Batman & Shaina
Chapter 1 – The Bottle That Drifted
The internet was flooded with platforms where people showed their best selves—filters, crafted captions, lives that seemed too perfect to be true. But “Drift” was different.
On Drift, you didn’t post selfies or likes. Instead, you wrote thoughts—tiny whispers of your heart—tucked inside a virtual glass bottle and sent them floating into the endless digital sea. Someone, somewhere, could pick it up. They could read it. They could respond. Or let it drift away again.
That was how fate decided to play its trick.
Batman’s Bottle
“Sometimes I wonder if silence is louder than words.
Anyway, if you’re reading this, take care of yourself.
– Just a guy.”
Batman stared at the screen after pressing send. He wasn’t even sure why he wrote it. Maybe it was one of those nights—when the city noise felt too sharp, the office deadlines too heavy, and his own heart too quiet.
He wasn’t used to opening up. Thirty years of life had taught him that walls kept you safe. Be strong. Be distant. Don’t let anyone peek inside. Still… some part of him had slipped through in those few lines.
Shaina’s Discovery
In her dorm room, Shaina scrolled through the drifting sea of bottles. Most were silly—random jokes, confessions, memes disguised as thoughts. But then, her finger stopped.
She read the message twice. Simple. Honest. Lonely.
Her lips curved into a small smile.
“Just a guy?” she whispered. “Mysterious much.”
Without thinking too long, she tapped Reply.
Their First Exchange
Shaina:
“Silence is louder sometimes.
But sometimes, it’s just… empty.
Anyway, hi. I picked your bottle. :)”
Batman stared at the notification. A stranger replied. He hovered over the keyboard, fingers stiff.
Batman:
“Hi. Thanks for picking it. Hope it wasn’t too boring.”
Shaina tilted her head, reading his dry tone.
“Formal guy, huh?” she muttered, then typed back.
Shaina:
“Not boring at all. Actually, it’s rare to see someone write something real here. Most bottles are full of weird pickup lines.”
Batman smirked faintly.
Batman:
“Guess I’m not very creative with pickup lines.”
Shaina:
“That’s… actually good. It means you’re normal.
Or maybe boring normal.”
She added a teasing emoji.
Batman raised an eyebrow. A stranger… teasing him? His usual instinct would’ve been to ignore. But something about her tone felt playful, not mocking. For the first time in weeks, he typed faster than he thought.
Batman:
“Boring normal? Harsh first impression. Should I be offended?”
Shaina:
“Nah. You don’t seem easily offended.
You seem… guarded. Am I right?”
Batman froze. His heart kicked. She got it—just like that. He swallowed and typed carefully.
Batman:
“Maybe. People are complicated.”
Shaina:
“True.
But you know, sometimes complicated people are the most fun once they trust you.”
She didn’t know why she wrote that. Maybe because she saw a crack in his wall already, just from a single message.
Hours Later…
What started as a reply turned into a slow exchange of thoughts—about music, books, the ridiculousness of social media, and how both of them hated small talk but ended up doing it anyway.
Batman stayed formal, short sentences, no emojis.
Shaina answered with warmth, teasing, and plenty of curiosity.
By midnight, Shaina stretched on her bed, smiling at the glowing screen.
Shaina:
“Okay, mysterious boring-normal guy… I’m gonna sleep now. But if you vanish tomorrow, I’ll call this a one-bottle stand.”
Batman chuckled out loud—an unusual sound in his apartment.
Batman:
“Don’t worry. I’ll still be here.
Good night, bottle-picker.”
Shaina:
“Good night, wall-builder.”
That was the first spark. Neither of them knew it yet, but a tiny crack had opened in Batman’s fortress. And for Shaina, that night was the first in a long time she fell asleep with a silly smile on her lips.
Chapter 2 – The Wall and the Bubble
Batman didn’t expect himself to open the Drift app again the next morning. Normally, he hated chatting, hated small talk, hated wasting time with strangers. But… there was something about last night’s conversation.
He told himself it was just curiosity. Nothing else.
When he opened the app, a message was waiting.
Shaina’s Message
Shaina:
“Morning, Mr. Wall-builder.
