Alex didn't expect a response to his message to Mia, let alone one so soon.
Yet, barely ten minutes after hitting send, his phone buzzed. Dylan was mid-rant about something when Alex froze, staring at the notification.
"What's up?" Dylan asked, munching on a bag of chips he'd somehow conjured from thin air.
"She replied," Alex said, his voice a mix of panic and surprise.
"Read it, read it!" Dylan practically leaped across the room to peek over Alex's shoulder.
Alex glared at him before opening the message:
"Hey, Alex. Wow, it's been a while! Honestly, I appreciate you saying that. I was pretty bummed back then, but I get it. Life happens. Maybe we can catch up sometime?"
Dylan let out a low whistle. "Look at you, Mr. Empathy. She didn't even curse you out."
"Shut up," Alex muttered, feeling an odd mix of relief and guilt. "What do I even say to that?"
"Say yes, obviously," Dylan said. "This is your chance to rebuild a bridge you burned."
Alex hesitated. "I'm not sure. I mean, what if it's awkward? Or worse, what if she brings up all the other times I flaked?"
"Then you deal with it like a grown-up," Dylan said, shoving the bag of chips into Alex's lap. "Come on, don't overthink it. Just say yes."
After a moment's thought, Alex typed out a response: "Yeah, that sounds good. Let me know when you're free!"
Dylan grinned like a proud parent. "Atta boy. Now, onto more important matters."
"Like what?" Alex asked, wary of Dylan's sudden enthusiasm.
"Your next task," Dylan said, pointing at Alex's phone. "What does the app want you to do now?"
Alex opened the Quest App, which had been suspiciously quiet since the painting task. The screen lit up with a new notification: "Prepare a healthy meal for yourself."
Dylan snorted. "Oh man, the app is really throwing you into the deep end."
"Why is cooking a healthy meal the deep end?" Alex asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Because I've seen your fridge," Dylan said, laughing. "And your idea of 'cooking' is microwaving leftover pizza."
Alex groaned. "Okay, fine. But what counts as healthy? Do I need to buy kale or something?"
"Relax," Dylan said, grabbing his keys. "We'll hit the grocery store. I'll guide you."
The grocery store was a battlefield. Dylan, self-appointed coach, dragged Alex through the aisles with the enthusiasm of a drill sergeant.
"Alright, we need protein, veggies, and carbs. Keep it balanced, but don't overthink it."
Alex stared at the array of vegetables like they were alien artifacts. "Do I look like someone who knows what to do with zucchini?"
"Zucchini's easy," Dylan said, tossing one into the cart. "You slice it, cook it, and boom—instant health points."
"Health points," Alex muttered. "You're really committed to this RPG metaphor, huh?"
Dylan grinned. "It's working, isn't it? Now grab some chicken breast."
By the time they checked out, Alex had a cart full of ingredients he didn't recognize and vague instructions from Dylan on how to turn them into an edible meal.
The whole thing felt like a setup for disaster.
Back in his tiny kitchen, Alex stared at the ingredients like a chef in a cooking competition. Dylan leaned against the counter, filming him on his phone.
"Why are you recording this?" Alex demanded, fumbling with a knife.
"For posterity," Dylan said. "Or blackmail. Haven't decided yet."
Alex sighed and got to work. The Quest App hadn't given specific instructions, so he decided to wing it.
He seasoned the chicken with what he hoped was an appropriate amount of salt and pepper, tossed some vegetables into a pan, and tried not to burn anything.
By some miracle, the result was... edible. Not gourmet by any stretch, but passable.
"Not bad," Dylan said, taking a bite. "I'd give it a solid 6 out of 10."
"That's generous," Alex said, but the app buzzed before he could argue further.
He picked up his phone and read the notification: "Task Complete: You have received +1 Cooking and +1 Health."
"Well, look at that," Alex said, holding up the screen for Dylan to see. "Even my mediocre cooking skills are worth something."
"Progress is progress," Dylan said, clinking his soda can against Alex's glass of water. "What's next?"
Alex checked the app again. The next task was both simpler and more perplexing:
"Spend 30 minutes meditating."
"Meditation?" Alex groaned. "Again?"
"Hey, don't knock it till you try it," Dylan said. "I bet it'll give you a Wisdom boost or something. Plus, it's not like you have to do much. Just sit there and breathe."
"Easy for you to say," Alex muttered, setting a timer on his phone.
He sat cross-legged on the living room floor, closed his eyes, and tried to focus.
For the first few minutes, all he could think about was how uncomfortable he was.
His legs were cramping, his back ached, and Dylan kept making exaggerated "ohm" noises in the background.
But gradually, something shifted. Alex's mind began to quiet down, and he found himself relaxing. By the time the timer went off, he felt oddly refreshed.
"Done," Alex said, standing up and stretching. The app buzzed again: "Task Complete: You have received +1 Wisdom."
"See?" Dylan said, giving him a thumbs up. "You're practically a sage already."
Alex rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling.