A Match for Sophia

Dating Aria

- 1 -

A Match For Sophia

Wednesday thru Thursday night

It was hard not to roll my eyes at the cliche "love finds you when you least expect it" as I swiped through endless profiles on the dating app. You see, I reluctantly joined the online dating scene at the urging of my friends. Initially, it seemed like a boredom buster during quarantine. But despite my tireless swiping, I had zero luck. My matches were either not my type or only looking for hookups. After a messy divorce a decade ago, I was content being single and had built a successful career, traveled the world, and had a great group of friends. But after coming out as a lesbian, finding love became more challenging as my outlook on love and relationships changed.

Little did I know that that same cliche would soon become my reality when I stumbled upon the profile of a stunning young woman named Aria. There I was, swiping right on this girl's profile who with her dark hair, trendy style, and resemblance to pop singer Olivia Rodrigo, looked more like a rising star versus a dating app match. I was intrigued and couldn't resist sending a witty message, eager to uncover the truth about this unexpected match.

The mystery of her age lingered - was she really 68 as posted, or was she too young to be true? And why would she swipe right on me, a woman old enough to be her mother? I was determined to find out. Her prompt reply to my message, as if she was just waiting for us to match, only fueled my curiosity. "Enter the maze of digital romance," I mused to myself.

My attempts to discover her real age were met with evasive responses. Despite her elusive nature, we found common ground in other topics. Aria opened up to me about her aspirations, and I impressed her with my own story of being a successful business owner. Time flew by as we continued to chat and connect on a more serious level.

Our conversation was refreshingly non-sexual, and when we did discuss our love lives, I admitted that my career had always come first. But when she casually mentioned her high school, I was shocked. "Wait, you're still in high school?!" I wrote, feeling a mix of surprise and inadequacy. But after a string of crying emojis, she quickly reassured me that age is just a number and she was unlike those other girls. Not that I knew of those other girls she was referring to! Nevertheless, I was having a great time getting to know Aria through our chat and decided to ask her out. YOLO, right?

"OMG yasssssss!" Aria exclaimed. "Tomorrow at Starbucks!" she suggested. I was still trying to look on my calendar to find a good date and time in the upcoming weeks, but she was already planning for the next day. "You girls really move fast these days," I teased.

The next afternoon, I nervously approached Starbucks, excitement building at the thought of finally meeting Aria in person. As soon as she spotted me and said hello, I felt her youthful energy which was undeniable. I couldn't resist half-jokingly asking her to show me her ID to confirm she was 18. Thankfully she was and with that out of the way, we could finally relax and enjoy our date.

"I couldn't wait to finally meet you, Aria," I said, admiring her beauty. "You're even more beautiful in person."

She blushed, "You're not too bad yourself."

As we walked into Starbucks, I immediately realize my mistake in choosing this location. The barista, who knew me as a regular, greeted me by first name and asked what my "daughter" would like to order. Aria gave me an awkward look while I tried to clarify that "she's not my daughter, but she does love a good Pumpkin Spice Latte, right?"

Her face lit up as she nodded in agreement, impressed that I had remembered her favorite drink from our chats. It was a small gesture, but it made her feel special and made me a rockstar in her eyes. As we sat down at a cozy corner of the Starbucks, we laughed about the barista's mistake, acknowledging that we better get used to that with our age difference. Not that I thought we looked alike but it would be the first natural assumption when seeing us both together.

Aria looked effortlessly cool in her ripped blue jeans, white kicks, and a loose-fitting white crop top, accessorized with an armful of bracelets and a charm necklace. I was impressed with her bold fashion choices, particularly the decision to go braless. I, on the other hand, was dressed in a beige bodycon sleeveless mini dress that accentuated my assets, and I couldn't help but notice Aria's gaze lingering on my ample bust. She clearly was a boob girl. "I think this age difference might just work out for us," I said with a grin, feeling flattered by Aria's adoration.

Then Aria shared her remorse for lying about her age on her dating profile. "I'm sorry," her voice barely above a whisper. "I was only seventeen when I created the profile, and I never thought I'd actually meet someone through the app, but here we are." The irony of the situation made me laugh. I couldn't help but think--we would have never crossed paths without this age mix-up!

As we sat and enjoyed our drinks, I asked Aria what the latest trends among teenagers were. It had been a long time since I was in the know with my daughter pushing thirty. Without hesitation, she held up her phone and declared that it was the most popular trend. I was in full agreement, reminiscing about a time when phones weren't a constant presence in our lives. From streaming music to following their favorite celebrities, phones have become a vital part of how teens interact with the world around them. Aria then filled me in on the latest fashion trends and grabbed my phone to download TikTok so I could check out her content.

