Good evening lovelies! Thank you so much for giving this story a shot. I can truly say I'm astounded by the reception my stories have recieved. As I'm writing a few chapters ahead, I've already fallen in love with these characters. I only hope you all do as well. Happy reading!

-SoulfulSongbird

August 2015

I'm still surprised that I didn't graduate. I know I shouldn't be, but I think it's just the natural order of things. Everybody makes mistakes and I'd made mine. Clearly, even in college, waiting until the very last moment to craft a twenty page dissertation was not a good idea. So, instead, I found myself with no degree, no job, and no money.

That was two months ago. I hadn't been able to find work, even though I was out all day, every day looking. I'd moved back with my parents in the middle of bumfuck no where after I couldn't find a job closer to my former school and so far all they had available were jobs flipping burgers at the local fast food.

Even that would of been great though. At the very least, I was hoping to be able to pay for my student loans. Sadly, I was overqualified for all those positions. How exactly one can be overqualified in a way that makes them ineligible for the job I'll never know. Thus, the job search continued in earnest.

After another long day of searching and frustration, I made my way home and went straight to the shower. My mom had probably cooked dinner already if she came home today. Still, she was from the old school, where you ate what was prepared or nothing at all.

Consequently, that meant since I had no money to buy my own food, the most I would eat was a few spoonfuls of vegetables even on days I cooked. It was almost like being a pescatarian was a cardinal sin. There were a few times she would make me fish though, so I probably shouldn't complain.

Moreover, the shower was far more important. I wasn't even about to consider just diving between my sheets tonight if I was covered with a sticky sheen of sweat. I had no desire to spend the night feeling disgusting. Plus, showering had become an essential part of my "me time" now that I wasn't rushing off to activities right and left.

It was during this shower that the thought came to me. Okay, honestly, it occurred weeks ago when boredom struck. But, I put it to bed just as quickly. Now, however, the feeling was sinking in again. I was beginning to feel the pangs of loneliness again and in that moment I resolved to be brave and just do it. Sign up for the stupid profile.

I knew enough about the internet to know, this probably wasn't the best idea. In fact, I was certain it would end in disaster like pretty much every other thing I tried; and believe me I've tried them all. At this stage in my singleness, I'd had dating profiles all over the place.

Most of my dating profiles were for the websites that clearly needed an upgrade. I barely bothered even remembering the passwords to those accounts and why would I? They seemed more like hieroglyphs than passwords anyway. Still, what I was about to do, no one could know about.

I had just gotten out of the shower and I was completely relaxed which seemed like the perfect time to draft my nonverbal sililoquy of awesomeness, if you'd even call it that. Opening up the GraceDate site, I began the process of filing in my attributes and writing my about me section. Finishing up, I scrolled through my computer files looking for a decent picture.

Decent pictures were just about the only kind I had. I know self love is like a big movement now, or whatever, and I fully believe in self love. As a rather averagely attractive woman, I can say with certainty that I love and respect myself. However, my reasons for that love do not have anything to do with such a vain characteristic as beauty.

I had never held an dilusions of my own beauty, for what good would it do?Moreover, I did not think it mattered much what I look like. It did not make me any less worthy of being loved. After all, I was still human, even for a regular looking girl.

After finding a picture I was moderately satisfied with, I reread my profile for good measure and shut down my computer before grabbing the brush on my bedside table. Less than an hour later, I had completed my night routine. But the more sleepy I became, the more my devices kept me awake.

Finally after losing every life on Candy Crush and a exchanging a few texts with Lauren, a friend from college, I put my phone away and went to sleep.

The next morning, I awoke, before daybreak, to the all too familiar chime of my ringtone and 27 notifications among which was a message from GraceDate support and Facebook posts. Rolling over, I released a ragged, frustrated sigh into my pillow before lifting my head and checking the time on my alarm clock.

5:38 am

Oh great! Another banner year. Happy Birthday to me, I thought as I sinked back down into my covers as I willed the day to go away as quickly as possible. At the same time, I began to wonder if it was possible to just lay here and never leave this room again.