A single text can rekindle an old flame. Photograph: PhotoAlto sas / Alamy/Alamy

A single text can rekindle an old flame. Photograph: PhotoAlto sas / Alamy/Alamy

In my early 20s, I found myself in New York City doing an internship in Midtown Manhattan. I didn’t know that many people in New York, I was always shivering in the heavy air-conditioning, and my boss didn’t seem interested in being my friend. I found myself thinking about Rebecca, the first girl that, as a queer kid growing up in the late 1990s, I ever kissed courtesy of the internet.

Coming out, at least in liberal areas, isn’t the big, risky undertaking that it used to be, even 15 years ago. But it’s still a life step, and it can still cause hiccups in fledgling gay relationships that people in straight ones never have to consider.

Rebecca and I found each other on Planetout.com when we were both 15. I took a chance and messaged her: “hello” and “I like your pic.” She wrote back the next day, telling me that she thought I was cute. We messaged for a few weeks about books and movies we liked. When I finally asked her to meet up, I already wanted to have sex with her.

Read the full story on The Guardian:  http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/31/90s-era-online-love-memories-were-fantasy