In Between Codes

Chapter 2

At that moment, Thomas' mom cleared her throat before stepping into the room. She placed the milkshakes on the desk, her gaze lingering on Thomas for a moment longer than usual. There was a softness in her eyes as she looked at him, as if discovering a side of him she had always hoped to see but never pushed for. Her smile was warm, though she kept growing excitement to herself, masking it behind her usual calm demeanor. She looked at the two of them, her expression both curious and content.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked, clearly trying to gauge what the pair were up to.

Thomas grinned, leaning back in his chair as he swiveled toward his mom. "We're editing a video montage. It's going to be awesome. Alison's going to look fabulous in it."

His mom nodded approvingly. "You're both fabulous. Well, then, have fun."

"Thanks, Aunt Martha," said Alison.

With the help of Samantha, Thomas's AI, the video was done in no time. The footage they had gathered was transformed with sleek transitions, music edits, and smooth cuts. The end result looked nothing short of professional quality.

Alison couldn't help but feel proud. The video was polished, dynamic, and reflected the fun energy they had shared all day. Without wasting any time, she posted it to her social media, her finger hovering over the "post" button as her heart raced.

The moment she hit "upload," her phone started buzzing. Within minutes, the likes began to flood in—so many likes. People were tagging her in comments, sharing the video, and sending her messages of praise. The views went up faster than she could track, and she felt a surge of excitement ripple through her. She was over the moon.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, jumping up from the chair, her voice almost giddy. "It's blowing up! Look at this!" She held up her phone, showing Thomas the growing number of likes and comments.

Thomas grinned, his pride evident. "Told you it was going to be good."

Alison grinned back, still floating on a cloud of joy. "This is insane! I can't believe it's happening." She paced around the room for a second, trying to calm her nerves. But the energy was contagious. The success of the video had sparked something in her. "I need to follow up with another video. Something even better."

Thomas raised an eyebrow, leaning against the desk. "What do you have in mind?"

Alison's eyes lit up. "I want to do a K-pop choreography video. Like... a full dance routine, with my new outfit." She couldn't hide her excitement. "I've been practicing the choreography of 'My love baby". I'm obsessed with that song."

Thomas nodded, already seeing where this was going. "That sounds epic. And I'm so here for it."

"I'm going to get changed."

She emerged a few moments later, looking nothing short of hot—a perfect homage to K-pop aesthetic. She wore the lime pear green blouse, the fabric flowing and catching the light in a way that gave it a subtle sheen. The blouse had delicate puffed sleeves and a slight ruffle along the hem that added just the right touch of feminine charm. She paired with it the moss green pleated skirt that sat high on her waist, the soft folds creating movement as she spun around. The combination of the fresh, spring-like green and the earthy moss tones gave the outfit an effortless, yet high-fashion vibe. The look was finished with knee-high boots and a bold silver chain necklace. To complete the vibe, her hair was pulled back into a messy but stylish ponytail, and her makeup was minimal but accentuated by a touch of soft pink gloss on her lips.

"-->Say this: Okay, I can't lie, you nailed that look.<--" Thomas genuinely agreed with that statement.

Alison grinned, giving a little twirl. "You think so?"