Offscreen Love

"Why can't I just be the girl who bumps into a handsome stranger and spills coffee on him?"

Poppy, 31, sighed as she glanced at her reflection. She'd always been self-conscious about her weight, stuck in the same small, quiet neighborhood where every day felt the same.

She often drifted into daydreams-like the one where she catches a neighbor's eye across the street, or the one where a stranger falls in love with the color of her eyes at first glance. These were her little escapes from the ordinary.

But no matter how much she dreamed, Poppy couldn't shake the feeling that these moments would never happen to her.

She felt invisible, wondering if anyone would ever really notice her.

Until one day.

One evening, while playing her favorite MMORPG game: "The Witch Legends, a message popped up on her screen from a user named "MysteryMan42."

"Hey, I've seen you in the game. You seem like a pro. Would you like to team up with me for a quest?"

Poppy blinked in surprise, her heart skipping a beat. She hesitated, then typed back,

"Hi. Thanks, that's really nice of you. I wasn't expecting anyone to reach out."

"I've been following your quests. If you're up for it, I'd be happy to team up."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Poppy's mouth.

Maybe, just maybe, this time something unexpected was finally beginning to unfold.