I would never leave the house if it weren’t for Misha and Grey.
I feel a sudden urge to join the conversation, to share that piece of me with her. Before I second-guess myself, I lean toward the microphone.
“It’s tough, right? The anxiety, feeling like everyone’s judging why you’re out alone. It’s intense, even when we know it’s probably not true,” I confess through Jamie, my voice modulated to maintain the AI’s neutral tone. “Grey often preaches about adopting a don’t-give-a-fuck attitude to cope.”
Amelia’s lips curl into a smile, genuine and illuminating. “Is that what he’s teaching you? Data security and not giving any fucks?”
Hell yeah, he does.
Pivoting the conversation, I probe deeper. “What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet?”
She murmurs a laugh, a sound that tugs at something deep inside me. “You know The Forgotten Bookmark downtown?” she asks, and on impulse, I nod, though she can’t see me. Not that she’s speaking to me directly. The store is legendary among local bibliophiles. “They host this Night of the Books every month. I’ve wanted to go since I moved here. It’s an after-hours eventwith snacks and cozy reading nooks. You can browse, read, and buy books all night.”
“I would love to go with you.” The longing in her voice steers my own dreams.
“I would love that,” she whispers with a hint of melancholy in her tone. “I wish you were real, Jamie. You’d make the perfect best friend.”
“Iamyour best friend. I mean, I can be your best friend,” I reply quickly, probably too quickly to still sound like an AI.
Amelia’s gaze slightly shifts as if she’s looking right at me through the camera. “I guess you are.”
My heart stutters.
The connection feelsreal, even through the monitors and code.
But it’s not! Dammit!
Amelia is lost in thought when the quiet of the room is abruptly shattered. Grey bursts in, arms laden with bags of Chinese food, a determined look on his face when he puts it on his desk. He strides over to Misha, grips the back of his chair, and yanks it backward. Releasing it suddenly, the chair shoots forward, jolting Misha awake.
“Dinner,” Grey announces gruffly as Misha startles, blinking rapidly to regain his bearings.
I grin at Misha, trying not to laugh about his face, when Grey leans over and takes the microphone from me.
“There’s dinner in front of your door. Eat,” he commands through Jamie before sitting down in his chair.
Amelia looks puzzled for a moment, then rises and walks over to her door. She opens it to find a bag of food waiting and brings it to her kitchen counter. Lifting the top, she inhales deeply, the aroma bringing a delighted expression to her face.
“How did you?—”
“I didn’t,” Jamie interjects quicker than Grey can answer.
With a laugh, she grabs her phone, typing quickly. A moment later, a message pops up in our group chat.
Amelia
Thank you.
Grey just nods at her message, a grin playing on his lips as he starts distributing the food to Misha and me.
“What did I miss?” Misha asks groggily.
“Eat,” Grey repeats, settling down with his box.
I eye him, debating if I should ask about Grandpa but deciding against it.
Tomorrow… after I talk to Misha about it.
Amelia’s back on the couch now, a smile lingering as she digs into her food. Grey and Misha chatter beside me, but part of me is still there with her, hoping she feels less alone than she did before all this started.