Then it was confession time. "I've been crushing on older women for a while, but I've never acted on it," Aria admitted as she kept scrolling through the photos on my phone. "But you, you're my celebrity crush come to life," she said with a grin, revealing that my resemblance to Sofia Vergara was the reason she swiped right on me. "Well, I don't know about that. We do both have Colombian roots and the same name," I replied regarding her comparison. Aria mentioned that her mom was Nicaraguan and her dad was American, although she didn't elaborate much beyond that.

I listened attentively as she shared her thoughts. She captivated me with her youthful energy and naive ambition. Equally enthralled, she was fascinated by my stories of running a business. We were drawn to each other, and I wondered where this sudden connection would lead. She couldn't resist casting hungry glances my way, and I eagerly awaited her next move. Unfortunately, our surroundings in a crowded coffee shop made it difficult for any of us to act on her impulses. Perhaps for the best!

As I sipped up my latte and tuned into Aria's animated chatter, I felt a sweet thrill of excitement and curiosity. I had initially been hesitant about this date, expecting it to be just another disappointment in my dating history. But as the minutes ticked by and Aria's energy and ambition captivated me, I realized that this was turning out to be one of the most entertaining and enlightening dates I had been on in a long time. I had to google a few of the words she used, but it was worth it to see the look of delight on her face as she taught me the meaning of "cheugy" and "no cap."

"So do you believe in fairy tales?" I asked Aria, just as a different barista approached to ask if they could take "me and my daughter's" finished drinks away. Aria snapped back, "Nope! She's not my mom. She's my date!" and angrily crossed her arms. As the barista sheepishly walked away from the triggered teen, Aria quipped, "Guess he thought I was your mid-life crisis instead of your mid-life blessing."

As 7 PM approached, I realized it was time to end our date. Not only was my parking about to run out, but I needed to head home and recharge. I smiled at Aria, expressing how much I enjoyed our time together and hoping to repeat it soon. Aria's face fell as she mentioned having to call an Uber, and I could sense her disappointment, feeling guilty for not being able to extend the date.

"Want a ride home?" I asked, seeing an opportunity.

"Yeah, that would be great. My mom was supposed to pick me up but she's running late," Aria replied with a pout.

"No problem. This way your mom won't think I kidnapped you," I said with a smile. "Plus, we can see how we do outside of the coffee shop."

Aria's face brightened. "Really? That would be amazing," she exclaimed.

"My car's just over here," I said as we walked towards it. "You should probably let your mom know I'm taking you home," I added with a nudge to her arm.

"But then I'd have to tell her I'm out on a date with my celebrity crush's doppelganger" Aria laughed, hinting at a secret.

"Impressive vocabulary, Aria," I jokingly said, pretending to be shocked.

"I know more than you think, babe," Aria replied, giving me a flirtatious wink and smile.

The teen was impressed by my car, asking questions about its make, model, color, and accessories. I answered her proudly, glad for someone to appreciate the time I put into researching before buying it.

"Now let's see where this ride takes us," I suggested. Aria responded by asking if we could go to my salon. I excitedly agreed, saying "Of course! It's on the way actually. I'll give you the grand tour when we get there."

When we arrived at the salon, I slide the key and turned on the lights to give her a tour of the modern-looking space with all the latest equipment. The girl sure knew how to ask questions. She asked about everything, including cutting and coloring techniques, but I confessed my ignorance as I'm the salon owner, not the stylist.

"Oh my gosh, this salon is stunning!" Aria gushed, her eyes shining with joy.

"It's definitely taken a lot of effort, but every moment has been worth it," I said, beaming at her excitement.

"I never imagined I could be so into someone, but here I am, head over heels!" she giggled, blushing adorably.

"Age is just a number, right?" I said with a playful wink, feeling my heart skip a beat.

"Absolutely!" Aria squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. "I can't wait to see where this goes!"

Well for now, it has to go home. As I drove her back home, the teenager enjoyed listening to all the different satellite radio stations, eventually settling on Pop Hits 1, where a song by...you guessed it...Olivia Rodrigo was playing. "This is my jam!" she exclaimed excitedly. I wanted to tell her that I thought she was a doppelganger of the singer but didn't want her to think I was saying it just because she had a celebrity look alike for me too. Time passed quickly as we drove through busy streets until we reached her building, and I realized our night was coming to an end, leaving me with a mix of sadness and happiness.

