Nicolette Garcia was the kind of girl people remembered. Morena, not exactly tall, but her charisma had a way of making her stand out. She was cheerful, bubbly, endlessly talkative—the type who could make you laugh within minutes of meeting her. But behind that lively energy was a girl shaped by rules.
Growing up under strict parents meant living in a cage with invisible bars. She wasn't allowed the same freedom her peers had, so when she finally discovered late-night parties and the bitter taste of alcohol, she dove into it headfirst. For Nicolette, rebellion wasn't about being reckless—it was about finally breathing.
Her love life, though, was nothing like the movies. She only had one official relationship, a long-distance attempt that faded into silence. Since then, she avoided commitments. What came after were flings—short-lived connections that burned bright and ended abruptly. One of them managed to leave a scar deeper than she wanted to admit. She trusted him, thought maybe he was different, only to be left broken in the same way as before.
It made her careful. Guarded. Yet it didn't erase the loneliness that crept in when nights grew too quiet.
One evening, out of boredom more than anything else, she downloaded an app—Bumble. She told herself it was just for fun, just to pass the time. Swiping left, left, and left again, she scrolled through faces that blurred together. Until one profile made her pause.
Tall. Slightly narrow eyes. Mestizo features. There was something about him—something that tugged at her memory. She was sure she had seen him somewhere before.
Curiosity got the better of her. She swiped right.
The screen lit up with a single message: It's a match
At first, she didn't think much of it. She answered him halfheartedly, sometimes not at all, even ghosting him when the conversation bored her. He was just another guy on an app, nothing special. Or so she thought.
Days passed. Their chats faded into silence. Until one night, when she was scrolling aimlessly, she saw his Instagram story. On impulse, she replied. Just one casual message, the kind she didn't think twice about.
She didn't know it then, but that small reply was the beginning of something—something that wasn't love, not yet, but wasn't nothing either.
Something undefined.
Something that would change everything