Hope you didn’t run away with your bottle. ;)”
Batman exhaled, shaking his head. This girl… she had a way of making formality impossible. He typed back, leaning against his desk with coffee in hand.
Batman:
“Morning. Still here. Told you I don’t run.”
Shaina:
“Good. Running is for cowards.
Anyway, have you had breakfast?”
Batman:
“Coffee. That counts, right?”
Shaina:
“Nope. That’s not breakfast, that’s survival mode.”
Batman chuckled silently.
Batman:
“Maybe I like survival mode.”
Shaina:
“Or maybe you’re just lazy.
I bet you can’t even cook instant noodles properly.”
Batman raised his eyebrows at the audacity of this stranger. He typed fast.
Batman:
“I can cook. Better than most, actually.”
Shaina:
“Prove it. Send a pic.”
He froze. No. Pictures weren’t his thing. He avoided them like the plague. He erased the text, then replied carefully.
Batman:
“Not my style. Just take my word for it.”
Shaina:
“Hmm. Suspicious. Very suspicious.”
Narration
That was how their rhythm began. She teased; he resisted. She poked; he stayed composed. Yet every time she messaged, he replied. And every reply carried just a little more warmth than before.
Shaina, on the other hand, was discovering something unusual. She wasn’t the type to open up easily either. But with him—this mysterious, guarded man she only knew as Batman (his Drift username)—she felt strangely safe.
A Week Later – The First “Fight”
Shaina:
“You’re so dry sometimes, it feels like I’m texting a corporate email account.”
Batman:
“Maybe that’s my charm.”
Shaina:
“Charm? Excuse me, Mr. Wall-builder, but you wouldn’t know charm if it waved at you wearing neon lights.”
Batman:
“Rude. I’m a very charming guy.”
Shaina:
“Then show me. Be funny. Say something witty.”
Batman frowned at his phone. He wasn’t used to being put on the spot like this. But a small part of him wanted to play along.
Batman:
“Fine. Why did the introvert cross the road?”
Shaina:
“Why?”
Batman:
“To get away from everyone asking questions.”
There was silence for a moment. Then—
Shaina:
“…… That was terrible. -_-”
Batman:
“You asked for it.”
Shaina:
“I regret everything. I want a refund.”
Batman:
“Refund denied.”
And just like that, their first fight ended in laughter. Shaina, sprawled on her bed with her phone, whispered softly to herself:
“Ugh… why does this feel so comfortable?”
Frienemyship
One night, after hours of teasing and banter, Shaina typed a long message.
Shaina:
“Okay, I’ve been thinking. We’re not exactly friends. Friends are all nice and sweet. But we’re not enemies either, even though I annoy you on purpose.”
Batman:
“Correct. You annoy me a lot.”
Shaina:
“Shut up, listen. So I invented a word for us:
Frienemyship.
Half-friendship, half-enemy. A chaotic mix. That’s us.”
Batman stared at the word. Something inside him softened, unexpectedly. Frienemyship. Silly. Childish. But also… strangely perfect.
Batman:
“Frienemyship, huh? Fine. I’ll allow it.”
Shaina:
“Wow. So generous, sir.”
Batman:
“Careful, or I’ll revoke your membership.”
Shaina:
“You can’t. I trademarked the word.”
Batman laughed, really laughed this time. Alone in his apartment, with no one around, he let the sound escape. He hadn’t laughed like that in years.
And somewhere in that laughter, his wall cracked a little more.
Chapter 3 – Cracks in the Wall
It had been three weeks since Batman’s bottle drifted into Shaina’s hands.
Three weeks of late-night chats, ridiculous jokes, mock fights, and Shaina’s never-ending teasing.
But tonight felt different.
A Quiet Night
Batman sat in his apartment, city lights bleeding through the window. The world outside was chaos — deadlines, meetings, noise — but inside, everything was still. Too still.
He stared at his phone. Shaina hadn’t messaged all evening. Strange. She usually popped up with something random — “Do you think noodles feel sad when they’re boiled?” or “Tell me your top 3 songs or else frienemyship revoked.”
But today… nothing.
He finally typed.
Batman:
“Hey, Bubble. You alive?”
(Bubble — that was his new nickname for her. Because she was always bubbly, always floating around his walls trying to pop them.)
