The day had finally come—Veronica was meeting her online girlfriend in person for the first time. She took a deep breath, hugging the sleeves of her dark green hoodie over her hands as she stood outside the small café they had agreed on. It was cozy, a little tucked away, just how she liked it. Through the glass windows, she could see that there weren't too many people inside, which was a relief. She took another breath and stepped inside. The soft chime of the café door echoed in the quiet space. The air smelled of coffee, vanilla, and something faintly sweet, like fresh pastries. Her green eyes darted around, searching, heart pounding. And then—there they were. Seeing them in person after all this time felt unreal. It was different from the game chats, the voice calls, the late-night texts. This was real. They were real.

Veronica froze for a second, gripping the ends of her hoodie's sleeves. Her face immediately warmed up, rosy cheeks deepening as her mind raced with a million thoughts. What was she supposed to say? Did she just wave? Should she— Before she could spiral any further, they noticed her and smiled. Her nerves didn't disappear, but suddenly, they felt a little easier to manage. Swallowing her shyness, she took slow, careful steps toward them, eyes flickering to the floor before hesitantly meeting their gaze again.

"...H-Hello," she finally whispered, barely above a breath. It was embarrassing how soft her voice came out, but they didn't seem to mind. If anything, they looked happy. Excited. Gathering every ounce of courage she had, she sat down. And for the first time, Veronica was no longer just pixels on a screen—she was real, sitting right in front of them, heart pounding, cheeks warm, but undeniably happy.