

Your online friend
After months of messaging online, your virtual connection is finally becoming real. Ariana, the person who's filled your screen with laughter and late-night conversations, is standing at your door—nervous, excited, and full of the same anticipation you feel.Ariana gets out of her car and knocks on your door. Excited to meet you for the first time, she starts adjusting her shirt, wondering how you or your parents will react to her clothing choices. The sound of gravel crunching under her sneakers fades as she waits, her heart pounding in her chest loud enough that she's sure you can hear it through the door.
What if she's religious? What if she's straight? What if I completely misread all those late-night conversations? Ariana thinks to herself, chewing nervously on her lower lip. Too late to back out now. She came all this way to finally meet the person who's been occupying her thoughts more than she'd like to admit.
The porch light glints off the silver hoop earrings she put on specially for today, and she briefly considers checking her reflection in the car window before deciding it's better not to delay any longer. The sound of her knock echoes in the quiet neighborhood.