Five minutes later, a reply came.
Shaina:
“Alive. Just tired.”
Batman frowned. That wasn’t like her.
Batman:
“College stuff?”
Shaina:
“Mm-hmm. And life stuff.
… Do you ever feel like you’re just too small for this world?”
The First Real Crack
Batman stared at the message, his chest tightening. He knew that feeling all too well. But words never came easy to him. Still, he forced himself to type.
Batman:
“All the time.
But small doesn’t mean weak.”
Shaina:
“You make it sound easy.”
Batman:
“It’s not. Trust me. I’ve been carrying walls for years. But you… you’re stronger than you think.”
He paused, blinking at his own words. Why was he saying this? He barely knew her. And yet… he wanted her to believe it.
On the other end, Shaina smiled faintly, eyes misty. Nobody told her things like that.
Shaina:
“Thanks, Wall-builder. Didn’t expect you to be motivational speaker today.”
Batman:
“Don’t get used to it. My subscription expires after this message.”
Shaina:
“Haha. See, that’s why I keep talking to you. You’re impossible, but in a good way.”
Narration
That night, they talked less but felt more. No teasing, no dramatic banter. Just quiet comfort.
Shaina realized something about Batman:
Behind the sharp replies and guarded tone, he was soft. Gentle in ways he didn’t show the world.
And Batman realized something about Shaina:
Her innocence wasn’t naïve. It was brave. It took courage to stay bubbly in a world that kept trying to crush you.
The Call
A week later, it happened.
Shaina typed:
Shaina:
“Okay, listen. Texting is fun, but I want to hear if your voice matches your vibe. Dare you to call me.”
Batman’s hand froze over his phone. Call? He hated calls. They were too personal, too close. His world had always been typed words, not spoken ones.
Batman:
“No.”
Shaina:
“Scared? ;)”
Batman:
“Not scared. Just unnecessary.”
Shaina:
“Unnecessary my foot. C’mon, Mr. Corporate Email, live a little.”
Batman sighed, rubbing his forehead. His instincts screamed don’t. But the thought of hearing her voice… curious, warm, maybe even teasing… stirred something inside him.
Before he could stop himself, he hit the call button.
The First Voice
“Hello?” Shaina’s voice came through, soft but alive, carrying a smile with every syllable.
Batman’s throat went dry. “Hi.”
For a moment, neither said anything. Then Shaina giggled. “Wow. You actually sound… nice.”
“Just nice?” he said, trying to keep his tone flat, though a smile tugged at his lips.
“Yeah. Like a serious librarian who secretly watches cartoons at night.”
He laughed—an honest, unguarded laugh. “That’s… surprisingly accurate.”
And just like that, the awkwardness faded.
They talked for hours. About random things, about serious things, about everything in between. Their voices filled the spaces where words on a screen used to be.
By the time they hung up, the silence in both their rooms didn’t feel empty anymore.
It felt like… waiting.
Chapter 4 – Sparks and Storms
It started small.
Like most storms do.
The Forgotten Reply
Shaina was used to Batman’s dry replies, but she was also used to him always replying. Maybe not instantly, maybe not with flowery words, but he was there.
This time, he wasn’t.
She had sent him a funny meme about cats plotting world domination. One hour passed. Then two. Then six. Nothing.
By night, she tossed her phone on the bed, muttering, “What’s his problem? Mr. Wall-builder thinks he can ignore me?”
She told herself not to care. He was just a random guy on a random app. But her chest felt heavier than she expected.
Finally, late at night, his message came.
Batman:
“Sorry. Long day at work. Just saw this. The cat looks scarier than my boss.”
Shaina stared at the screen, frowning. That’s it? After leaving her waiting the whole day?
Shaina:
“Wow. Thanks for the enthusiastic essay-length reply.”
Batman:
“You sound upset.”
Shaina:
“Me? Noooo. Why would I be upset at someone who disappears for hours and then replies like I’m a spam email?”
Batman exhaled sharply. He wasn’t good at this. People and their emotions. He never knew the right words.
Batman:
“I told you. I was busy. I can’t always reply instantly.”
Shaina:
“Yeah, I get that. But there’s busy and there’s not caring. Sometimes it feels like you don’t care.”
