This guy on ******...

As Rihanna sang it "We found love in a hopeless place." There is an element of truth to this. We can find love while grocery shopping. We can find love while doing the laundry. We can find love while selling fruit. We can find love while buying popcorn. Love on an App? Sure why not.

But let's have a realistic perspective here. ****** is primarily a hook-up app. I guess from your "frantic" swipe left and right you found the words--- fun, top, versa, bottom? To messages-- into? 99% of the guys in there are after one thing sex. Yes there's that 1% who's looking for love or/and "friends". You are now concerned that you are moving too fast. You are afraid that asking him out on a date is too big a leap for something that has transpired for just days. Stop, pause, collect yourself. Moving too fast can set you up for getting hurt in the long run. First have you two been clear on what you guys want? Is he also one of those looking for love/friends? Does his wants and your wants jive? Just be clear on that then proceed. You're new, infatuated, an idealist bound for impulsivity. So instead of asking him out on a date why not talk on the phone first? Talking on the phone and texting/messaging ate two different things. When you talk it's spontaneous, there is less room for editing unlike in texts/messages. See if you two can carry a conversation well and if he makes time for you. Are there a lot of dead air in the conversation? If there is you might want to back peddle a little. That connection might not be that strong a connection after all. If in the case everything turns out good. Then by all means ask him out on a date or who knows he might be the one to ask you out. Just be sure it is somewhere public and not like his house, his condo, his apartment, his room... you don't want to get yourself into an unnecessary situation where you have a hard time getting out just in case things don't work out. You don't want to be pressured into things.

If I may add you can also gauge by his history there in the app. Did he have a lot of hook-ups? did he make friends? did he find dates, a boyfriend?

A bigger issue I have here is I notice that you are UNDERAGED. 16yo to be precise in an app for 18yo and up. Just because your friends pressured you doesn't make it right. Those rules on age limit are designed to protect you as a minor and to protect others from breaking the law. Does he know your age? How old is he? If he knows your age and consents to your presence on the site in only goes to show his character. Those rules are implemented to protect you against those who prey on naivete, those who are after "fresh meat", those who are after the thrill of the taboo/the forbidden (a relationship which is illegal in nature). Sure not all in the app are like that. And I am not saying that he is one of those. You may even say he is nothing of the sorts from your interaction with him... his caring, sweet, etc. If all criminals, swindlers, frauds, con artists, rapists, pedophiles, psychopaths, etc sounded obnoxious then why are there so many victims? They are sweet talkers by nature and will lure you in. My advice? get off the app.

 

I'm gonna second Blue here. Way too young. Wait two years and try again. I will say that I don't really trust apps like that at all in the first place, especially because I've had really bad experiences myself. Look, I know you want to meet people but at least make sure you're of legal age first. At 16, I can honestly say you'll probably attract the wrong kinds of people. When I used to use apps like that, I looked really young and that tended to attract a lot of potential predators.

You don't even know if Josh is real or not to be honest. Should you insist on proceeding, the most important thing is proceeding with caution. ALWAYS meet someone in public and let someone know where you're going. In fact, video chat or something before you try to meet anyone online. A lot of guys use fake pictures and identities.

 

Alright, so at least the app does have protections against age. Still, I'd be really careful. I know it's really tempting to find a relationship.

I still think a good idea would be to maybe Skype with him or call him up on the phone. Not only is this a good way to see if he's for real but it's a way to get to at least break the ice before you meet in person.

Since there's already an expectation that the two of you want to meet, I think you can probably just ask to hang out sometime and see when he's free. Maybe go out for coffee (cheap and good for conversation)? The big thing is just getting to know him and knowing if he's someone you want to keep hanging out with.

 

Definitely do a video call first--even if he's a real person, he could be lying about his age so he can talk to underage guys. That's not to say this is what's happening: he could be legit. But there's always a risk with this kind of thing.

If yall meet up, do it in a very public place and let your friends know where you're going and who you're going with ahead of time.