postcards from your new lover

April 2087.

Will they or won’t they? Is it for now or is it forever? A lot of couples have been taking the plunge into coupledom this spring, so let's see what these saucy lovebirds have been up to.






Vale and Norah:

Vale met Norah at a karaoke bar. Her voice was airy and distinct. Interesting, he thought. It wasn't exactly what he had in mind for the new track he was working on, but since Vicky shot him down, it could work. For now. Vale asked Norah out that night with the premise of making sweet sweet music—real music, he meant, not that kind of music. But lucky Vale that she intended to indulge him with both kinds of sweetness. Why should he say no?

"Hey, are you going to call me again?" she asked him before they hit the sheets.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Vale stammered, regretting that his hands were too occupied to cross his fingers first.

Norah is fun, he thinks, even if having a conversation with her feels a little delayed and vacant. But despite his fierce independence streak, Vale does get sick of being alone sometimes. Briefly. Like tonight.


But Vale is a man of his word, if nothing else. He said he would call her back, so he did, and they jammed on a few songs together. Maybe something usable. He’d see where it went.

But he intends to let Norah do most of the calling from here on out. He wouldn't want her to think he was too interested.

———

Ariel and Colton:



Ariel is psyched for the upcoming Summer Solstice festival. She's been waiting all year for this party, and she has to admit that it was a large reason she ever came to Dresden College in the first place. She was first in line to buy tickets for her and Josie. Ariel has definite plans to dump Colton before the festival comes along because she wants to spend a long hot summer totally single and free. And this lukewarm flirtation is hardly worth her time.

Drake and Josie:


Meanwhile, back at the dorms, Drake considers himself blessed to have Josie all to himself these past couple months. He'll thank Ariel's lame boyfriend for that, even if the guy doesn't end up sticking around. Drake hates college life, he realizes, but he also knows it's very temporary. They're moving on from here, and sooner than any of them realize. As the summer approaches, Josie plans her final year of college and her senior internships.

Will she move out west to take her pick of the big city's musical offerings? Will she move east to audition for stage plays or the esteemed national orchestra? Either way, she certainly won't stay in Copper Hill.

Drake regrets not taking the chance with her earlier this year. Is it too late now? Is she over him?


Moving forward with her was fast and stressful, and he would have to admit that he was never the ordinary hornball kind of college guy. He has worries, insecurities, and older-than-old-fashioned ideas about how he'd like things to go.

But he's not gay and he's not a grandpa!

Josie felt bad that she and Ariel had said that about him.

"Do you even still like me?"


Josie answers his question with an enthusiastic kiss. That might be more zeal than he can ever offer back, but he's careful not to reject her this time.

Ariel returns from her own date at that passionate moment, and she hollers out, "Whoa! Get it, girl!"

"Get lost, Ariel," Drake said.


Ariel decides to be happy for them. At least someone at this university is getting laid. Or is about to. Even if it isn't her. Even if it's Grandpa Drake. That's depressing.

———

Dakota and Eric:


Among the high school set, Dakota Deppiesse has taken a tepid interest in Eric Powell. They had a homework assignment together, and she enjoys that he's one of the few boys at school who not only talks about music, but can play a little as well. Better than all those other posers.


He shows off his "massive guns" and tells her the story of his brawl with Harry Alonso a few months ago.

She's unimpressed. "Isn’t he an eighth grader? Everybody says you lost that fight."

"Nah, I didn’t lose. It was a tie!"

"Well, let's finish studying upstairs," she says. "Maybe leave the robot behind for a while."


It’s not that his story or his guns or his musical skills were super impressive. It's just that Dakota knows she's curious and bored, and his bedroom is in the basement. Dakota knows about basement bedrooms, how they’re miles away from the rest of the family and oh-so-quiet. You can get away with anything down there. She knows. But she’s not sure if she’s quite ready to get away with everything yet. She is a year older than him, and eager, but she isn’t reckless about it. Yet.

