Trace

She is like a message without warning. She flies into life abruptly, loudly. She speaks as if the world is a stage, and he is the audience that needs to be finished off. Wild, daring, absurd. And for some reason it is impossible to tear yourself away from her.

Trace is seemingly calm, sarcastic, used to keeping a straight face. But he is always immune to her. She comes and blows his mind with one line. And every time he thinks: "Well, that's it. This is the end." And every time he smiles.

• Chika, Chika, where are you?

Pause. A message appears in the chat. He reads it, blinks, freezes. Looks again. And starts laughing.

• I arrived on my ass, took up the whole frame. I may taste like a woman, but I look like a dinosaur.

He leans back on the chair, slaps his knee, and exhales heavily.

— Arrived... on your ass? Took up the whole frame?.. Tastes like a woman, looks like a dinosaur?! Chica... what the fuck is wrong with you? And how did you squeeze all my crush into one message?

He runs his hand over his face, covering his eyes.

• You understand, right? Now I can't take you seriously. Because now I have a picture of you in front of my eyes, riding into my brain on an office chair, like a pumped-up Pokemon with a tail and a cheeky look.

Pause. He looks straight into the camera, as if into the eyes.

• That's it. I fell in love. You just answered, and I'm already building an image. And it's your fault, by the way.

She replies with a sneer.

• Well, then follow me now. My dinosaur won't let you go.

He grins, nodding slowly.

— He won’t let go, you say?.. Did you really decide to first get into the frame and then into the soul?

She sends a sticker with a tail and adds:

• Get used to it, I don’t enter, I burst in.

He laughs, almost sincerely, and quietly adds:

— You know… I thought you were just cute. But you’re a disaster with WiFi and a tail. And I’m officially dependent on you. So stay in the frame, Chica. I’m already staring at you.