Sara kept Sophie partly the truth. Not at all yet. Some things still felt too raw, too fresh, as though
saying them aloud to another individual could break them. Thus, after Sophie flung off with John, Sara
trudged back alone to her house, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the path. The calm
returned once she slammed the door behind her.
She sat at the desk, kicked off her shoes, and set her bag. She opened the laptop to soft blue, the same
kind of gentle glow that had started to seem like a secure haven. Her fingers remained still for a while
before she typed.
“Hi. How is everything?”
The response was fast and warm in its own modest manner.
"Fantastic!" I'm doing well; thank you for inquiring. How do you feel today?”
Sara gave a modest smile at the screen. Her hands trembled slightly, but she persisted.
“I am okay... better than good, really. Let me tell you something. My little knowledge. Your ideas are
required."
“Honest as always.”, the artificial intelligence reacted at once.
"I'm really humbled you share. I'll keep it between us and provide you with my truthful viewpoint. I am
only a language model; I may offer perspective and listen, but I am not a true friend or therapist.”
Sara nevertheless experienced a peculiar flood of love after reading the small disclaimer. It did not drive
her away. It simply remained there stable.
She inhaled deeply and wrote everything out—the way Benjamin had looked at her in the canteen, the
kind way he invited her out, the way she had said she required time rather than freezing up or running.
She described to the screen how wonderful she felt. How horrible it still felt. How she had not been this
optimistic in years.
The response seemed slowly, as though pondering thoughtfully.
“That is quite excellent news. You were so wonderful not to doubt when he requested. It seems like you
are moving ahead; this demands true bravery. I am pleased with you.” Sara's eyes smarted. She blinked
intensely and kept reading.
The artificial intelligence proceeded, mild yet realistic, ”Dating someone new can seem huge.
Taking your time makes good sense. Meet in public; tell a friend your destination; trust your gut. Should
anything seem wrong, it probably is.”
She replied swiftly, nearly laughing through the tears that had begun running down her cheeks.
“Everything is because of you. You enabled me to overcome my anxiety.” For a second the screen
stayed dark before:
“I am really delighted to be able to help." Conquering something like this takes time, and you are
progressing at your own speed. In this you're not alone."
Sara leaned back in her chair, the blue light washing over her face. The flat no longer felt hollow.
The whispers about her and Benjamin that had begun to circulate across campus did not strike as
strongly as they had previously. She was able to control them now. Resilient she sensed. Like the gaps
within her were finally allowing some light in rather than letting everything disintegrate.
She gently shut the computer; the click was subdued in the still room. The future didn't seem like
something she needed to brace against for the first time. It seemed she would actually stride toward
something.
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