I'm going to kill her, Chell thought, glaring daggers at Mel's auburn braid as it swung with her momentum. I'm going to kill her and dump her body in the lake.

It was Saturday morning, and far too early to be awake, let alone outside, jogging circuits of the park. Mel had been enthusiastic about a decent run, at a time of day that would give them the paths to themselves. Chell had, foolishly, agreed, a decision she was now regretting. She'd already run two circuits more than she'd intended, and her lungs were threatening to spontaneously combust.

Mel wasn't showing any signs of needing a break, but it was getting harder to tell the further away she got. The growing distance between them was because Chell was slowing down, not that Mel was speeding up, and she planned to call a halt the next time they passed the coffee kiosk, whether Mel noticed she'd dropped out or not.

In fact, it would probably be better if she didn't notice, Chell reflected. That way she can carry on happily jogging in a giant circle over and over again, and I can get my breath back.

As it happened, Mel was far more attuned to the thud of Chell's sneakers than anyone could have predicted. No sooner had Chell veered off the path and slowed to a walk, when her friend did the same and doubled back towards her.

"Tired?"

'Any sane person would be,' Chell signed wearily, trying to make her leaden arms cooperate.

"Fine, we'll take a break."

You're too kind.

After running through some stretches and sipping from their water bottles, the two of them bought take-out coffees and took them to a nearby bench.

"To be honest, I was expecting you to drop out sooner," Mel admitted.

Chell glared at her.

"You're a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for."

Chell sent her a sarcastic thumbs up, and Mel laughed, taking a sip of her coffee.

"You're coming to Virgil's party tonight, right?"

Mel turned to her expectedly, frowning when Chell shook her head.

"Why not? You haven't been out in ages. Everyone really wants to see you."

Chell shrugged one shoulder, feeling awkward. She set her coffee down beside her to free up her hands.

'It's not that I don't want to see them, it's just…' She shrugged again. 'It gets…tiring.'

"Tiring? What does?"

'Making myself understood. Not everyone knows ASL, I get that, but…' She halted, considering, then added, 'It just gets awkward sometimes, and I hate that.'

"Aww, honey, I know, but that doesn't mean you have to hide away."

Chell smiled at her, amused. Despite being nearly thirty, Mel had an uncanny ability to jump between enthusiastic teenager and mom friend in the blink of an eye.

"You never used to be like that when we hit the clubs back in college."

That was different, Chell defended silently.

In a club the music was so loud that talking was impossible anyway. It had been easy to fit in. At a private party where everyone knew her, it wasn't so straightforward. Her circle of friends tried hard to include her in everything they could, but it didn't always work out. She could converse with Mel easily enough, but that was mostly down to her friend's determination to learn how to read sign language perfectly, a gesture that Chell still felt touched by.

'I'll go to something soon, I promise,' she assured her vaguely. 'I'm just tired.'

She cherished her friends, but the thought of spending an evening feeling awkward…

Not right now.

Not when there was someone she could talk to without feeling different or somehow not whole. She would have to tell him eventually. It was ill-advised to think that they could go on as they were forever. Texting was a starting point, not the be-all and end-all. She only hoped that if – when – they did meet, he still accepted her as she was. She had a feeling he would. After all, she'd accepted him, helped him through whatever episode he was struggling with.

"You're doing that drifting thing," Mel pointed out with narrowed eyes. "You're thinking of the artist guy again, aren't you?"

Chell wavered, unsure how to answer. Her very hesitation gave her away.

"You are," Mel said with certainty. "Why don't you just ask him if he's–"

Chell held up a hand, cutting her off. 'Not now. Let's just finish our coffee in peace.'

"Fine. What else do you want to talk about?"

Reaching for a harmless subject, Chell signed, 'What are you wearing to the party?'

Eagerly, Mel started to describe her dress in great detail, as Chell had known she would. She tried to hide her smile. Her friend was too predictable.

Truthfully, she needed to think about whatever question Mel had been on the brink of asking. Because there was one more she needed to put to Doug herself, one that – thinking about it – she really should have asked much earlier. If she could only find the right way to do it.

A few days after her run in the park, Chell had devised her way in. She had two questions for Doug, but she was feeling a touch guilty about the first one. It was equally valid, but provided a handy lead into the one she really wanted to ask, hopefully in a moderately subtle way. Before all of that, however, she needed to begin with something generic.

Me 7:50am
Beautiful morning!

She peered out of the window at the pouring rain, pocketing her phone so she could shrug on her coat.

Doug 7:51am
Not really, my car broke down

Me 7:51am
Oh damn. Sorry to hear that, what a crappy start

Outside, hood firmly pulled up, she looked at his reply, thankful for her phone's splash-proof cover.

