Kara sat slouched on the stone bench outside her campus building, her German language notes forgotten in her bag. The humid Bali air clung to her skin, and her mind kept drifting back to Willow until she forced herself to unlock her phone and open the dating app she'd downloaded a few nights earlier.
She scrolled lazily, swiping left more often than right, until a photo stopped her.
A girl, not posing too hard, not trying to sell herself. Just… herself. There was something in her smile, warm but fragile, that made Kara's chest tighten. She tapped the bio.
If you want to feel all the love languages, maybe we should meet up.
Kara's lips curved into a grin. Confident. Brave. Maybe even a little cheeky. Exactly the kind of energy she wanted to pull into her life.
She swiped right.
Her screen lit up instantly: It's a match!
Her stomach flipped. No hesitation this time—she typed the first thing that came to her.
Summer (Kara):So… what's the first place I should go in Bali?
She hit send, then locked her phone, forcing herself to pay attention to the buzz of students around her. But her chest was tight, heart drumming against her ribs.
Minutes later, the notification buzzed.
Avery:Depends.. do you want the cliché sunset, or do you want the best coffee in town?
Kara blinked, then let out a soft laugh. Smart. Quick. Knows the good spots. Definitely local vibes.
Her thumbs flew:
Summer (Kara):Why not both?
Summer (Kara):Guess that means you'll have to show me then 😉
Leaning back, Kara bit her lip. She didn't expect much when she first installed this app. But there was something about this girl, sharp yet warm, that made her want to keep typing, keep teasing, keep reaching for that connection.
She could feel it already: Summer wasn't just a mask anymore. Talking to this stranger, Kara almost felt like herself again.
***
Kara barely noticed her class ending. The whole walk back to her guesthouse, she kept checking her phone, refreshing the app like a kid waiting for candy. To her surprise, the girl replied quickly every time.
Day 1 – Evening
Summer:So, coffee or sunset first?
Avery:Coffee. Always coffee.
Summer:Good answer. Do you have a secret spot? Somewhere only locals know?
Avery:Maybe. But it's classified information.
Summer:Guess I'll just have to earn your trust then. 😉
Kara grinned, lying on her bed, typing like she wasn't supposed to be up early tomorrow.
Summer:Right now I'm just hiding from my laundry. What about you?
Avery:Office. I should be working, but this is more fun.
Summer:So you're telling me I'm more interesting than spreadsheets? High praise.
Avery:Don't get cocky, Summer.
Kara laughed, liking the way her fake name rolled off in the chat. It didn't feel fake anymore, it felt like a second skin.
Day 2 – Morning
Kara snapped a photo of her breakfast with banana pancakes drowned in syrup and sent it.
Summer:Fuel for survival. What's your morning like?
Avery:(photo of a coffee mug on her desk)This is my survival kit.
Summer:Respect. Black coffee or sweet?
Avery:Black. Sweet coffee is for cowards.
Summer:Ouch. Guess I'm a coward, then. 😏
Avery:Figures.
It flowed so easily, like trading inside jokes they didn't even know they had.
Day 2 – Afternoon
Kara was at her favorite coffee shop near the guesthouse, Ivan waving at her from the counter, but her eyes stayed on her phone.
Avery:Bali looks nice from your stories. You're always out
Summer:Trying to live a little. Keeps me sane.
Avery:What's your favorite thing so far?
Summer:Honestly? The cafés. The sea. The people.
Avery:Spoken like a travel blogger.
Summer:Then you'll have to join me sometime. We should try that together.
Avery:Together?
Summer:Yeah. Show me your favorite spot. Maybe we can meet up soon.
Kara held her breath after hitting send, nerves prickling. It felt bold, maybe too bold.
The typing bubble blinked.
Avery:work's crazy right now,I'm not sure I can slip away,maybe later
Kara smiled anyway. Maybe was better than no.
And so it went for two days straight. Little snapshots of their lives: Kara sending blurry pictures of her messy guesthouse, the sunset through her balcony, the noodles she cooked too salty. The girl replying with photos of her desk cluttered with sticky notes, her view of the mall lobby, a late night snack of instant ramen.
It was ordinary. Mundane. Yet it felt like everything Kara had been craving.
And though she signed every message as Summer, Kara couldn't shake the thought: this stranger, this girl, was already making her feel less like she was running from the past and more like she was finally heading somewhere.