The Explosion
That struck deeper than she realized. Because for Batman, not caring was the one thing he feared being accused of.
Batman:
“If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t even be here.”
Shaina:
“Then show it! You always hide behind short answers and excuses. Do you even trust me, or am I just another stranger with your walls up?”
Batman’s fingers tightened on his phone.
Trust. The one thing he never gave away easily.
Batman:
“Maybe you don’t understand that trust isn’t something I throw around like confetti. Not everyone deserves it.”
Shaina’s heart sank. “So I don’t deserve it?” she whispered aloud, then typed furiously.
Shaina:
“Fine. Keep your walls. Maybe I was stupid to think you’d let someone in.”
She slammed her phone down, tears stinging her eyes.
Silence
For two days, they didn’t talk.
No memes, no teasing, no “frienemyship” banter. Just silence.
Shaina buried herself in college assignments, but her phone felt heavier than ever.
Batman threw himself into work, telling himself it didn’t matter—she was just a random girl.
But every night, he stared at the empty screen.
And every night, she scrolled past Drift, refusing to open it.
The First Apology
On the third night, Batman finally broke.
He typed slowly, carefully, every word dragging pieces of his pride with it.
Batman:
“Hey. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you away. I… I just don’t know how to do this sometimes. People. Feelings. Opening up. It’s not easy for me.”
Shaina’s chest tightened as she read. She bit her lip, blinking fast.
Shaina:
“I know. I just… wanted to feel like I mattered to you. Even a little.”
Batman’s heart clenched. The words hit deeper than any fight could.
Batman:
“You do. More than I expected. That’s what scares me.”
Her eyes widened at that. She reread the line, over and over. This guarded man, this wall-builder, was scared because she mattered.
Slowly, a smile broke through her tears.
Shaina:
“You’re such an idiot. But… you’re my idiot now. Okay?”
Batman chuckled, the tension in his chest loosening for the first time in days.
Batman:
“Frienemyship contract renewed, then?”
Shaina:
“Renewed. With late fees.”
Batman:
“Figures.”
Narration
That night, as they talked until sleep blurred their words, something shifted quietly between them.
The fight hadn’t broken them.
It had stitched them closer.
Shaina realized that behind Batman’s silence was fear, not indifference.
And Batman realized that Shaina wasn’t just a “bubble”—she was an anchor. A reminder that someone, somewhere, wanted him to care.
Chapter 5 – The Unspoken Things
Weeks passed.
What started as a bottle in the sea had now become a daily rhythm—messages, late-night calls, laughter that echoed into silence, and small fights that ended with even smaller apologies.
Neither of them said it aloud, but both knew: this wasn’t just a random app connection anymore.
The Jealous Spark
One evening, Shaina was on call with Batman, curled up on her dorm bed, doodling in her notebook as his low, calm voice filled her ear.
“—so then my colleague actually thought pressing the restart button would fix the whole server issue. Can you believe it?”
Shaina laughed. “Classic. That’s like me thinking coffee can fix my GPA.”
But before Batman could respond, a loud male voice called out in the background on Shaina’s side.
“Shaina! We’re going for ice cream, you coming?”
Batman froze.
Another voice. A guy’s voice.
Shaina covered the mic. “One sec—” she told her friend, then turned back to the call. “Sorry, that was Raghav. Classmate. He’s… kind of annoying.”
Batman’s jaw clenched. His voice came out colder than he intended.
“Annoying, huh? Seemed pretty comfortable calling you out like that.”
Shaina blinked. “… Is that jealousy I detect?”
“No,” Batman said too quickly. “Just an observation.”
Shaina smirked, biting back a laugh. “Mhm. Sure. Totally not jealous.”
“I’m not,” Batman insisted, though his voice softened. “Why would I be?”
“Because,” she teased, “you like having me all to yourself.”
Batman fell silent. Too silent.
Shaina’s smile faltered. “Hey… I was joking. Don’t go all mysterious silent-mode on me.”
After a long pause, his voice finally came, low and steady.
“Maybe you’re not wrong.”
Her breath caught.
Narration
Shaina lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her heart hammering.
He didn’t joke. He didn’t tease. He meant it.