Doug 7:52am
To say the least. It's miserable out here

She silently chuckled, feeling a sense of kinship in the fact that he was out somewhere too, braving the elements like she was. Still, she hadn't forgotten that she had an answer to seek.

Me 7:53am
I hope you don't mind me asking, but…last week, when you were struggling, I got the impression there was no one nearby to help you…?

Doug 7:54am
Yes, I live alone. Why?

Me 7:54am
No partner?

She wrinkled her nose. It wasn't subtle at all, not even with the lead in. She sent it anyway.

Doug 7:54am
Just me
Chell, what are you getting at?

Me 7:55am
Nothing in particular, just curious

Making an executive decision as a raindrop rolled down her nose, she turned in the direction of the bus stop. She lived on the opposite side of town from the library. Not a difficult journey, but it wasn't a day for commuting on foot. She joined the group already waiting. There should be a bus along any moment, offering a seat, fifteen minutes shaved off her commute, and, most importantly, a roof.

Shoving her hands in her coat pockets, she settled in to wait, keeping an eye on the road. Someone hurried up to join the small crowd, and Chell became aware of an irritating drip-drip-drip on her shoulder. She turned, glaring, to see a frazzled-looking man in a coat that clearly wasn't waterproof, fighting to juggle an umbrella and his cell phone. Pointedly, she stepped away from him, moving out of range of the water running off his umbrella.

"Oh god, sorry," he muttered, not meeting her eyes, and nearly dropping his phone as he took a step back.

Jeez, is everyone glued to their phones these days?

Feeling hers vibrate next to her pocketed hand, she suppressed a sheepish grin.

Guess I'm not much better.

At least the bus was on time.

Me 7:57am
What about you? Roommate?

Doug settled uncomfortably into his seat, his umbrella propped between his legs, making his knees wet. His socks were wet too. The bus was crowded enough to make him nervous. He was thoroughly unhappy about his situation. At least the bus would get him to the outskirts of town, then Henry could pick him up.

Chell 8:00am
No, just me. That's not exactly what you wanted to know, was it?

He smiled at the slightly cheeky text, amused at how she was practically calling herself out as well as him. She'd asked first, after all.

Me 8:00am
Not exactly

Chell 8:00am
No partner. Not right now anyway

Me 8:01am
Oh? Got someone in mind?

He tapped the corner of his phone against his chin as he waited, staring out of the steamed-up window. It was a baiting text, to say the least, and he almost dreaded her response.

Chell 8:01am
Possibly…
He might not be interested though

Doug exhaled slowly, recognising the corner he'd backed himself into. She could be talking about him. It certainly seemed like it, and god, he wanted her to be, but there was that annoying, nagging doubt, the possibility that she wasn't. The possibility that he was misreading it. There was only one answer he could give her that would truthfully cover both options.

Me 8:03am
He'd be an idiot if he wasn't

The bus slowed and opened its doors, and a few people tripped down the aisle to leave. The driver rattled out a generic thank you to them all, but for the last person he summoned genuine warmth.

"Nice to see you, Chell, have a good day."

Doug's head shot up so fast it almost made him dizzy. As the bus pulled away, he wiped the foggy window with his sleeve, catching a glimpse of a hooded, bundled-up figure walking away. His heart threatened to beat its way right out of his chest.

Think realistically about this, he tried to tell himself, but was cut down by a simple piece of logic.

How many Chells can there be in this area?

It had been her! It must have been.

And she's the woman your umbrella dripped on, he realised, recognising her coat. Great job.

He considered telling the driver to stop, running after her, explaining who he was, but he was rooted to his seat. He hadn't seen her face, hadn't looked at her properly when he'd apologised for dripping water on her. He was regretting that hasty interaction now.

Should I tell her?

No, there's nothing to tell. 'I sort-of-but-not-really saw you on a bus' sounds ridiculous. Especially if it turns out there is another Chell.

Making the sensible decision, Doug said nothing, merely exited the bus at his stop without asking the driver about her. That seemed too stalkerish, and he preferred to wait until she told him more details herself. It was only after her reply came in that he remembered the last thing he'd said to her.

Chell 8:12am
He's definitely not an idiot, but I guess he might be shy

Drying off in the staff room, Chell couldn't stop smiling.

He'd be an idiot if he wasn't.

The phrase kept dancing through her head. She'd been a little…forward. Well, they both had, but she couldn't regret it. It felt like they were finally getting near a topic they'd both so far avoided.

Her phone buzzed with a notification, and she reached for it, only to feel a pang of disappointment when the email icon flashed up. When she opened it, however, her brow rose with intrigued surprise.

'From: Aperture Laboratories
Subject: Successful testing application'

Hopeful, Chell opened the full email and started reading.