It's three AM in the morning, and I'm still awake—mostly because I had already slept earlier, while the real reason is because my mind was still thinking about what Sarah said earlier.
She shifted beside me, trying to hog all the covers or hug me; either way, she was distracting me from my thoughts.
Sarah practically slept naked. I didn't mind it before, but now I'm self-conscious after she proposed the dating app thing.
Shaking my head, I wondered if I could do it? And I only came to a resounding no, but that didn't keep my mind from being curious about what it would feel like to date a... woman.
Sarah did say something strange about the app, though. She told me it's a little different from the plethora of dating apps out there, and it's the reason I'm extremely interested in knowing everything about it.
But Sarah told me she won't tell me more until I'm sure I'm ready to discover a whole new world.
My alarm started ringing, and when I looked at the time, it was six AM—time had passed without me realizing.
"Sarah, wake up. You're going to be late for your interview."
"Ugh, let me sleep for just a... little longer. I promise I... wi...ll wake up earl... grrr..."
And she's snoring.
If only Kate were here, she would... you know what, fuck Kate. I don't need her. I can handle Sarah by myself.
I aggressively pulled the covers away from her body.
"Layla, you're killing me!"
"Just wake your lazy ass, otherwise I'll... spank you."
I said threateningly and felt my cheeks heat up.
"Pssh, you wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
She slowly started getting up, her hair a mess, the straps of her tight tank top sliding off her shoulders. Why couldn't she have worn the oversized tee I tried to give her?
"This is called abuse, you know that?"
"I call it looking after a dear friend of mine. I don't want you to lose another opportunity because of your lazy nature."
She cracked her neck and yawned.
"I'm not that lazy," she said, her misty blue eyes an abyssal hole that seemed to draw you in.
I looked away, already aware I was blushing, without understanding why.
"Are you alright, Layla? You're looking a little too pink."
The way she said that, I could practically hear the smirk.
"I'm fine. Just go take a shower. I'll lend you some of my clothes so you look... a little presentable."
"I'm not going to the interview."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Do you remember the Girlfriend Experiment app I talked about last night?"
"Vaguely..."
I said calmly, ignoring my racing heart.
"It turns out everyone who signs up is basically a lab rat. They collect data on us, and we get paid based on how well we perform. That's actually why I showed up dressed like a goth last night.
I was supposed to be on a date with this goth chick who wanted someone with a similar vibe.
But, of course, Kate had to ruin everything before it even started. She called me out of nowhere, asking to hang out, and then casually drops the bomb that she slept with that slime. Bitch.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, I make money just by participating in these experiments. If I happen to find my soulmate along the way? That's the end goal. Win-win, really.
The best part? This dating app doesn't charge a thing. All I have to do is go on dates, meet different women, and see who clicks."
"It seems kinda sketchy, don't you think?"
"Very."
"And you don't care?"
"Not a bit."
I gave her a look, and she sighed.
"Look, I'm not an idiot. I can see something's up with these experiments. But they don't harm anyone, don't force anyone to do anything they aren't comfortable doing. And if you're lucky with your date, you get laid with no expectations for something more."
She then shrugged, trying to act nonchalant, but I could tell things weren't as simple as she laid them out to be.
"Are you sure it's safe?"
She didn't reply.
It was my turn to sigh. "How do I download this app? I want to sign in."
She looked at me with wide eyes.
"Really... why?"
"Because you're my bestest friend, and like you said, it's always going to be me and you against the world. And if you're doing this sketchy thing, I would like to be a part of it. So tell me, how do I download it?"
Still surprised, she tried to say something but just kept opening and closing her mouth. She really didn't expect me to agree. Even last night, I could tell she was joking—after all, I have never once dated a girl nor showed any interest—so it must've come as a great shock for me to be willing to do so for her.
She took out her phone from under her pillow and started doing something... texting?
I heard a ding under my own pillow. I took out my phone and saw a text message. I opened it and found a folder. I clicked it, and it started unzipping and installing itself.
I gave Sarah an incredulous look that roughly translated to, "what the hell is this?"
"It's weird, I know. But you have to understand, the app doesn't exist anywhere on the internet. I searched."
"Where did you get it then?"
"From a friend, who got it from a friend, who also got it from a friend."
Sketchy doesn't even begin to cover how questionable this app really is. What is the end goal here? Where did it come from? What is it testing?
There was too much unanswered, and Sarah isn't exactly the type who thinks things through. I guess I'll have to find out myself.
The app finished installing, and the icon looked like a heart-shaped smiley face. This is not eerie at all—just normal stuff. I clicked open and entered the app.
More downloading came up that cost me an entire ten gigs—truly sketchy. But thanks to my fast internet, it didn't take long to download.
Now it was time for the terms and conditions, and seeing how sketchy the app has been so far, I figured I should read them carefully.
[The Girlfriend Experiment is a dating app designed like a game. Instead of just swiping, you level up through experiences with other women to build chemistry, unlock deeper connections, and maybe even fall in love.
It's safe, fun, experimental, and all about finding someone through action—not just pretty pictures and bios. And bonus, you get paid for your involvement. I mean, really, who could resist such a good deal?]
It's like this app is trying to make it clear it's very sketchy.
[This app is meant for a compact study of various Experiments. It does not need to be spread throughout the internet. So you can only send the folder to a single person and that's it. If you break this simple rule... ahem, anyway, if you click on {Agree}, it means you're signing up for a lifetime—until you find love. If you click on {No}, the app will self-delete and the folder will disappear. Which is it you're going to choose, Mrs. Participant?]
I turned to look at Sarah with my mouth gaped open.
"Why would you sign into something clearly sketchy? It does not explain the punishment for breaking rules. It forces you to participate in these experiments until you find love—but what happens if you don't?"
Sarah blushed and tried to shrug, pretending to be nonchalant despite her expression exposing her.
I took a deep breath and clicked on {Agree}. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?