Amaris' POV
As I sat at a corner table in Hayley's Cyberspace, watching the others eagerly fiddle with their newly acquired phones, I couldn't help but smile at their excitement. The quiet hum of the bar, mixed with the occasional clink of mugs and the sound of their enthusiastic chatter, felt oddly comforting. They were so... engaged.
I felt a twinge of warmth as I reached into my bag and pulled out my own phone. As I unlocked the screen, I opened the Shin family group chat, a chat that only consisted of myself and my parents.
The conversation was brief, with both of them already sharing their appreciation for the phones. I smiled softly, tapping out a reply: "I'm glad you like it!" I attached a smiling emoji before pressing send.
I exited the chat, my thoughts drifting for a moment before I opened a new one. This time, I added Kira, Trent, Conner, and Ethan.
As soon as the chat was created, a series of pings erupted from my phone and then theirs. The sound was almost like a symphony of excitement, and I glanced up to see their faces lighting up with curiosity.
Ethan and Conner, already having explored the phone's features, exchanged awed looks. "Woah," Ethan breathed, and Conner echoed the sentiment.
I couldn't help but smile more, feeling a subtle satisfaction. It was the small things, after all, that could make someone's day.
I sent a quick Ankylosaurus sticker that said hi, and the reactions were instantaneous. Their eyes widened, and I could practically feel the question forming in their minds.
"How'd you do that?" Kira asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
I smiled, already expecting this moment. "Here, on the smiling icon, tap it, and you'll see what stickers I installed for you all."
With a chorus of 'oohs,' they eagerly tapped their screens. Ethan was the first to send a Triceratops sticker with a cheerful hi, followed by Kira, who sent a Pteranodon, Conner who sent a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and finally, Trent, who grinned and sent a Dragon.
I looked beside me to see Trent still scrolling through the stickers, no doubt searching for more. I turned my attention to the trio, their faces a mixture of amusement and uncertainty. They glanced at each other, and their expressions slowly hardened. A small laugh bubbled up from within me, and I suppressed it, watching them with quiet delight.
"Uh.. Amaris? Can I ask you something" Kira finally asked, sounding a little hesitant.
I tilted my head, fully aware of the question they were about to ask. "Yes?" I replied politely.
Kira laughed awkwardly, clearly trying to find the right words. "Why'd you pick these... characters for us?"
I paused, letting the question hang for a moment before offering my answer with a smile. "Well, I noticed that you guys often doodled these dinosaurs in your notebooks," I began, a little chuckle slipping from my lips. "And when Professor Oliver mentioned these dinosaurs, your eyes shined. So I deduced that maybe you liked those dinosaurs... Was I perhaps wrong?"
They all stared at me, then exchanged looks of realization. And just as quickly, their faces broke into embarrassed, awkward laughs.
"Ohhh…!" Ethan and Conner said in unison, their expressions shifting into sheepish grins.
I couldn't help but laugh softly, enjoying the fun of it all.
"That's actually pretty thoughtful, Amaris," Kira added, rubbing the back of her neck. "We just didn't expect you to know..."
I smiled, feeling a quiet warmth at their reactions. "I try my best," I said simply.
Just then, Trent, still engrossed in his phone, looked up with a sudden spark of curiosity. "Amaris, can you teach me how to use this sketching app? I've never seen something like this before."
I nodded, happy to help. "Of course." I went on to explain the app's features, guiding him step by step through the settings, tips, and tricks. "You can layer the sketches, and it has a fantastic variety of brushes to choose from. Don't forget to save your work regularly."
"Thanks, Amaris," Trent said, his eyes lighting up with appreciation. "This is going to be great for my drawings."
I nodded politely, watching him continue to work on his phone.
But as I looked at the trio—Ethan, Conner, and Kira, they were still absorbed in their screens. I couldn't help but sigh internally. 'Oh dear....' I thought. 'They have become quite attached to their phones, have they not? It is both amusing and a little troubling.'
As the thought crossed my mind, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. But, still, I knew it was time to step in. I checked the time, realized they'd been too distracted, and decided it was time to bring them back to reality.
One by one, I began serving their food. First, I handed Trent his plate. He barely looked up from his phone, only muttering, "Oh, thank you, Amaris," as he continued sketching on his phone.
I smiled softly, moving on to the next person, Ethan, who was engrossed in a puzzle game. "Here you are, Mr. James," I said, placing the plate in front of him.
"Thanks, Amaris!" he said, not lifting his eyes from the screen, already tapping away.
"I hope the meal is to your liking," I replied, already moving on to Conner.
Conner was watching a soccer match replay. "This is for you, Mr. McKnight," I said, placing his food in front of him.
"Nice! Thanks, Amaris," he said enthusiastically, his eyes still glued to the screen.
I chuckled lightly, "Kindly exercise caution; it remains quite hot."
He nodded, still focused on the match, and took a bite of his food. His eyes widened as he burned his tongue. "Ow!" he exclaimed.
I laughed softly. "I did offer a word of caution, did I not?"
Finally, I handed Kira her food, but she was busy fiddling with a music-making app. As I placed it down, her straw fell out of her drink. I bent down to retrieve it for her.
Just as I was straightening up, I felt a soft pressure on my cheek. My heart skipped a beat. "Thanks, I'll eat later," Kira said, her voice quiet, but her words clear.
I froze.
'G-Goodness… did she truly just… bestow a kiss upon my cheek?'
I blinked rapidly, unsure of what had just happened. My face felt hot, and I could sense my ears turning red. My heart raced, and I swallowed hard, trying to regain composure.
I set the straw down near her drink, feeling strangely dazed. 'Did Kira truly just kiss me?'
I forced myself to clear my throat, trying to regain some semblance of normalcy. "It was my pleasure," I said softly, then walked back to my seat. 'Why am I allowing myself to overanalyze this? It is not uncommon for young ladies to exchange gestures of affection. There is surely nothing peculiar about it… correct?'
But even as I told myself that, I couldn't shake the feeling that my heart was still fluttering in my chest.
I sat back down and grabbed my phone to distract myself. 'Please compose yourself, Amaris. It was merely a courteous gesture—a simple kiss upon the cheek, nothing beyond that.'
I stared at the screen, determined to focus, but my mind kept wandering back to Kira's soft touch against my cheek.
Why am I becoming so unreasonably flustered over such a minor occurrence?