NOVEL NEXT 298: Dreams Matter
Sam: It's Ayela. HC gave me your digits. Do you know about Discord?
Cora: I know how I met you, Ayela.
Sam: I mean, do you know it's fucked up?
Cora: Everything's fucked up.
Sam: More specifically, Discord is full of NPCs
Cora: Who steal the virginity of the unsuspecting?
Sam: Okay, I'm not explaining this well.
Cora: 👀
Sam: It's taking people's convos and reproducing them on other servers with the usernames changed. I got a fake DM preview that said it was from you, and it had my real name in it.
Cora: WHAT THE FUCK?!
Sam: Yeah, I had a full-blown panic attack and ran down the street barefoot and braless.
Cora: Good god, braless running? It really is the apocalypse!
Sam: frfr. Anyway, can we talk here instead of Discord? Maybe I'm a little paranoid, but it's like they're watching me.
Cora: I'll talk anywhere you want, Ayela. Are you okay?
Sam: My name's Sam. Samantha.
Cora: 😊 Nice to meet you, Sam.
Sam: HC told me you're in Nashville.
Cora: He didn't lie.
Sam: Never been, but always wanted to.
Cora: It's just like everywhere else.
Sam: Not if you're there.
Cora: 😍 Tru dat. So, are we flirting again?
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Sam: are you mad that I disappeared for a few days? I was figuring out the Discord nightmare.
Cora: not mad. I was worried I did something to scare you off, and that's the last thing I wanted to do.
Sam: I'm shaking my head at my screen as though you can see. NO. It wasn't you, Cora. I had a total meltdown.
Cora: do you wanna talk about it?
Sam: sort of
Cora: I'll listen. Or, I can tell you about me if it helps.
Sam: yeah, what's been up with you?
Cora: firstly, I had this gal flirt with me and got all hot and bothered. Then she sent me a video that made me want to go to church when I hate everything those buildings represent.
Sam: LOLOLOL
Cora: hey, I'm talking here
Sam: 👂
Cora: I don't know what that video was, Sam, but I want more of it. Do you wanna talk about the meltdown now?
Sam: it was sort of Discord, but also not. I got fired. bad choices followed. A drunken mistake was made which included bad memories.
Cora: Ahh. That's the last poem you posted, right? "Mistake In A Bottle: That's What I Call You For Short." 😂 Brilliant.
Sam: 🤣 yeah, that one was therapeutic
Cora: are you scared of relationships?
Sam: terrified
Cora: then thanks for talking to me. it means a lot that you trust me, even if it's just a little. I'm imperfect, Sam. but I will do my damndest to deserve the faith you've put in me
Sam: that's all anyone can ask
Cora: So, what're you doing?
Sam: LOL. you'll never believe where I am
Cora: naked in the bubble bath?
Sam: lol. no. I had to find out if the real HC Maron was employing me or if an NPC was catfishing me or something. tbh, I don't know much about schemes. I'm pretending like I know the lingo.
Cora: dear god, this is so fucked up. WAIT- are you in MIAMI RIGHT NOW?
Sam: you betcha!
Cora: hot damn! I'm half tempted to catch an airship and join you. I love that goddamn Santa of a man and his Sri Lankan Mrs. Claus wife
Sam: 🤣LMAO! I know! I fucking KNOW, Cora. They are a pair. Dear lord, a couple that amazing shouldn't exist, should it?
Cora: did he tell you how we met?
Sam: nope!
Cora: well, it's too long to type it out, but I was a music student, and he's the one that set me on the path to being Coraline As Is. HC and Paddy were life savers. Hey— I've got rehearsals in about 10 minutes, so heads up
Sam: rehearsals?
Cora: yeah, actually, i'm nervous, and that hasn't happened in years. oh, you said you've never been to Nashville. Well, there's this place where if you perform, it can propel your career. It's super old, been around for centuries: Ryman Auditorium. There's a bunch of old musical places like that here, but producers hang and scope the talent, looking for people. Anyway, I've been wanting to sing there for years, and I'm actually opening for the band Maverick & Marley this weekend.
Sam: OMG, Cora! That's huge! Does HC know?
Cora: dammit, I've been so busy I didn't even tell him. brb
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Cora: okay, he knows now. I gotta shower and get ready for practice, but Sam, I really, really wanna talk to you again. I understand if you need space after everything you went through on Discord. But I've read your book, and I saw you play piano...
...
...
and I— well. I dunno how to say this. Dreams matter to me. There. Gotta go. Let's talk soon.
Sam: dreams matter. talk to you soon, Cora. ❤️🔥
Cora: 💞