Late Summer, Still Unspoken

The first time my online boyfriend video-called me, I was having an allergic reaction.

The face people had called impossibly handsome all my life looked like a swollen pig’s head on the screen. Hideous didn’t begin to cover it.

He didn’t bat an eye. His lovely eyes even curved into a smile as he reassured me gently.

[It’s okay, babe. You don’t have to explain.]

[I don’t care about looks. I’ll like you no matter what you look like.]

As if to prove he meant it, He Ling grew more affectionate after that day. Everything he said was full of anticipation for our first meeting.

[Babe, I can’t wait to see you.]

My heart went all soft. I decided to surprise him by coming early.

Then, on the high-speed train, I scrolled past a post online.

[What does getting your revenge feel like?]

[Two months ago, this Prince of Lanling player ambushed me NINE times. To get back at him, I made an alt and started dating him online. Now I’m going to stand him up when we meet and fuck with his head.]

The comments were having a field day.

Some thought he was joking. Others called him an asshole.

The poster didn’t care.

[You have no idea how disgusting he looks.]

[He really is into guys, and we got along so well I almost felt guilty enough to tell him the truth. Then I saw his face on video and snapped right out of it. Close call. Getting revenge on an ugly fuck like that is practically a public service.]

[On the call, he claimed he was having an allergic reaction. Afterward, he tried to salvage it by sending me two pictures he’d found online, saying they were him.]

[At least find something believable. He picked some celebrity-level gorgeous guy. Obviously fake.]