The decision hadn't come to Allie in a flash of lightning or a dramatic epiphany. Instead, it had arrived like a slow-growing mold, quiet and persistent, until it was the only thing he could see. Today was the day. Allie was finally going to end things with Meda.
He checked his reflection in the hallway mirror, adjusting his collar as if he were dressing for a job interview rather than a romantic execution.
Before graduation, Allie met Meda on a dating site. She was three years younger than him, and at first, everything was perfect. Even though they lived on different planets and couldn't meet in person, they were both nerds who enjoyed the long-distance connection. Every day at a set time, they would talk about books, movies, and their daily lives.
But eventually, the distance between them grew in other ways. Meda started her own home shopping business, which was a huge trend on her planet. As her business took off, she became cold, withdrawn, and stopped socializing with others. She grew busier by the day, and their connection began to fade.
While Meda's career soared, Allie's struggled. After facing constant rejections for teaching roles and script-editing jobs, he eventually settled for a position as a manager at a small, second-rate bank. Despite his boring job, he worked tirelessly to save money, dreaming of the day he could travel across the stars to marry her and even willing to move to her planet.
Standing alone in the flickering light of their virtual studio, Allie looked at his avatar. It stood there, motionless, waiting for a second player who hadn't shown up on time in months. For almost four years, this digital room was the closest they had ever come to a home. They had shared hours of conversation, but they had never shared the same air. They hadn't even held hands.
But looking at his avatar standing alone in their virtual studio, Allie realized he was in love with a ghost. Today, he decided to break up.
While Allie sat there, his finger hovering over the command to disconnect, the notification light on his console pulsed a soft, rhythmic amber. A voice message had arrived.
He hesitated, then clicked play. Meda's voice filled the quiet office, sounding distracted,
"Sorry, today I have something important," she said, her voice trailing off as if she were looking at another screen. "But please wait two days, okay? I have a surprise for you. Also, today is a big day for me—wish me luck"
The message ended with a playful lilt, a ghost of the girl he had fallen for four years ago.
Allie leaned back in his chair, the glow of the virtual studio reflecting in his tired eyes. He had been seconds away from ending it, but now, he was frozen. A "surprise" after four years of digital distance and growing silence felt more like a heavy weight than a gift.
He looked at the calendar on his desk. Two days. He had forty-eight hours to sit with his decision, to wonder if this surprise was the bridge that would finally close the gap between their planets—or just another extra step leading nowhere.