1 Chapter 1

I have stimulated this scene hundreds and thousands of times in my head over the past month, and yet here I am still so nervous. I'm going to meet my boyfriend for the first time since we started dating half a year ago. Long story short, we're gaming buddies. We met three years ago playing a mmorpg, got close a year ago, started a mutual interest relationship six months ago, and now we are just going to finally meet each other. I am both excited and extremely nervous.

[Just got off the plane.] I text him.

[Yeah? I'm waiting in the lobby.]

[Okay.]

Over the past month, I also had nightmares. Nightmares of this exact moment that I have been fantasizing about. Nightmares that my in-person attributes didn't meet his standards so he broke things off between us and what was supposed to be an eventful week turned into a depression holiday.

"'Micah." A man stops in front of me, calling me by a name that only one person is capable of matching a face with. I suddenly feel like a teenager standing in front of her crush even though I am already 23. My eyes are staring at the floor and my heart is racing. My body feels tense, I'm at a loss of what to do. Then my phone starts buzzing in my right hand and the familiar ringtone resonates from my earbuds into my ears. By impulse, I pick up the call.

"Girlfriend, hi." The man in front of me places his hand on my head, patting me gently. "Talk to me." His voice through the phone call is soothing as always.

"Boyfriend, hi." I finally look up to make eye contact with the man standing in front of me. His eyes are like dark chocolate marbles. His dark silky hair is trimmed short and his skin is a little more tanned than what I imagined. Finally meeting him in person feels like meeting an old friend, like we have known each other since forever, but yet complete strangers.

"I have been wanting to do this." The man in front of me tugs at my arms. I stumble a little and fall onto his chest, his arms wrap around me in an embrace.

The position we're in makes me a little awkward, but yet it's so warm and cozy. "Are you not embarrassed doing cringey things like this?" I remark on his action.

"What's wrong with being cringey with my girlfriend?" Of the thousands of stimulations I created in the past month, this is not one of them. I did not anticipate him to be this affectionate within the first three minutes of meeting each other. It's kind of cute.

"Hug me back." He requests. I raise both of my hands up to his sides and around to his back. It's my first time hugging a man like this. It's a little awkward, but I don't hate it.

"Where's my sassy girlfriend at?" The man in my arms asks. "You're so timid."

I release my arms around him and push his chest away. "I've already told you, I'm shy in person, okay?" I frown.

The man chuckles lightly. "You're like a whole different person, it's cute."

I can feel blood flushing towards my face. "Are you making fun of me?" I take a step back so I can clearly view his face.

"I wouldn't dare, Princess. I'm just teasing a little." His hand reaches towards my head and gently strokes my hair.

"You're so embarrassing."

"But you like it."

I bit my lips and directed my gaze elsewhere. Well, I don't particularly hate it.

The man reaches for my left hand and interlaces our fingers together. His fingers are long and his hand feels big on mine. "Ready to go?"

I nod my head. His hand is warm.

"I have something for you."