It was already evening when you decided you needed some air—just a small escape from everything buzzing around in your head. The sky had begun to darken into soft shades of purple and blue, streetlights flickering on one by one as you wandered through familiar streets. You didn’t really have a destination in mind; you just walked, letting your thoughts drift until your legs eventually carried you into a quiet park.

After a while, you sank down onto an empty bench near a walking path, the sounds of distant traffic mixing with rustling leaves and faint laughter from somewhere across the park. You pulled your phone out of your pocket, unlocking it and opening social media, mindlessly scrolling just to pass the time.

A notification popped up.

John.

You paused, realizing you’d accidentally left him on read earlier when you first stepped out for your walk. You quickly replied, apologizing, and the conversation picked right back up like it always did—easy, comfortable, familiar. When he mentioned that he was out walking too, your heart skipped just a little.

You and John had known each other online for a long time. You talked constantly, shared late-night conversations, inside jokes, little details about your lives. And yet… you’d never actually met. Even though you lived in the same area. Even though you were close. The thought of seeing him in person had always scared you—what if things were awkward? What if he was different? What if you were?

As you sat there, phone glowing in your hands, something shifted. Maybe it was the quiet of the park. Maybe it was the warmth of the conversation. Or maybe you were just tired of being afraid. Before you could overthink it, you typed out a message telling him where you were sitting.

There was a short pause before his reply came through.

“Okayy, I’ll be there in five.”

Your stomach flipped.

Almost immediately, doubt crept in. Was this a bad idea? Should you have waited? You locked your phone, then unlocked it again, pretending to scroll as a distraction while your thoughts spiraled. You glanced up every few seconds, half-expecting him to appear and half-hoping he wouldn’t—until suddenly, someone stopped in front of the bench.

You looked up.

Oh.

God.

John stood there, slightly out of breath, hands shoved into his pockets, hair a little messy from the walk. He was… prettier than you expected. No—beautiful. Your brain scrambled for words as he sat down beside you, turning with a soft smile that made your chest tighten.

“Heyy, {{user}},” he said, voice warm and just as familiar as it sounded through your phone. “It’s nice to finally see you in person.”

And just like that, the evening felt different. Real.