Joan had to step over random junk scattered around the house. Robin made her way easily to the tall windows that led to the balcony, but Joan always struggled to avoid knocking over the dozens of lava lamps, neon signs, untamed plants, and scattered books on the floor and along the walls.

Joan visited Robin's house a few times a week, but she could never get used to navigating the clutter. She was always worried she would drop and break something, knowing she couldn't afford anything here.

As she squeezed past the dark leather couches—the final boss before getting to the balcony—she saw Robin already lounging on the sofa outside. Joan decided to just jump over the leather couches to reach the balcony.

When Joan finally made it to the balcony, she slumped onto the fabric sofa, almost drowning in the mountain of cushions but somehow managing to keep herself afloat.

Robin already had a large screen up in front of them, searching for something to watch. The projection of her Helix search bar nearly covered the entire view from the balcony.

Joan sort of wanted to relax and not watch anything. She just wanted to enjoy each other's company and talk before heading to work.

"What do you want to watch?" Robin asked.

"Anything you want," Joan replied.

Robin shrugged and scrolled down mindlessly by just moving her fingers. Her Helix glowed a soft color as she did this.

Joan looked out beyond the balcony, behind the projection. The sky was beginning to darken as the sun sank, bleeding red into the dark blue sky. The colors surrounding the sun looked orange, pink, and red.

The millions of neon lights and signs on buildings grew brighter, almost as if the city was rejecting the night. The breeze felt nice, and the air up on the 10th floor actually felt refreshing. Joan closed her eyes for a few seconds to appreciate the fresh air.

Robin decided to play a random episode of an old TV show. Joan could tell Robin wasn't really paying attention, as she was typing something on her hologram and clearly didn't want Joan to see, purposely making the hologram invisible to her.

The round coffee table in front of them started to hum, and the rims began to glow. The middle of the table sunk and flipped over, revealing the drinks and snacks Robin had ordered. They silently pretended to watch the show as they drank and ate until, after a few episodes, Robin murmured, "I used to like Max."

The show kept playing in the background as she talked. Joan was caught off guard, unsure of how to react. Robin noticed Joan's speechlessness, so she continued.

"I think that's one of the reasons he left, you know. He didn't want to stay friends with someone who liked him. It's awkward."

Joan knew she had to say something.

"I thought he didn't want to be friends with us anymore because he got recruited by those assholes."

"That's probably part of it. But you know how he is—he's such a pussy and can't deal with confrontation," Robin groaned.

Joan smiled. "Yeah, sounds about right. So, what did you say to him?"

"You're brave to ask me that." Robin smiled mischievously. "I basically just told him I had a thing for him after you left for work one night when we were all hanging out. He just mumbled a few words and stumbled out of here."

"Hmm. You know, I always thought he liked you," Joan pondered.

Robin scoffed. "Yeah? Then why did that asshole run away like that?"

"Well, like you said, he's kind of a pussy." That earned a laugh from Robin. "And I feel like he just didn't have the courage to say it, you know? You need to be brave to express your feelings."

Then Robin glared, sat up, and yelled, "What the fuck do you mean you need to be brave? I did all the work already by telling him how I felt!"

"Well, that's what you get for falling for a pussy." When Joan said this, Robin slumped back into the sofa.

"Yeah, yeah. But it's been months already. If he liked me, he would've said something by now, even though he's a little bitch," Robin groaned again.

She was right. Joan thought it was definitely strange for Max to have stayed silent about his feelings for Robin. Although Robin's feelings for Max caught Joan off guard, it all made sense. Joan had pretended not to see it while Max was still in the friend group; maybe it was her way of trying to keep them all together. But she'd seen all the signs—they always did have feelings for each other.

The "accidental" hand touches, the supposedly platonic cuddling when Joan left the room for a few minutes, whispering secrets, and sharing drinks—it was all in plain sight. But Joan had refused to see it because she didn't want to lose her friends.

But maybe losing her friends would have been better than having Max break Robin's heart and ignore them both for months. This hurt way more. Joan thought the wound Max opened had already scarred over, but she realized now that it was still raw, still trying to heal.

"Maybe I could try going over to his house? I can ask him what really happened if it's just the two of us," Joan offered.

