Let's get one thing straight: I didn't mean to eavesdrop.
But when a robot parrot squawks, "HE'S NOT WHO HE SAYS HE IS," you pause your rooftop dance battle and casually start hiding behind a potted fern.
Earlier that day, we'd been gifted "bonding bracelets"—aka glorified mood rings—that glowed green when your match was "emotionally synced" and red when someone was "being shady." Very normal. Totally healthy relationship science.
So far, Milo and I were a solid green.
Until now.
I peeked through the leaves. The parrot perched above the control booth, and below it stood… Crystal. Not her usual sparkly, overly caffeinated self—no, this was different. She was whispering into an earpiece, her tone clipped and serious.
"No, we can't pull him out now. They're getting too close," she said.
Pause.
"I said not yet. Let the romance simmer. We need the drama arc."
What. The. Hell.
I felt my bracelet pulse red. A low hum. Like it knew I was being nosy.
Before I could process, footsteps approached. I quickly ducked behind a lounge chair and pretended to be very interested in a fake succulent.
Milo appeared, holding two mugs of what he claimed was "hot chocolate" but smelled like cereal milk.
"Hey. Thought I'd find you up here," he said, sitting next to me. "I figured we needed a break from the karaoke meltdown downstairs."
I tried to play it cool. "Oh, you mean when Leo tried to sing Beyoncé and split his pants?"
He laughed. "Iconic. Honestly, he's a national treasure."
There was a pause.
"Hey," he said, softer now. "Your bracelet's red."
I looked down. Crap. "Yeah, must be... interference. Or maybe it's mad I saw someone use oat milk in mac and cheese."
He didn't laugh this time. "Tess, are we okay?"
My brain said: lie. My heart said: trust him.
So of course I said, "Do you ever feel like this app is... more than it seems?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Like… spooky AI vibes? Or Truman Show vibes?"
"Yes," I whispered. "Exactly that."
He leaned in. "Funny you say that. Because I found something."
He pulled out a folded paper from his jacket—real paper, not digital.
"It was shoved behind the mirror in the 'Reflection Room.'"
I read it aloud. "Project HeartCode—Phase II. Emotional volatility required. Romance = Ratings. Maximize pair-bond tension before extraction."
I blinked. "Is this… real?"
He nodded. "And I think we're part of some kind of… test."
"Like a dating experiment?"
"Or worse—reality show."
We sat in silence. I swear the fake succulent was judging us.
Then he reached over, gently took my hand.
"I don't care if this is fake. I know what this feels like," he said, motioning between us. "And it feels kinda real."
My bracelet flickered green.
I smiled, heart fluttering. "You're either the sweetest guy I've met, or the world's best undercover agent."
"Plot twist," he whispered dramatically. "I'm both."
Just then, Zara burst onto the rooftop holding a tablet.
"You guys. Jessie's missing. And Crystal said she 'left voluntarily.' But like—have you met Jessie? She barely leaves the couch."
Cue: dramatic music (from Leo's phone, obviously).
Milo stood. "Okay. New mission unlocked. We find Jessie. We figure out what this app is hiding."
I stood too. "And we don't fall for any more mood bracelets or robotic birds."
Zara blinked. "Wait—what birds?"
I grabbed my fake cocoa and looked up at the sky.
"Game on, TrueMatch. Game. On."