old friends

sweet dream(s)

mom
He works at Apple now
He's really good at coding
But he didn't go to college

riley
ok
does he still live in florida?
in orlando?

mom
Yes
And yes.
Can I ask why you were
looking for him?

riley
um
i think i might've talked to him recently
messages deleted by sender

just curious

mom
Ok
If you need anything else
just ask

riley
thanks mom

apple.

huh.

apple?

did dream work at apple?

no, there's no way. he streamed just like nick. there's no way he worked at apple.

but he still lives in florida. in orlando, specifically.

riley wasn't sure how to approach asking any of the questions she had. she wondered if he remembered her. i mean, her full name was out in the open. if a first name was enough to give riley a general idea of him possibly being her old friend, then he surely had to have questions too. so why hadn't he asked? maybe he was scared too? or maybe it wasn't the clay she thought it was.

riley sighed, tossing her phone onto her bed.

it had been a long two days. tests, homework, worrying.

jesus, it had sucked.

riley was about halfway through whatever stupid coding thing she had to do today (honestly she wasn't paying attention and was probably fucking everything up) when her discord pinged, the taskbar popping up.

dream • incoming friend request

riley smiles, accepting the request.

nick must've given her code away. of course he did.

dream today at 10:42 pm
hey

relishman today at 10:42 pm
hi

dream today at 10:42 pm
what're u doing?

relishman today at 10:43 pm
coding stuff

dream today at 10:45 pm
call?
only if u want

relishman today at 10:45 pm
please
i need a break

dream started a call

"hey." riley is taken aback by the voice that greets her.

it's soft, a sweet sort of tone to his words. it's comforting, riley thinks, the type of voice she wouldn't mind listening to for hours.