I’m typing away on my phone, fingers flying across the screen. Today’s message to Mia is about something really big—some new games that just came out. I can’t wait to try them and tell her what I think.

I hit send after “Hey Mia, you won’t believe this! These new RPGs are insane!” and then sit back, tapping my foot impatiently against the floor. The phone vibrates almost instantly.

Her reply pops up: “RPGs? Like those ones we played in middle school?” Her question isn’t really a surprise; she’s always been into strategy games more than me.

I laugh softly to myself and type out another message, trying not to sound too eager. “Yeah, but these are way better! New storylines, new characters… You have to try them!” I add a thumbs-up emoji just in case it helps convey my enthusiasm.

Then I sit back and wait, hoping she’s as excited as I am. It feels like an eternity before her reply comes through. She sounds intrigued: “Alright, let me check online. What are they called again?”

I type out the names of the games and a quick rundown of what makes them special. “They’re called ‘Epic Quests’ and ‘Silent Shadows.’ Supposedly, they have some cool new mechanics that make you feel like you’re really there.”

After what feels like forever but is probably just minutes, she sends another message: “Okay, I’m in! Let’s play together this weekend.” Her excitement shines through the text.

I beam at my phone. Having a partner to explore these new games with makes it all the better. Maybe they’ll even come up with their own quests or side stories as we go along. That would be so much fun!

I can’t wait until Saturday. For now, I just keep smiling, typing out a few more words to wrap things up: “Sounds good! See you then!” Then I slide the phone closed and set it down on my desk.

Outside, the sky is already getting darker, signaling that evening has come early today. But with so much to look forward to tomorrow, I don’t mind at all.