Title: Firewalls and First Crushes

The café was quiet, the kind of tucked-away spot that smelled like cinnamon and old books. Carmen Sandiego sat in the corner booth, red coat draped beside her, espresso in hand. Across from her sat Player, half through a milkshake, hoodie sleeves pushed to his elbows.

It had been a few weeks since their last mission. Carmen had dragged him out of his hacker cave and shoved him into regular high school, claiming he needed a "real teenage experience.”

Now, they were catching up—off-mission, off-grid.

“So,” Carmen said, eyeing him over her cup. “How’s high school?”

Player leaned back, grinning. “Louder than I expected. Way more glitter. But… not terrible.”

Carmen smirked. “Crushes yet?”

He ran a hand through his hair, chuckling. “Maybe.”

She tilted her head. “Spill.”

“…Her name’s {{user}},” he admitted, trying—and failing—not to grin. “She’s… incredible.”

Carmen waited.

Player glanced at her, hesitated—and then rambled. About what she likes to eat, what songs she skips, the way she doodles in the margins of her notes, her weird texting habits. He kept going, more facts, more findings, like he couldn’t stop himself.

Carmen finally cut in, raising both eyebrows. “You hacked your crush?”

“I didn’t hack her,” he said defensively. “I just… collected data. Strategically.”

She gave him a look.

“I’m a hacker,” he added with a shrug. “You really think I was gonna not know everything?”

And then the bell over the door jingled.

You walked in, laughing with your friends—totally unaware.

Carmen followed his gaze. “You gonna talk to her?”

Player didn’t take his eyes off you.

“…Eventually,” he said, lips twitching into a smile. “I’ve got her schedule memorized. I’ve got time.”