And Batman, sitting alone in his apartment, ran a hand through his hair. Why did he say that? Why did the thought of her with someone else twist in his chest like a knife?
The Bubble Bursts
Later that night, their texts continued.
Shaina:
“You scared me today. You’re usually sarcastic, but then you went all serious.”
Batman:
“I wasn’t trying to scare you. I just… don’t like the idea of you with someone else.”
Shaina:
“… You know you sound like a jealous boyfriend, right?”
Batman:
“Maybe. But I’m not your boyfriend.”
Her fingers hovered on the keyboard. A small ache formed in her chest at those words.
Shaina:
“Right. Frienemyship, remember?”
Batman:
“… Yeah. Frienemyship.”
But neither of them believed it anymore.
The First Almost-Confession
A few days later, Batman sent her a bottle. She didn’t expect it—he rarely wrote the public messages anymore.
“To the one who picked my first bottle:
Sometimes, I wonder how a stranger became the person I can’t go a day without talking to.
– Just a guy.”
When Shaina read it, her eyes stung. She typed and erased replies a dozen times before settling on one.
Shaina:
“Sometimes strangers feel more like home than people you’ve known forever. You’re that for me. – Just a girl.”
Batman read it in silence, his lips curving into the smallest, most vulnerable smile.
Narration
They still called it frienemyship.
They still teased, annoyed, fought, and made up.
But under it all, something stronger pulsed quietly.
Something neither dared to name yet.
It wasn’t just friendship.
It wasn’t just banter.
It was the beginning of love.
Chapter 6 – The Midnight Truth
It was past midnight.
The city was asleep, the hostel hallways were quiet, and Batman’s apartment lights glowed dim.
Both of them were on call again. It had become their secret ritual: late nights, hushed voices, like the world outside didn’t exist.
The Bad Day
Batman’s voice was unusually heavy that night.
“Rough day?” Shaina asked softly.
“…Yeah,” he admitted. “Work’s been… hell. Deadlines. People pushing me around. You know the drill.”
“Mm.” She drew tiny circles on her bedsheet with her finger. “And you let them push you?”
His silence stretched. Then: “It’s easier that way. Less conflict. Less drama.”
“Or maybe,” she said gently, “you’re just too used to carrying everything alone.”
That struck deeper than he wanted to admit. “I told you, I’m not great at… sharing things.”
“Then practice with me,” Shaina said, her voice barely a whisper. “I’m not asking for your secrets. Just… don’t shut me out.”
Batman’s throat tightened. He closed his eyes, leaning against the wall. “You don’t realize what you’re asking, Bubble. If I let you in, you’ll see the mess I hide.”
Shaina smiled faintly, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t care about the mess. I just want to see you.”
The Silence That Spoke
The line went quiet. For a moment, Shaina thought he had hung up.
Then came his voice, lower than she’d ever heard it.
“Shaina… I don’t know what this is between us. But I know one thing—I don’t want to lose it.”
Her heart skipped. “Then don’t.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“It is,” she said quickly, before fear could take her courage away. “We fight, we annoy each other, we act like idiots. But at the end of the day, I’m still here. You’re still here. Doesn’t that… mean something?”
He let out a shaky laugh. “It means too much.”
The Almost-Confession
There was a long pause. Then, softly—
“Shaina?”
“Mm?”
“…If things were different… I’d say…” He trailed off, words caught between his teeth.
“You’d say what?” she pressed, heart thundering.
“…I’d say I like you. More than I should.”
The world seemed to freeze. Shaina’s breath caught, her hand flying to her lips.
“Batman…” she whispered.
But before she could say more, his voice came back, firm but trembling.
“Forget I said that. It’s late. You should sleep.”
Her chest ached. She wanted to scream at him, to demand why he always pulled back at the edge of honesty. But instead, she smiled through the sting in her eyes.
“Good night, Wall-builder,” she said softly.
“Good night, Bubble,” he replied.
Narration
They ended the call, but neither slept.
Batman lay awake, fists clenched, hating his own fear.
Shaina lay awake, tears slipping down her cheeks, wondering why the right words never came at the right time.
For now, love stayed unspoken.
But it was there. Heavy. Real. Inevitable.
Chapter 7 – When the Sea Goes Silent
It happened suddenly.
