Yesterday we left DS15 "home alone" for the night for the first time. We were about a three hour drive away. He's usually very sensible/responsible, so I made sure the neighbours were around in case there was an emergency, but wasn't too worried. After we'd left he asked if he could go for a sleepover with a school friend (he never usually goes for sleepovers... He's just not been into them). I was fine with this, and didn't even think to check with the parents. I tried texting him a couple of times just to check in and day goodnight, as I couldn't see him on Google maps. I didn't get a reply until about 9.30 in the morning, and had been slightly worried, but had told myself to stop being neurotic.
Anyway he told us when we got back that he'd actually gone on a 8 hour bus journey (usually 5 hours, but there were delays) to go and visit "his girlfriend" (a 15yr old girl he's been chatting with on discord). He arrived at 11 at night. The girl's parents then drove them both to a sleepover/party at some other kids' house. WTF?!
We're completely blindsided by this... It obviously goes against everything we've ever said about internet safety. I feel sick to think of how badly it might have turned out.
I'm also very pissed off that the parents didn't a) insist that he tell us what he was going, and b) took them to a sleepover (there was vodka, and luckily DS was sensible enough not to drink much). They spent the night together, but didn't have sex (I know this from looking through his phone... Yes I know it's an invasion of privacy, and this is the first time I've checked it for a few years). But anyway, I'm wondering WTF kind of parents he's getting mixed up with.
I'm just reeling from it all. Not sure how to proceed. He's apologised and made all the right noises about understanding how shocked/worried we must be, but he's also smitten and is wanting to meet with her again (for more sleepovers!?).