Hidden

I hid her from my feed. Then I saw her profile on Hinge.

It was a Thursday, 2 AM, and I was doing something I'm not proud of. Scrolling through dating apps to feel less alone, convinced I'd moved on. My thumb stopped on a photo. A girl in a denim jacket, laughing at something off-camera.

Leah.

We dated for a year in college. She was my first proper love, the one I measured everything else against. I broke it off because I wanted to "experience more." That was the actual phrase I used. I want to travel back in time and shake myself.

Her prompts were simple. "Two truths and a lie: I love my job. I hate Mondays. I'm completely over my ex."

Which one was the lie?

I stared at it for ten minutes. Honestly, the question was whether I wanted it to be the last one or not.

I did the most cowardly thing available. I liked her profile.

Instantly, a notification. "It's a match!"

She'd already liked me. Before I even opened the app. Hours earlier. Maybe days.

She'd seen me on there and swiped right, quietly, like a girl leaving a light on.

My heart did something stupid. I typed, "Hey, I think I saw your profile and, well, here we are."

She replied within seconds.

"Honestly? I've been waiting for you to find me."

I'd hidden her from my feed.

She'd never hidden from me.