There’s something strange about 2:14 a.m.
Maybe it’s how the world feels quiet enough to hear your own heartbeat. Maybe it’s how everything slows down—thoughts, time, pain. Or maybe it's just the hour when loneliness hits the hardest.
Valyrie stared at the ceiling, her phone resting on her chest, music playing on low volume. Some song she didn’t bother learning the title of—just something sad enough to match the silence.
She wasn’t crying. Not tonight.
But she felt… empty. Again.
She unlocked her phone. Swiped past the gallery, ignored the unread chats, and opened the app she promised herself she wouldn’t touch again.
A dating app.
Downloaded out of boredom.
Kept out of curiosity.
She wasn’t here to fall in love. She didn’t even believe in that kind of thing—especially not through screens. It was just noise. Distraction. A place to exist when existing felt heavy.
Her thumb moved. Swipe. Swipe. Ignore. Swipe.
Everyone felt the same. Predictable. Recycled lines. Selfie overloads. Bios that screamed "try hard."
Until—
Liam: Hoy.
One message. From a stranger with a cocky bio and a messy profile picture. His name was Liam. No emojis, no long paragraphs. Just that.
She blinked.
Valyrie: Seriously? Just hoy?
She rolled her eyes. Typical. But instead of closing the app, she typed back.
Valyrie: What?
A few seconds passed. Then:
Liam: Aw. You replied. Kala ko deadma na naman ako. Success na 'to for me.
Valyrie smirked. A small one. She hated that he got a reaction out of her.
Valyrie: That’s your opener? ‘Hoy’? Try harder.
Liam: Okay. Round two. Hi, I’m Liam. Future funny guy of your life. Gusto mo ng softdrinks?
She laughed. Like, actually laughed.
What the hell.
Valyrie: Corny.
Liam: But effective.
She stared at the screen for a moment. Then, slowly, she typed:
Valyrie: Fine. You get five minutes.
Liam: Challenge accepted.
---
That night, five minutes became ten. Then thirty. Then two hours.
They talked about the dumbest things. Favorite drinks. Cartoons they missed. Who would survive longer in a zombie apocalypse. Liam was funny, annoying, and somehow comforting. Like a blanket you didn’t know you needed.
He didn’t flirt in the gross, overdone way. He teased her. Genuinely listened. Matched her sarcasm. And when she said something a little too real, he didn’t make it awkward.
He just said: "Same."
Somehow, that made all the difference.
And before they said goodnight, Liam dropped one last message:
Liam: If I didn’t message you, do you think we’d ever talk?
Valyrie stared at the words. Her chest felt warm in a weird, uncomfortable way.
YOU ARE READING
Typing into Love
RomanceIt started with a swipe. A message. A moment. She wasn't looking. Neither was he. But somehow, the universe had other plans. She's the type to keep her walls high-guarded, smart, and quiet in her own little world. He's the kind who laughs too loud...
