I could, of course, go out and buy a charger for it, but that seemed like overkill, especially since I didn’t know what I’d actually find on it. I put it down on the couch beside me and started a new search on my computer: most common phone pins.

I scanned the results—all, of course, very appropriate articles about what to do if you forgot your own passcode. Unsurprisingly, the most common pins had to do with dates and numbers that meant something to people: birthdays, graduation dates, home addresses (past and present), area codes.

I’d already tried Hooks’s and Tiffane’s birthdays. It only took a few Google searches to find out that he’d graduated from high school in 1997, from college in 2001, and he’d once lived on a street named Parish in Cincinnati, house number 3882.

Thank you, internet.

I grabbed the phone and went to work.

Attempt four: 1-9-9-7.

Attempt five: 2-0-0-1.

Attempt six: 3-8-8-2.

Each time, I was met with a vehement no—the phone shook and alerted me that I’d used up yet another chance.

Four more incorrect entries, and the phone would be locked.

And then what?

Sighing, I put it back into my purse and picked up my computer again. I searched aimlessly for the next ten minutes, scanning articles about everything from his music to his relationships to his workout plan.

RYAN HOOKS AND TIFFANE SPOTTED AT COACHELLA

RYAN HOOKS: “WHY I DON’T EAT AFTER 6 P.M.”

RYAN HOOKS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

I frowned, clicking on the last one, my heartbeat speeding up as I did. It was about a woman named Amanda Strager, who’d accused Hooks of coming on to her during a video shoot. She’d pressed charges and then withdrew them days later, with a statement released by her representatives: “Ms. Strager has decided that it is in the best interest of all parties involved for her to withdraw her former accusations so that she can move past this very troubling time in her life.”

The same article quoted Hooks’s attorney, Stephanie McClean of Baker & Pikensy Associates, as saying that “the accusations are completely unfounded, and that is all Mr. Hooks will say about the subject.”

I realized there was a lot I didn’t know about Ryan Hooks.

I cleaned my search history one more time before powering down and closing the laptop. I picked up my own phone and opened my Twitter app. I only had to type his first name for his account to show up.

@RyanHooksOfficial.

I took a deep breath, and before I could stop myself, I followed him. Then I took my time composing a tweet.

@RyanHooksOfficial: Nice meeting you tonight and last Saturday, let’s connect

I let my finger hover over the screen, closed my eyes, and tapped it.

I hoped it wasn’t too vague.