my tinder disaster - luke hemmings

twenty four

POV: Luke

June 9th / 8:06 PM

I couldn't help but feel total warmth throughout my body as I walked down the street with her hand in mine. Cheesy, I know. But it was true. 

She looked breathtakingly beautiful. I don't know what it is about her that makes me so captivated just by giving her one glance. 

"I feel bad," she blurts out. 

"Bad? What do you have to feel bad about?" She looked down at her feet as we walked up the block. 

"I should have told you it was a nicer place, seriously, I don't mind going back and changing?" 

She looks so cute when she's flustered. It's adorable that she is this concerned, I honestly don't care how I'm dressed. All that matters is that I'm with her. 

"Riley," I stop us in our tracks, people filtering around us. 

I rest my hand on her chin to force her to look at me. "It's fine, you look beautiful and I don't want you to change." 

I give her a peck on the cheek as we continue our walk. 

*******

As we get closer to the entrance of the restaurant, I make sure I beat Riley to the door. What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't hold the door open?  

"Right this way," I say as I extend my hand through the door. 

"Why thank you, Mr. Hemmings." Her smirk kills me every time. 

The hostess leads us to a corner booth in the back, practically secluded from everyone else here, almost the way I want it to be. 

I could feel my palms begin to sweat already, I was more nervous than ever. Simply because she looked so beautiful that I was confused how I could land a girl like this. But more importantly, Mikey's words kept replaying in my head. 

I need to tell her about Maya, before this thing we having going on between one another gets anymore involved. 

I pull back the chair as Riley begins to sit down. 

"Why thank you again," she says with a quiet laugh. 

"It's my pleasure," I smile back. 

I watch her steadily as she studies her menu, confused as what to do next. I can't just come out and drop the M-Bomb on her. I need to stop overthinking this, I'm on this date because of Riley. I want to get to know her, and that's what I'm here to do. 

"So tell me," I say as she looks up from her menu. 

"Am I what you expected?" 

Why would that be the first thing I ask of all things to say? She's going to think I'm some pertinacious d*ck head. 

"Honestly?" She questions. 

"Lay it on me." 

"Truthfully, no. I'm not usually one to meet my Tinder matches, and I was very hesitant to meet you. I expected you to be more of an asshole, honestly." We start to laugh in unison. 

"We'll I'm glad I wasn't as much of an asshole as you thought I was gonna be." She rests her hand on mine for a second or two. 

"Me too," she says as she lets out another giggle. 

The waitress interrupts my next thought as she asks to take our order. I let Riley order first, asking for the fettuccini alfredo. As for me, I order the same thing in hopes to make things less complicated. More truthfully to get the waitress to leave faster so I continue our conversation. 

The next hour consists of Riley talking and me listening. Every word she says is more interesting than the next. We went from discussing our most memorable concert memories to our insecurities. Its unusual for me to talk this deep with a tinder match, or any girl for that matter in person. 

"Do you mind me asking about your dad," she says while twirling her straw around her water. 

"No, go ahead. What would you like to know?" 

"He really won't let you study writing? I know that's what you really want to do. Why don't you just study it anyways? I know we touched on this when we first started talking." 

"It's easier said than done," I confess. "I've tried convincing him to let me, but he always reminds me that its 'useless'." 

"Useless? How could studying literature be useless?" Her eyes seem lost in mine. 

"My dad tends to respond by saying that you can't make an income on a pile of words. It' s beyond me." 

As I look up at Riley, I could see the concern in her face as if someone had really cared for me and what i'm truly passionate about. 

"I'm sorry Luke, you shouldn't have to put your talent on hold for someone else." 

That wasn't even the worst of my concerns at this point. It had been over an hour and I have avoided the weight thats been sitting on my shoulders. Instead of telling Riley the truth, I'm sitting her talking about my dad. 

I continue to look at my empty dish of food, unsure of which direction to take this conversation. 

"Luke?" I look up to see Riley even more concerned than a few seconds ago. 

"Are you alright?" 

No, I'm not alright. It's unfair to get to know Riley when I don't truly let her get to know me. 

Dammit. I wan't a relationship with this girl. 

I've admitted it to myself. I want Riley. And I can't continue this if I'm essentially lying to her. Mikey is right, I need to tell her sooner rather than later. 

I look up to see Riley's hand placed on mine. 

I need to tell her about my son. 

______________________________________________________________

SURPRISE!!!!

I'm so sorry this chapter is so shitty, but, I'M BACK! I finally found the time to write this chapter because so many of you were commenting for me to update, so HERE U R. THE BOMB HAS BEEN DROPPED. but that's not even half of it. 

I missed you guys, and I'm ready to write more!

****I WILL BE UPDATING ALL OVER CHRISTMAS BREAK, SO LOOK OUT****

Please don't forget to like, comment, and vote!!! ily <3