Chapter 2: Conversations in the Dark

Ren sat at his desk, the soft glow from his phone illuminating the darkness. He stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the message from Tulip. It was simple enough: "Hi, my name is Tulip, I’m Zara’s friend." But something about it lingered in his mind.

He reread it for the third time, feeling a mix of curiosity and discomfort. He wasn’t used to strangers reaching out to him, but there was something different about this message. Maybe it was the mention of Zara, or maybe it was the hint of vulnerability in her tone.

With a sigh, Ren typed a quick reply, trying to shake off the strange flutter in his chest. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but he couldn’t just leave it unanswered.

He sent the message and leaned back in his chair, half-expecting the conversation to fizzle out. But Tulip’s reply came almost immediately.

Her message popped up: "Wow, you actually replied! I thought you'd ignore me forever. "

Ren chuckled, the tension in his shoulders easing. It was a relief to see that Tulip didn’t take things too seriously.

"Forever’s a long time. Just busy," he typed back quickly.

A few moments passed before another reply from her appeared on his screen: "Busy drawing amazing stuff? Zara wasn’t lying when she said you’re talented. I saw your work on Insta. The way you use colors is... insane."

Ren’s cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment. He wasn’t great at accepting praise, but a small smile tugged at his lips. Thanks. Just messing around with it, really. Nothing serious, he replied, hoping to downplay it.

Tulip responded almost instantly: "Messing around? Sure, okay, Picasso."

His smile widened at her playful teasing. The conversation was flowing in a way he wasn’t used to. It felt easy, natural even, which was rare for him.

He typed again: "Do you draw too?"

Tulip’s reply came a few seconds later: "Nah, I’m hopeless with a pencil. I’m more of a... cheerleader type? I like hyping people up who are actually good at things. So here I am. Hyping you up. "

Ren let out a small laugh. "Guess everyone needs a hype squad," he typed back.

“Exactly! I’m volunteering to be yours. You’re welcome,” she typed with a wink emoji.

Her words, though playful, were oddly comforting. Ren felt a strange warmth spread through him. It was nice—having someone cheer him on, even if they barely knew him.

He couldn’t help himself. "Do you believe in fate, or do you think we’re just making it all up as we go?"

There was a long pause before Tulip’s reply popped up: "Oooh, that’s a good one. I think it’s a mix of both. We have the power to shape things, but sometimes, the universe has its own little plans for us. Like this conversation—totally random, but here we are."

Ren pondered her response for a moment. "Yeah, sometimes life’s a little... random, huh? But maybe it’s that randomness that makes it interesting. Or maybe we’re just part of a cosmic joke," he typed with a slight smirk.

Tulip’s next message came in quickly: "Well, if it is a joke, I think the universe has a good sense of humor."

Ren’s lips curled into a smile. She had a way of making things seem lighter, even when the conversation took a deeper turn.

“What’s one thing that always makes you smile, no matter what’s going on?” he asked, his voice softening slightly as he typed.

There was a brief pause before she replied, her tone taking on a more thoughtful quality: "My friends. Or when I’m just dancing by myself in my room. It’s kind of a one-person rave, but it works."

Ren couldn’t help but laugh at the mental image. "I need to see this one-person rave sometime. I bet it’s impressive," he wrote, grinning to himself.

“Maybe, but only if you promise not to judge my dance moves. ” she typed back.

“No judgment here, I swear,” Ren replied, his tone light and easy.

Tulip’s response came quickly, the words almost teasing: “Alright, your turn.”

Ren hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen. The questions had gotten a little more personal, and for a moment, he wondered whether he should keep things light. But something about Tulip made it feel safe to open up.

“If you had to give me a nickname, what would it be?” he typed, his curiosity piqued.

There was a long pause this time, and Ren could almost picture her thinking. When the message finally appeared, it was full of playful energy: “Hmm, that’s a tough one. How about ‘The Mysterious Artist’? But that’s kinda long. You know, for a nickname.”

Ren laughed softly at her response. “Yeah, I think we can come up with something shorter. Alright, I’ve got it. Tulip.”

There was a brief silence before Tulip’s message appeared on his screen: “Wait, you’re calling me Tulip? Seriously?”

Ren chuckled, his fingers dancing across the screen as he replied: “Yeah, it just... suits you. You like tulip flowers, right? Plus, your lips—they’re kind of the same color as a pink tulip.”

Tulip froze for a moment, surprised by the simplicity of his choice. She read it again, and this time, it made her smile. “Well, aren’t you smooth? grins But I guess I’ll take it as a compliment. I do love tulips. They’re elegant, but they stand out too. Kind of like... me?”

Ren grinned, feeling something unfamiliar stir inside him. “Exactly. They’re unique, but simple. And you’re definitely not just ‘ordinary.’”

Tulip smiled to herself as she read his words, feeling a strange warmth spread through her chest. She had expected a casual chat, but something about this conversation felt... different. Maybe it wasn’t just random after all.

As Ren and Tulip exchanged one last round of messages, he found himself reluctant to let go of the conversation. The quiet hum of his phone was the only sound in his room, but it felt oddly comforting.

Tulip’s last message popped up on his screen: "Alright, I think it’s time for me to hit the hay. Gotta be up early for class. But hey, let’s do this again sometime. You made my night a lot better. "

Ren stared at the words for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips. He typed back quickly: “Yeah, let’s do it. Goodnight, Tulip. Sleep well.”

Tulip’s reply came instantly: "Goodnight, Ren. Sweet dreams!"

Ren put his phone down with a soft sigh, a mix of warmth and uncertainty swirling inside him. He wasn’t used to opening up like this, especially not to someone who had just entered his life. But somehow, talking to Tulip felt like he’d known her for longer than a few hours. It was strange, yet… easy.

As he got ready for bed, his thoughts wandered back to their conversation. There was something about her, something different, that made him feel like he wasn’t alone in this world full of noise and pressure. Maybe she could be a reminder that things didn’t always have to be so complicated.

He closed his eyes, his mind replaying their messages as a faint smile lingered on his lips.

Meanwhile, across town, Tulip lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her phone buzzed one more time with a final message from Ren. The simple words made her heart skip a beat: “Sweet dreams, Tulip.”

She smiled to herself, feeling a little lighter than before. She didn’t know what it was about Ren, but something about him made her want to keep talking to him. There was an easy, effortless connection between them that she hadn’t expected.

As her eyes fluttered shut, her thoughts lingered on the night’s conversation. She had a feeling that this was just the beginning of something new. Something… important.

The next morning, the weight of the math test was heavy on Tulip’s mind as she walked to class, her thoughts still drifting to Ren. She had no idea where things were going, but for once, she didn’t mind not having all the answers. Sometimes, the uncertainty was part of the fun.

Ren, on the other hand, sat at his desk again, fingers drumming against the surface as he waited for his mind to quiet. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted—something inside him, something about Tulip. He hadn’t expected a conversation to leave such an impression, but now, as he looked at his phone, he wondered what the future might hold