The study session had begun as it always did—quiet, focused, and serious. Naomi and Adarsh had their screens set up, textbooks ready, and notes open. It was just another study session… but Naomi had other plans.
Naomi: "Hey, Adarsh! I've found something cool to make our study sessions a little more fun. Want to try it?"
Adarsh: "Something cool? Like... a study hack?"
Naomi: "Sort of, but trust me, it's way more fun than just study hacks. Here, I'll show you."
Without skipping a beat, Naomi clicked something on her screen, and Adarsh's own screen suddenly displayed a cartoon version of Naomi—without a face, of course, since they weren't doing a face reveal yet—wearing a giant pair of glasses and a silly mustache.
Adarsh stared at the screen in confusion for a moment.
Adarsh: "Uh... Naomi? What is this?"
Naomi quickly typed in a message.
Naomi: "It's a filter! You can change how you look on your screen, even if you're not using a camera. Pretty cool, right?"
Adarsh blinked, realizing he had no idea filters could be used without a camera. His curiosity piqued, he decided to give it a try. He clicked on a filter that made his screen avatar look like a cartoon character—complete with a crown and twinkling stars around him. It was ridiculous, but funny in a way that made him chuckle.
Adarsh: "Okay, so now I'm... a prince, apparently. How do I look, Naomi?"
There was a brief pause as Naomi read the message. Then, the text appeared:
Naomi: "nod nod"
Adarsh blinked at the screen, confused.
"Nod nod?" he thought, feeling a pang of uncertainty. He had no idea what it meant, but the way Naomi had written it made him feel... a little off. Maybe "nod nod" meant something negative? He quickly glanced at his filter again, wondering if he'd overdone it with the crown or the twinkling stars. Was he being too goofy?
Adarsh: "Wait... does 'nod nod' mean I look bad?"
A few moments passed before Naomi responded.
Naomi: "No, no! nod nod means I think it looks good! Like... I'm agreeing with you! You look like a royal!"
Relief flooded over Adarsh. It was clear he had misinterpreted her message, but the anxiety from thinking he looked silly had made his heart race for a moment. Naomi, sensing his uncertainty, quickly followed up with another message.
Naomi: "I promise, you look awesome as a prince! You're totally rocking the crown."
Adarsh chuckled, feeling a little embarrassed. He hadn't meant to overthink it, but it was just in his nature.
Adarsh: "Okay, okay. I guess I'll keep the crown then. Prince Adarsh, it is."
Naomi: "Haha, yes! And you better get used to being treated like royalty now!"
There was a brief silence between them as Naomi sent a playful emoji with a crown, and Adarsh followed suit with a funny face filter that made him look like a cartoon with big, googly eyes.
For a moment, they both just sat there, their screens filled with the ridiculous faces and filters, both silently laughing but not saying a word. It was a rare, lighthearted moment in their usually serious study sessions. Despite not hearing each other's laughter, their connection felt deeper than ever.
As the evening wore on, they fell back into their study routine, the filters and silly messages making it just a little bit more bearable. And even though they couldn't hear each other's voices, the quiet laughter they shared was loud enough to fill the silence between them.
Adarsh: "Goodnight, Naomi. Thanks for making studying a bit more fun."
Naomi: "Goodnight, Adarsh. Sleep well, Prince."