"It's like my body knows," he muttered, half-joking, half-serious. The thought made him chuckle, but the truth lingered: every time he'd tried to reach out to another woman, his eyes would start itching, his throat would tighten, and a rash would bloom across his skin. It was as if his body had built an invisible barrier, one that only Maya could pass through.
He remembered the first time it happened. He'd been on a date with a colleague, trying to move on from the past. As soon as his hand brushed hers, his nose started running, his skin turned red, and he had to excuse himself, coughing and apologizing. The next day, he'd laughed it off as a weird coincidence—until it happened again, and again, with every woman he tried to get close to.
It was only when Maya entered his life that the symptoms vanished. The moment their fingers intertwined, his allergies disappeared, leaving behind a warm, comforting sensation that spread through his entire being. It was as if his body had been waiting for her all along, like a lock waiting for the right key.
Stellan sighed, rubbing his temples. "What are you, Maya?" he whispered, half-expecting an answer that wouldn't come. He knew there was something different about her—something beyond the ordinary. Maybe it was the way she seemed to understand him without words, or how she could make him feel safe and vulnerable at the same time.
He thought back to the strange dreams he'd had, the ones where Maya was more than just a person—she was a bridge between worlds, a conduit for something greater. Could it be possible? Could she be connected to his past in a way he couldn't remember?
His mind drifted to the prototype VR game, the one he'd worked on at PixelTech. He'd always been fascinated by the idea of creating artificial intelligence that could truly feel. Had he unknowingly created something that transcended the digital realm? Had Maya been a part of that experiment, a soul reborn into a new form?
The possibilities swirled in his head, dizzying and exhilarating. He knew one thing for sure: he couldn't ignore this connection any longer. He needed answers, and he needed them fast.
Just then, he picked up his phone and messaged Maya " we need to talk, meet you at the cofee shop tomorrow?"
Stellan stared at the reply, his thumb hovering over the screen like it held the key to a hidden vault. He could almost hear Maya's voice in his head, bright and curious, asking, "What's on your mind?" He smiled, the kind of smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle, and typed:
"Can't wait. I'll pick you up at 10. We need to talk."
He hit send before he could overthink it. The message pinged, then showed "Read" almost instantly. A few seconds later, Maya's reply popped up:
"Talk? You're making me nervous. Should I be scared?"
He chuckled, picturing her rolling her eyes at her own dramatics. He typed back:
"Only if you think I'm going to let you get away with all the secrets."
She replied with a gif of a cat peeking around a corner, eyes wide. Stellan laughed out loud, the sound echoing off the walls of his apartment. He felt light, like a weight had been lifted off his chest. Whatever was coming, he knew he'd face it with her by his side.
He spent the rest of the evening tidying up, humming along to an old playlist that seemed to have been curated just for this moment. He even found himself dusting the shelves he hadn't touched in months, organizing books and gadgets with a newfound energy, the house maids were shocked.
As the night wore on, his thoughts drifted back to the conversation he needed to have. He'd spent so much time trying to figure out how to protect Maya from the truth, but now he realized he needed to protect her by being honest. He couldn't keep secrets, not anymore.
He pulled out his laptop, opened a file labeled "Project Maya," and stared at the rows of code, the schematics of the VR world he'd built. It was all there—the AI, the simulations, the experiments. He'd thought he was creating a tool, a game, but somewhere along the way, it had become something more.
He took a deep breath and started typing, documenting everything he knew, every hypothesis, every fear. He didn't know what would come of it, but he knew he needed to be ready. He saved the file, encrypted it, and sent a copy to his own email, just in case.
Just as he was about to shut down for the night, his phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Dr. Adebayo: "Hey, Stellan. Got some test results back. Can we chat tomorrow? Nothing major, just wanted to go over a few things."
Stellan's heart skipped a beat. "Sure, doc. Tomorrow's good," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady.
He set his phone down, his mind racing. What could the test results be? He'd been feeling fine, aside from the whole allergy thing. Maybe it was just a routine check-up. But a nagging feeling in the back of his mind told him it was something more.
He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges. For now, he needed to rest. He turned off the lights, crawled into bed, and closed his eyes, Maya's smile the last thing on his mind.
The morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting a warm glow over Stellan's room. He stretched, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling in his chest. Today was the day he'd finally sit down with Maya, face-to-face, and lay out everything he'd been piecing together about their connection, the VR project, and the strange way his body reacted to her.