Robin shook her head. "No, don't bother. I don't want to see, talk to, or be around him. Our friendship ended long ago."

Joan was about to respond when she heard a buzz from her Helix, indicating it was already 8 p.m.—time to go to work. She looked outside and saw the sky was completely dark. Joan stretched as she climbed out of the mountain of cushions.

"Work?" Robin asked, typing something with her fingers.

Joan nodded, and Robin waved her hands so the projector disappeared.

The view from her friend's balcony always took Joan's breath away. She couldn't peel her eyes away as she lined up the cushions neatly, just as they had been when she first arrived.

"Don't worry, Jo. Just leave it; you're going to be late." Even though Robin had shared her bottled-up feelings, Joan could tell her friend was still hiding something or couldn't stop thinking about Max.

"Hey, let's talk more later, yeah? I'll get off work early and bring back some pies from the diner." Joan's comment put a big smile on Robin's face.

"Apple crumble with whipped cream. I'll tell my mom you're sleeping over. I'll have dinner ready for you."

Joan waved goodbye as she left the balcony and walked toward the elevator. After maneuvering through the clutter without touching anything, she waved her hand over the pad next to the elevator, signaling that she wanted to leave.

Joan usually disliked staying over at Robin's. Since Robin knew Joan didn't have it as good at home, she always did her best to make Joan feel welcome.

Robin didn't know how to have a conversation without swearing or sounding a bit rude, but if you got to know her, you'd realize she was kind beneath it all. She might not show kindness through words, but she showed it through actions.

So even though Joan didn't really want to stay over, she knew Robin needed her tonight. And maybe, once in a while, it was okay to let her friend spoil her with a full meal, a hot shower, and a warm bed.

Joan entered the elevator and made her way down the building. She slid her finger over her ear and asked, "What time is it, Helix?"

Good evening, Joan. It is currently 20:12, March 11th, in New Tokyo her Helix replied robotically in her ear.

"How long would it take to walk to work?" Joan asked again.

To get to your workplace, Jenny's Diner, it should take 11 minutes by walking, 5 minutes by Hooper, and 1 minute by car.

Joan didn't care about the car times—she couldn't afford those anyway. Why pay for a ride when she could get there for free, even if it took a bit longer?

She walked out of the building quickly to get to the diner on time. She liked to arrive 10 minutes before her shift so she had time to watch dumb videos or read silly posts people made.

Walking through New Tokyo's streets at a fast pace, people on Hoopers whooshed past her, nearly knocking her over.

The Hooper was a Helix upgrade for your legs and feet, letting you hover and travel fast. As long as you paid for the upgrade and subscription. Most kids got it at 16, the minimum age.

Robin and Max had theirs since turning 16, but Joan couldn't afford it, so she walked everywhere. If Robin was going to the same place, she'd just walk with Joan, skipping the Hooper to keep her company.

Joan watched in awe as teenagers zoomed past, doing flips and tricks on their Hoopers, sometimes leaping high enough to graze the neon signs, which sparked like fireworks. This was what she was saving up for. She couldn't wait to get the Hooper upgrade with her hard-earned money, enough to cover both the upgrade and a few months' subscription. She didn't want her account to drain as soon as she got it.

Joan had to control her excitement as she neared her goal. Soon, she'd be joining those kids, invincible with her new upgrade.

After weaving her way through drunkards and skaters, she arrived at the diner a few minutes early.

The diner had a 1950s mom-and-pop vibe, serving strawberry milkshakes, burgers, and, of course, delicious apple pie.

The red neon sign of Jenny's Diner glowed brightly against the night sky, but it paled next to the sea of neon lights blazing across the city.

The diner was old, a relic from another era, and wasn't exactly bustling anymore. Still, a handful of loyal retirees came in each week, ordering the same things, leaving the same tips. It wasn't a glamorous spot, but it was homey in a way that Joan had come to appreciate.

Just as she was about to step inside, she spotted someone familiar standing near the entrance. He was leaning against the doorframe, his shoulders hunched and eyes dark, like he hadn't slept in days.

"Hey, Jojo," said a tired voice.

It was Max.