We had just arrived outside her building. The attraction between us was electric. I was lost for words, when she suddenly sprang forward like a cheetah and kissed me. We kissed passionately to Ariana Grande's "Safety Net," completely absorbed in the moment. Were we falling with no safety net? Even a loud car horn from behind could not break our trance. My heart pounded like I had been running a race. It was only when the second honk went off that we remembered we were parked, and the world around us was still moving.

We lingered close to one another as we locked eyes, aware that we wanted more. But it would have to wait. Aria then playfully stuck her tongue out at me and made a peace sign with her hand, winking with a hint of mischief. "I'll text you," she said before exiting the car. I watched her walk into the complex, her energy and enthusiasm captivating me.

As I drove home, my mind was full of thoughts about what could happen in the future. Our date had been very successful, but I was worried. I wondered if there would be another chance to see her, but then quickly realized the impropriety of dating someone so much younger. Right? I mean, it felt right though. She was eighteen, after all, and could make her own choices. I remained unsure and worried all evening. Her words about her "maturity" echoed in my mind.

As I tried to relax at home with a glass of wine, my thoughts kept drifting back to the highlights of our date. But as the night wore on and I hadn't heard from Aria, I began to feel a bit anxious. I decided to reach out and send a text. As I was taking off my face and preparing for bed, my phone lit up with a video call from Aria. Although I was caught off guard and half-undressed, the moment I saw her face on the screen, all my worries vanished.

"Eek, I'm so sorry I didn't text you sooner! I had tons of homework. But I'm so happy you reached out to me. Today was amazing and I just can't stop thinking about it," Aria said, her cheeks glowing with joy.

"You caught me at just the right moment, I was just getting ready for bed," I said sarcastically, but with a flirtatious smile, embracing my semi-undressed state with confidence.

"Lit car ride home by the way, thanks!" she said.

"Anytime, sweetie. It beats getting picked up by mom, doesn't it? Grounded?" I chuckled.

"Nah, I'm not the grounded type," she said with a shrug.

"Wild child, then?" I teased.

"You have no idea," she giggled, flipping her hair. "But I can handle myself. Mom knows."

"I see that," I admired.

"She wants to meet you," she smirked.

"Really? Great! Can't wait," I replied, excitement building.

"Just kidding, she has no clue," she admitted with a laugh.

"Almost had me there," I laughed. "Still, I hope to meet her someday."

"Yeah, me too. Hopefully. Someday," she said as her expression turned to one of amazement. I furrowed my brows in confusion, until I realized that my Double D's were making an unexpected appearance on the video chat.

"Oops!" I say, adjusting the phone. "Told family about orientation?" I asked.

"Sort of," she said, showing me her pride flag on her bedroom door. She held the phone back up to her face and said, "But no girlfriend or serious talk with family."

"Never?" I asked, surprised.

"It's complicated," she sighed. "But rest assured, no serious relationships yet."

"I might be the one to shake up your dating game then," I quipped.

She giggled, "Maybe you will," and added with a smirk, "but don't worry, you weren't my first kiss."

"Your kissing skills are impressive, Aria. I can't believe you haven't had relationships. Not even a boyfriends ever?" I ask.

"I had something like that in my freshmen year. But it didn't last because he just wanted one thing from me and I wasn't prepared for that."

"I understand."

"That was so long ago. Now I know that I'm ready. I think I can be a great girlfriend."

It was evident that, despite her lack of dating experience, she was delighted by my attraction towards her. And I was just as thrilled that she didn't hang up, even after I took off all my makeup. I mentioned the time and how I needed to get off the call. And just as I was about to bid adieu, she slyly slipped in a request to meet tomorrow. Her charisma was hard to resist, so I playfully responded, "Yes! I'll be free after 5." Her face lit up with happiness and she exclaimed, "Oh. My. God! I can't wait!" Despite my doubts, I found myself agreeing to another date with this inexperienced teenager.

While I was overjoyed at the prospect of potentially being her first girlfriend, I couldn't help but feel concerned that perhaps she had bitten off more than she could chew. I am not one of her hapless teenage buddies. I'm a mature and confident woman. I possess far more life and sexual experience than she does. We live very different lives. But her eyes sparkled with such enthusiasm, and my heart couldn't help leap in response with the thought of dating Aria. After wishing her a pleasant night, we disconnected.

Just before succumbing to the sweet embrace of sleep, the melodic chime of my newly assigned ringtone for Aria sounded. On the screen was a naked selfie from my new friend. I belonged to a generation where chivalry was still alive; a generation who sent out bouquets of flowers with love notes, and asked fathers for permission to court their daughters properly. Nonetheless, I was ready to take the plunge into Generation Z.