———

Ronnie and Dominique:


Ronnie and Dominique have ended their relationship in many times and many places. Both have dated other people on and off. Dominique keeps things casual on her end, knowing that her future lies among the stars. Ronnie fends off his would-be lovers with resigned indecision, half-heartedly telling them, “I don’t know, I don’t know, maybe someday.”

Because he knows that no matter how "ended" he and Dominique are supposed to be, no matter how ill-fated their future, no matter what time or place, whenever Dominique calls to ask if he'd like to meet her somewhere and maybe "hang out," Ronnie will always, always say yes.

———

Marlie and Daniel:


Daniel takes an afternoon off in the middle of the week. Marlie takes a catnap after her night shift in the ER and brushes some makeup on her cheeks to look a little more awake. Then they meet each other at the courthouse around noon. They have a lot of plans in store, but the first step to any of them is a legally binding marriage.


On this ordinary day and in this modest room, Daniel and Marlie become husband and wife. She feels a flutter of hope overwhelming the nagging doubts. He feels that no matter what her baggage—and oh, his new stepson is going to be some heavy baggage—that he is a very lucky man today.


Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Levin.



They share a quiet and even romantic walk in the park after everything is signed and sealed, talking about their future and looking forward to the summer. They plan to keep their union a secret for a couple more months, hoping to drop the news about military boarding school after Harry finishes his seventh grade year. Daniel hopes to make friends with his new stepson in time. Marlie fears that her new husband is too much of an optimist. But she also hopes, maybe, that's exactly what she and Harry need.

———

Tyler and Maya:


Tyler and Maya aren’t sure whether they should consider themselves a new couple or a very very old one. They are enjoying the rush and excitement of a second wind romance, but also enjoying the familiarity and grounding of having first met nearly four years ago.


Tyler is pleased to see that she still plays to win, except now the loser does the dishes.


It ends up looking like playing house, which is something new for both of them. Tyler doesn’t technically live with Maya, but he also doesn’t technically have another home, either, not if you don’t count the little trailer at the back of Jackson Adventure Park. He'd much rather be here than there.




Exploring their feelings as a committed couple is exciting and very rewarding for them both. No bad surprises so far. Only good, great, and maybe slightly quirky. Maya can’t say that she’s a huge fan of flowers, but she discovers that Tyler loves to pamper his ladies with flowers, lots of flowers, and always with a suave offering. That's not a complaint, though. Maya wonders if she would have discovered this already if the Lunar Colony had a floral gift shop.



It’s different now, being serious this time. Not that being with Maya is ever serious—it’s fun and flirty and friendly in such a deeply comfortable way, but there’s a certainty and openness between them now. He likes it. He’s never experienced this—being committed to a girl who wanted his commitment and gave all of herself back. It’s overwhelming, even for a guy who thrives on overwhelming. It’s a lot to take in. He doesn’t trust it entirely, yet, but he hopes for the best. He won’t tell her that he’s worried, a tiny amount, that it’s too good to be true.




She’s less sentimental than he is, maybe, and he suspects she’s not super into flowers, but he won't let that stop him from picking them for her. And she'll repay him with her loyalty and her companionship, which is inventive, curious, and surprising. Always surprising.




You won't be disappointed, they promised each other. They're both making good on that promise so far.

———

footnotes: Vale wanted to make music with Vicky // Is Drake a grandpa? // Eric vs. Harry // Ronnie's life in a snapshot // Marlie's proposal // Maya took Tyler back 

gameplay notes:

Drake is such an odd duck. I've been trying to make sense of his character for the story, and it's difficult. He's unflirty and incredibly awkward, and it's true that Ariel and everything about traditional college girls annoys the hell out of him. But then sometimes he's like this:

I think because Josie can be very calm and mature sometimes, and he really likes that about her. But she's also 19 and having a lot of fun in college with Ariel, and she's not going to skip that experience just because some boy doesn't like it. She has more self esteem than that. 

But then sometimes she's also like this:

And I'm just like, what the hell, have at it then, lol! Let's just see where this ends up.