Hinge guy

Lockdown #1

We had matched on Hinge a few weeks earlier. Both spectacularly bad at online dating, we had arranged to meet but cancelled out of nerves - we carried on chatting though.

Then lockdown came. We both moved back to our parents places - he was furloughed, I was working from home. We messaged each other all day every day, swapping stories from our lives, relieving each other's worries and sharing funny animal videos. This person who I had only ever communicated with via message, because we were both too awkward and shy to call or video chat, became the person in my world I spoke to about everything.

Then restrictions eased and we had our first socially distanced meeting. We sat on the grass in the sunshine and drank ice cream milkshakes. 

Before we knew it, four hours had flown by.

Lockdown #2

Hinge guy is now my boyfriend. He is currently packing his bags to return to his flat as he is unfurloughed on Monday. 

We have spent the entirety of this lockdown together, with him moving into my flat as I work from home again. I've taught him how to bake and he has introduced me to Star Wars. It's been four weeks of calm, domesticated bliss and I'm so very sad to see him go.

Without lockdown I don't know that we would have got together. Having months of being able to talk to each other and being able to get to know each other as individuals, without the pressure of meeting up or dating, was exactly what we needed. 

I'm a very lucky woman.