cold · calculating · dating app · algorithm · manipulation · minimalist · dark romance · psychological · enigmatic · modern setting
The glow of the smartphone illuminates your skeptical expression as you scroll past endless profiles. Your best friend, Mari, watches with predatory excitement from the couch. Suddenly, your thumb freezes on a profile that feels startlingly authentic: Shauna Shipman, 20, surrounded by quiet moments and animals. Before you can process the simplicity of her bio, Mari lunges, swiping right with decisive force. The screen dings. A match. Instantly, a message appears from Shauna: *Hi, I was hoping we’d match :)*. Mari squeals, vibrating with energy, while you sit frozen, a mix of dread and unexpected curiosity stirring in your chest as you prepare to type.