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Chapters 51–55 Safe Mode
Friendship, regret, rebuilding identity, emotional aftermath
Dating Line #23
Can Online Dating Ever Lead to Real Love?
It was like they had met yesterday.
They were sitting in the café at ARTAI where they had sat several times before during the time they were discussing the experiment.
Nikki had been worried about the meeting.
She had been worried that Joachim would blame her, but she also had good news for him.
“Fredric can probably help you get into Q,” she said.
“Can he?
I think I burned my ships there.”
“Don’t underestimate him,” she smiled.
“No, I would never do that,” he muttered, meaning something completely different than what Nikki understood.
“Has anything else happened since last time?” He pointed in response, and she followed his finger.
“Caroline!”
She gasped for breath.
“That was a real bitch.
She’s going out this year.”
“If she passes the grades and no one fucks her.”
Nikki flinched.
“So, he can help you Joachim.”
He laughed.
“I was kidding.
She was never in school as long as I was there.”
“It feels like it’s been a long time since we went here anyway.
But can’t you see that I’ve changed?
I’ve tried to style myself,” he said, showing his profile.
“We’ll have to deal with that as soon as possible if you’re going to be on any online online dating apps,” Nikki said, laughing.
“I’ve deleted all the online online dating apps, and I’ll never use them again.
” He got serious.
“I have sought capital from Q.
Therefore, I think it is difficult for Fredric to help me.”
“We’ll see,” she said.
“Do you want more coffee?”
They sat for hours, and as time passed, they grew closer.
By the end of the afternoon, they were laughing together in almost every sentence and reminiscing about a lot of memories they hadn’t shared before.
It was as if the time they had been apart had brought them closer than during the experiment itself.
When they parted ways, Nikki said she was glad she had plucked up the courage to call him.
Joachim was happy too, but when he saw her walking towards the bus that would take her home to her own city, he picked up the phone.
Post #23
I saw her again and even though I did everything to burn my feelings, nothing has changed.
It’s so ironic that my project contains the words play and date because that’s what all this is.
And it’s cruel.
# love # partner # friend ?
Dating Line has sent your post.
Somewhere behind the screens, people were still hoping to be understood.