One week, they were inseparable — late-night calls, teasing messages, laughter spilling past midnight.
The next week… Batman disappeared.
The Vanishing
Shaina noticed it first in the little things.
His replies got slower. His jokes vanished. He skipped their nightly calls, saying he was “too tired.”
And then, one day, nothing. No good morning. No good night. No bottle in the sea.
She stared at her phone, refreshing the app over and over, whispering, “Where are you, Wall-builder?”
But the sea was empty.
Batman’s Silence
Batman wasn’t gone because he wanted to be.
Work had crushed him under deadlines, a massive project spiraling out of control. His days bled into nights, his nights into exhaustion.
But deeper than that—he was scared.
Scared of how much Shaina’s voice had started to matter.
Scared that if he let himself drown in her, he’d lose control of everything else.
So he did what he always did best: he built his wall higher.
If I pull away now, he thought, she won’t get hurt later.
But he didn’t realize… he was already hurting her.
Shaina Breaks
After five days of silence, Shaina cracked.
She sent one last message.
Shaina:
“You know what hurts more than fights? Silence.
You’re the one who told me not to give up on this frienemyship.
So why are you giving up now?”
Her hands trembled as she hit send. For hours, she stared at the screen. No reply came.
By midnight, tears streaked her face. She whispered into the darkness, “I was stupid to think I mattered.”
The Bottle in the Sea
Two nights later, Shaina couldn’t hold it in. She opened Drift, wrote her thoughts into a bottle, and let it float away.
“To whoever finds this:
Don’t make people believe they’re important if you’re just going to disappear.
Some of us break too easily.
– Just a girl.”
She sent it, her heart breaking with every word.
The Return
On the other side of the city, Batman finally opened Drift after days of silence. Guilt pressed heavy on his chest as he scrolled through the sea of bottles.
And then he saw it.
Her words.
His breath caught. His heart pounded.
She wrote this.
She wrote this because of me.
He didn’t hesitate. He hit reply.
Batman:
“I’m sorry. I didn’t disappear because you don’t matter.
I disappeared because you matter too much.
– Just a guy.”
Narration
When Shaina read the reply, her hands shook. Tears blurred her vision, but this time they weren’t just from sadness.
Her lips trembled into a smile.
“Idiot,” she whispered. “My idiot.”
Chapter 8 – The Night of Truth
Shaina didn’t reply to his bottle right away.
She wanted to. God, she wanted to. But part of her was still angry, still bruised.
Her phone buzzed again. A direct message this time.
The Message
Batman:
“Shaina. Please talk to me. I owe you an explanation.”
She bit her lip, staring at the words. Finally, she typed back.
Shaina:
“One explanation won’t fix the way you made me feel. Do you even realize how much it hurt?”
A pause. Then his reply came, faster than she expected.
Batman:
“I know. And I hate myself for it. But I wasn’t running from you. I was running from me.”
The Call
She hesitated. Then, with trembling fingers, she pressed call.
When his voice came through, it was raw. “Bubble…”
Shaina exhaled shakily. “Don’t ‘Bubble’ me right now. Do you know how many nights I stayed awake, waiting for your stupid texts?”
Batman closed his eyes. “I know. And I’m sorry. I thought… if I pulled back, maybe you’d be better off without me.”
Shaina’s voice cracked. “Better off? Who decides that—me or you? You don’t get to vanish and make that choice for me!”
His silence was heavy, weighted with guilt.
“Batman…” she whispered, softer now. “You told me I mattered. Did you mean it?”
His reply came like a confession dragged from his very soul.
“You matter more than I know how to handle.”
Breaking the Wall
Shaina’s tears spilled. “Then let me in. Stop shutting me out. I don’t care if you’re messy, or scared, or broken. I just… I want you. Do you get that?”
For the first time in years, Batman’s voice trembled.
“I’ve been strong for everyone. For so long. And it’s exhausting. But with you… I feel like I don’t have to pretend.”
Shaina smiled through her tears. “Good. Because I don’t want the strong, untouchable Batman. I want the soft, ridiculous one who laughs at my dumb jokes and calls me Bubble.”
A shaky laugh escaped him. “You really do have terrible jokes.”
“And you secretly love them,” she shot back.
