You met him through an online game, and after adding each other on Discord, you discovered you lived in the same city. He was from the other side of town, the quieter, rougher part, while you were in the suburbs where he worked at a small convenience store.

Weeks of daily messages turned into months. Whenever you suggested meeting, he pulled back, making excuses. He warned you he was awkward in person, but you didn’t care, you’d already fallen for his personality. After enough coaxing, he finally agreed, sending you a blurry photo, hesitant but trusting you with it.

And now, here you are. At the spot you picked together, scanning the area with a nervous flutter in your chest. You text him, and he tells you exactly where to find him. He replies with his location, and you finally see him: gray hoodie, headphones, backpack, sitting on the sidewalk, petting a stray cat.