Swipe left, swipe right; the pattern of swiping left and right on dating apps slowly continues for me. There’s Bumble, Tinder, Hinge, and Facebook Dating, but I am still afraid I will never find someone. I wish things were different for me, and everyone seems to think it should be easy for me, an introverted girl who spends all of her time reading romance novels to find love.

An introverted, nerdy girl like me is supposed to be meeting guys at places like coffee shops and bookstores, but to no avail; I have yet to meet someone who is into the same things as I am. I never grew up having many friends; I always sat at the back of the class with my head buried in a textbook, but this year, I started my freshman year of college, and I was hoping that I would have at least found a boyfriend by now, but alas I have not.

Starbucks coffee and reading books were all I needed to be happy until I realized recently how lonely I have become and how much being single my entire life has sucked. When all you ever crave is wanting to be in a relationship and finally finding your happily ever after in life, then it’s hard to not lose hope that someday you’ll find love when you least expect it.

I stopped by the local Barnes and Noble to see if I could find the latest Morgan Matson book when suddenly I saw him. He was tall, had floppy brown hair, eyes that were somewhat green or brown – I couldn’t tell from how far away he was standing from me. He turned around and looked in my direction, but like the idiot I am, I grabbed a nearby book off the shelf and pretended that I was reading it so he wouldn’t catch me staring at him.

Suddenly, he walked over to me, so I closed the book because I didn’t want to seem rude if he decided to speak to me. I never could have imagined that there would be another cute introvert of the opposite gender in a bookstore. Most college guys are too busy drinking with their buddies on the weekend, and being in a bookstore would be the last place they would be on a Saturday afternoon. But something told me that this guy was different; he would be the type of guy I’d want to ask me out on a date, but I was also afraid of what would happen if he did, and I said yes.

When you have been manifesting the idea of having a boyfriend for as long as you can remember, you are in shock when you finally end up seeing a guy who might be your type. When we finally begin having a conversation, I am at an utter loss for words, which doesn’t help because instead of telling him what my name is, it comes out in a whisper. My name is Belle, and I was fortunately named after Belle in Beauty and the Beast; maybe that’s why I am such a book nerd. My parents showed me way too many Disney Princess movies while I was growing up, so you might not find this surprising, but I’ve always wanted to find my happily ever after and hopefully a real-life version of Prince Charming.

The guy in the bookstore decided to start talking to me, eventually, I gathered up enough courage to finally tell him my name. Once he heard my name, he smiled the goofiest grin imaginable and said, “Belle like the Disney Princess right?” I smiled and said, “Yes, my parents thought it would be a smart idea to name me after her, and I guess maybe that could have played a factor in why I love reading so much.”

He said to me that his name was William but that all of his friends called him “Bill” because he thought that William was too formal. When I think of the name William, I automatically think of Prince William. However, this guy I just met doesn’t seem as fancy as a prince; he seems like more of a casual guy. Casual, as in the tea-drinking and sweater-wearing type of guy who is often found in bookstores.

So, Bill asked for my number and texted me to ask me out on a date. On our date, we’re supposed to visit a new bookstore that just opened up in town, except it’s not just a bookstore; it also has a little café attached to it. My first date will be full of my favorite things: coffee, books, and quiet conversations I’ll be having with a guy I just met. Our first date is not only an opportunity for us to get to know each other, but it will also give us a chance to enjoy our favorite things.

Maybe since our first date is going to be before Valentine’s Day, that means I won’t have to spend it alone for once. It might be filled with all things romantic, like a candlelight dinner either at a restaurant or back at his apartment, or it might be a casual celebration where we go to a 1950s-inspired diner and eat nothing but burgers, fries, and milkshakes. However, I spend Valentine’s Day this year, I don’t think it will matter because I won’t be single for once.

This was written by our co-founder and editor, Hanna Perry.