I open up the door.

"Hey Mai, it's me."

I dump my phone and the rest of my things in my room.

"Euan! You're back!" Mai walked out of her room, and I opened my door to greet her. "So how did it go? Was it all okay?"

"Well... Yeah. I think so."

"What do you mean "You think so"? Are you going to see her again?"

"Yeah, we're gonna see each other again. And we exchanged phone numbers and stuff. So I suppose it went pretty well."

"That's great! Just as I expected from my little lovebird here!" She ruffled my hair as she smiled at me.

"Hey!" I grabbed her hand and pushed it away from me. "I'm not a dog you know!"

"Haha, alright, I'm sorry! So, what did you guys do? What did you talk about?"

"Well, we went to a bookshop first, where we read together for a bit. And then, we went out and had dinner. We just talked about things we liked and stuff. Out interests are really similar actually, which is nice."

"You went to a bookshop for your first date? That's so like you Euan."

"Well, we enjoyed it, and we like the same sort of books, so it was nice to read together."

"Hey, I'm not judging! As long as you both enjoyed it, that's what's important. So you went to dinner after that, right?"

"Well, kinda yeah. We got food, and took it to the park, and we ate there together while we talked. It was really nice."

"That sounds fun Euan!"

"Hehe, thanks Mai. I think I'm gonna go to bed now though, it's pretty late."

"Yeah, okay. Night then. And well done!"

"Thanks Mai. Goodnight."

After Mai leaves my room I close my door and take out my phone.

"Wow you're pretty good at that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, improvising. Being able to make a story up on the spot like that."

"Well… lying has always come kinda naturally to me. Although that sounds a little evil, now that I say it out loud."

"Oh! I didn't mean it like that."

"It's okay."

"Hey Euan? Would you mind putting me back in your computer?"

"Of course not."

I plug my phone into my computer, and to my surprise, Monika appears there almost immediately.

"Woah! That was fast!"

"Well, I think that because I've been on the computer before, it's really simple to switch between them. See?" She switches again between my two devices and back almost instantly.

"Well that's good!"

Suddenly, Monika looked nervous, and brushes her hair behind her ear "So Euan, about earlier… I wanted to say sorry."

"I told you already Monika, it's alright. What you did was wrong, yes, but you weren't doing it for a selfish reason. Not really. You were scared, right? We all do dumb things when we're scared. Believe me, some of the things I've done because I was emotional would shock you to your core."

"Well, alright then. If you're sure."

"You know what Monika? I'm going out with my friends tomorrow. Maybe you'd like to come along?"

"Wait, really? I mean, that does sound nice, but I dunno… What are you doing?"

"Well, it's actually my friend's birthday. So, we're going to the cinema, then bowling, then to laser tag. And I am gonna destroy them. Well, at laser tag at least. I've not gone bowling in a while."

"I mean, I'd feel kinda weird sitting in your pocket while you were out with your friends."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have to be away from me for the day. Also, if you were ever feeling scared or alone, you could tell me somehow, and I could just step out and make sure you're feeling okay."

"Yeah… I suppose so. Thanks for being so thoughtful Euan."

"It's nothing. Tell you what, Monika, I'm gonna put on my headphones."

"What? Why?"

"Well, it's like we're closer, you know? It's a bit more intimate."

"Really?"

"As I place my headphones over my ears, I close my eyes."

"Euan? What is it?"

"It's just, like this… it sounds like you're right next to me."

"Oh… right. That's nice. You know, your voice sounds better too. It's clearer with your microphone."

Suddenly, Monika speaks out.

"Euan… can you help me?"

I open my eyes to look at her "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's like you said, I'm… I'm just so scared of being alone." Monika's voice is quavering, but her gaze is strong. "I can't get rid of the idea that… that you want to leave me. I know it sounds stupid but it's like...like there's another me inside my brain. And it keeps telling me how you don't love me, how you want to leave me. Even when I feel happy, and we have happy moments together, it's there. Telling me how you're just here because you pity me. How you still hate me for what I did during the game. Even now I can hear it. It's telling me that you'll want to leave me alone for telling you this, that you're going to reveal your true feelings. But I'm not gonna let that voice control me anymore. I let it tell me what to do for the entire game. You do love me, I know it… right?" Her voice has gotten slowly more high-pitched and nervous as she's spoken, and her eyes are fearful.

"Yes Monika. I love you. I will always love you. I'm never going to leave you. I never want to leave you, and I never want you to leave me. I'm not saying that because I'm just being nice. And there's no way in hell I'm lying to you. Do you remember what I said a few days ago?"

"W-what? No, what was it?"

"I'm yours, and you're mine. Now, and forever. So don't you ever forget that, okay? Whenever that… person in your head tries to tell you otherwise, you remember that."

"O-okay, thanks Euan."

Suddenly, I have an idea. "Hey Monika, would you like… a hug?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well… tell you what, I'll just show you." And I wrapped my arms around my computer monitor.

"Oh! Euan..."

"Sorry, guess I look kinda stupid now, right?" I start to move back, but Monika speaks out.

"No! Just… stay like this for a bit. You surprised me, that's all."

"Okay." I lean forward again, and Monika sighs, smiling.

"Ahhh... this is nice. I can almost feel your warmth against me. It's like your love is diffusing through the screen into me."

"Ha, maybe we should do this more often?"

"Yes, I'd like that."

I pull back, and hold my hand against Monika's once again.

"I love you Euan."

"I love you Monika. Now, and forever."

"Euan… What the hell is going on?"

And, I look behind me, to see my friend Luke standing there, framed in the doorway, a scared expression on his face.