findapenpal.com

something new

dream leans back into his chair, sighing. he did the same things everyday, he's getting tired of it. his days were repetitive, boring. he wanted to do something fun, exciting. he wanted to try something new. what was there to do?

he got on his computer, searching for fun and exciting things to do. he didn't find anything particularly interesting. it all costs too much money, like travelling. he was almost out of options, desperately trying to find something he'd like.

scrolling, clicking multiple websites. there was nothing that caught his eye, all these websites were filled with the same suggestions. he became frustrated, jaw clenched. not finding any results made dream feel hopeless. 

fed up with websites, he tried youtube. he thought that was a good place to find refreshing things to do. he searched the same prompt, praying there were different results. the newly loaded page was filled with many options, which relieved him. he scrolled through to find a lengthy video, he was excited. 

he clicked on one that was eye-catching, made by a female creator. he had high expectations for this video, it looked promising. the bright and flashy colors caught him off guard, flinching. he didn't want to wait, skipping the intro entirely. 

she was suggesting things that he'd already disapproved, which upset him. "not you too." 

the female creator had already said four new ideas, he was very close to clicking off the video. but, the fifth idea was one he hadn't heard yet. he leaned closer to the computer, listening attentively to what she was saying. 

"...fifth idea! you should try to get a pen pal! it's super easy to do! you go this website I put in the description and you get matched with someone random from anywhere around the world! you send letters back and forth, making new friends if you're lucky! it's also a cheaper option for people who don't have a ton of money to spend, but still want to try something new! you should give it a try!"

his eyes widen, he thought it wasn't a bad idea. it was something within his budget, it also looked fun. it was almost perfect, but he was skeptical. "there's no way you'll get matched up someone good, right?" 

he didn't have anything to lose, so he went to her description, clicking on the website. "findapenpal.com? how convenient that there's a website called exactly that."

he hesitantly clicked website, leading him to a new tab. the page was pretty straightforward, he shifts his mouse and clicks on the 'find a penpal' tab, questions immediately flashing on his screen. they were basic questions about his name, age, if he lived in the us, if he was okay with getting matched with people from certain places.

after answering ten questions, he was directed to a page that prompted him to wait as they matched him with a penpal, that it would take anywhere from ten minutes to an hour. he was nervous, he didn't know if this would work. he tried and that's all that mattered.

he watched youtube videos to pass the time, checking frequently if he'd gotten his match yet. he was becoming more anxious than he expected. he didn't want some creepy dude, they'd have each other's addresses and that wouldn't sit well with him. 

maybe he should've thought more about this, but he can also just close the tab if he gets matched with some weirdo. thoughts race through his head, trying to focus on the video he was watching. he shakes his head, switching to the other tab. 

the screen flashed bright blue, stating he's been matched. he perks up, jittery. he clicks the show my penpal button, loading a new fresh page. his legs shake anxiously, he didn't know what to expect. his heart was beating out of his chest.

he skims over the now loaded page, the profile of his match emerges abruptly. it read that the person's name is george, they were from the uk, and that they're twenty four. there was also an address attached, only accessible by messaging the profile asking for it. he hovers his keyboard, unsure about what to start off with.

he ended up going with something simple. 

hello, I got matched with you. I wanted to know if I could have your address so I can send you a letter.

it showed text bubbles, meaning the person was typing back. he was nervous, he'd never thought he'd be doing something like this. he wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not.

oh, hello. I can see your profile. nice to meet you. my address is x! I expect to receive a letter soon, goodbye!

he was satisfied with the automated response, writing down the address swiftly and closing out the tab entirely. he let out a deep breath, not sure where to start. should he write the letter first? that should be the first thing, right?

he sat still in his chair, thinking about things he could write to this person. he eventually got up, retrieving sheets of paper, an envelope, and a pencil. he thought it be easier to start with the envelope, so that's what he did. he wrote everything neatly, he wanted it to be readable.

the envelope looked bland, only having his name and address. he wanted it to look nice, he wanted to make a good first impression. he got up from his chair once again, looking for markers and stickers. he found markers with no trouble, but couldn't seem to find any stickers.

"i'm sure drista has left some here before, where did I put them?" he shuffled around, searching and searching.

he looked in his living room, kitchen, and his bedroom. there weren't in sight, dream trying his best to remember where he left them. "oh, wait. did I leave in one of the drawers by my desk?" 

he walks to his bedroom, opening his drawers and sifting through them. he looked through the last drawer, hitting the jackpot. "yes! I still have them! thank god."

he looks at the tiny sheets of stickers, thinking about which would look good. he wasn't sure if his penpal would like these kind of stickers, but it's worth a shot. he sat down, grabbing a marker and getting to work.

dream decorated it with faces, flowers, and many doodles. he added fruit stickers to the envelope, the only ones that didn't look overly girly. he liked how it turned out, setting it aside for later. now, came the hard part. he had to write a letter to someone he's never met. 

he couldn't think of much to write. he didn't know what would be considered revealing too much information, as well as boundaries his penpal might have that he had no knowledge about. he was stressing out, he couldn't help it.

he sat there, sheet after sheet, not having a clue what to write. he didn't want to seem rude or mean in his letter, he just didn't know how to word it to not sound that way. he chose to calm down, taking a break for a second. 

dream was sleepy, all he wanted was to be drowned by the warmth of his comforter. the letter can wait a couple of hours. his bed was the only thing on his mind.