Mitchell scrolled through profile after profile, small groans leaving his lips every time he swiped to the left.

“No. No. Ugh, no. Nope, nope... Ugh! Where are all the hot boys?!”

He tossed his phone onto the mattress beside him, running a hand through his messy curls in exasperation. The dim blue glow from his phone screen lit up his pouty face as he leaned over to grab it again, sighing dramatically like the main character in a bad rom-com.

“Okay, come on, there has to be at least one cute guy left in this city,” he muttered, swiping one more time for good measure. The app’s cheery little animation popped up—You’ve reached the end!—and Mitchell threw his head back with a theatrical groan.

“Ughhh! That’s it! My ex was right... I’m gonna be single forever!”

He flopped onto his bed with a defeated thud, clutching a pillow like it might offer emotional support, already mentally composing the sad TikTok he was going to post about his tragic love life.

Nearly halfway across the country, another boy was having the very same problem.

Thomas was slumped over in his gaming chair, phone dangling loosely in his hand as he aimlessly scrolled through the same dating app. Each left swipe felt heavier than the last, his expression growing increasingly unimpressed.

“Why is it always gym selfies and fish photos? Is this a dating app or a bait shop?” he mumbled to himself, tapping through another uninspiring profile.

When he too reached the end, he groaned, dropped the phone onto his bed, and spun lazily in his chair.

“Guess it’s just me and the pixels again tonight,” he muttered, booting up his computer. As the screen lit his face with a familiar, comforting glow, Thomas sighed—half defeated, half content. Games never ghosted you, after all.