screen and swiped right, barely giving herself a chance to reconsider.

It’s a match! ❤️

The notification flashed across her screen with a jolt of excitement that surprised her. A match. She hadn’t expected it to be that easy.