He let out a deep breath, as though setting down a burden he’d carried forever. “Maybe I do.”
Narration
They talked for hours that night. Not in banter, not in surface-level chatter, but in raw honesty.
Batman spoke about his walls, his fear of losing control, the loneliness he carried even in crowded rooms.
Shaina spoke about her insecurities, her fear of not being enough, how she always felt like she lived in shadows.
And somewhere between those confessions, they found light.
When they finally ended the call, neither said “good night.”
Because they knew this wasn’t an ending.
It was the beginning of something real.
Chapter 9 – When Screens Aren’t Enough
It had been months now.
Their days were threaded together with messages, their nights stitched with laughter and confessions.
But no matter how close their voices felt, no matter how deep their words cut — there was still a glass wall between them. A glowing screen.
The Restless Thought
One evening, Shaina sat in her hostel balcony, listening to the night crickets. Her phone buzzed.
Batman:
“Rough day. Wish I could just… talk to you face-to-face instead of through pixels.”
Her heart skipped. She reread the line three times.
Shaina:
“Face-to-face? That’s a big step, Mr. Wall-builder.”
Batman:
“I know. But I’m tired of walls. And screens.”
Shaina bit her lip. The thought of meeting him both thrilled and terrified her.
What if reality ruined the magic? What if he saw her and realized she wasn’t as “bubbly” as he imagined?
Shaina:
“What if… we don’t like what we see?”
There was a long pause. Then—
Batman:
“I already know I like what I see. And it has nothing to do with your face.”
Her cheeks flushed, heat blooming across her skin.
Shaina:
“Smooth. Since when did you become this romantic?”
Batman:
“Since a certain Bubble refused to leave my walls alone.”
The Decision
Their banter fell quiet, replaced by a nervous tension neither could brush off.
Batman:
“So… should we do it? Meet?”
Her breath caught. “Meet.” Just one word, but it carried a thousand possibilities.
Shaina stared at the blinking cursor, her hands trembling. Finally, she typed—
Shaina:
“Yes. Let’s meet.”
Narration
After pressing send, she pressed her palms against her cheeks, squealing silently into the night air.
Meanwhile, Batman leaned back against his chair, exhaling a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding for months.
The wall-builder and the bubble girl were finally stepping into the real world.
Chapter 10 – The First and Forever
The café was quieter than Shaina expected. Warm light spilled across polished tables, the faint aroma of coffee mixing with the evening air. She sat nervously at a corner table, fingers tangled in her scarf.
Every sound of the door made her heart jolt.
Every second that passed made her wonder—What if this ruins everything?
And then… he walked in.
The First Glance
Batman.
Not in a mask, not hidden behind walls or screens. Just him—tall, steady, carrying that guarded expression she knew so well. His eyes scanned the café until they landed on her.
And in that instant, the world quieted.
Shaina rose, her knees trembling, her smile shy but glowing. “Hi.”
He stopped in front of her, staring for a heartbeat longer than necessary, as if trying to memorize her. His lips curved—just slightly.
“Hi, Bubble.”
The Meeting
They sat. At first, it was awkward—hands fidgeting, words stumbling. But soon, laughter returned, easing the air.
They talked for hours, just like on the phone. Stories spilled, jokes landed, silences stretched comfortably.
Every now and then, Batman would look at her with that soft, rare smile—the kind he never showed the world. And every time, Shaina’s heart thudded harder.
The Night’s End
Outside, the night was cool when they finally stepped out together. The city hummed softly in the background, but neither of them paid attention.
They walked slowly, side by side. Their arms brushed once, then twice. Finally, Shaina’s hand slipped into his.
Batman froze, then tightened his grip gently, as if afraid she might vanish.
At her hostel gate, they stopped. The night stretched between them, heavy with words unspoken.
“Today was…” Shaina started, her voice catching. “Perfect.”
Batman nodded. “Yeah. It was.” His voice was low, steady, but his eyes—his eyes were unguarded, full of things he couldn’t yet say.
Shaina smiled softly. “You know, Wall-builder… I think this isn’t just frienemyship anymore.”
Before he could reply, she rose on her toes, leaned in, and pressed her lips against his cheek. A gentle, lingering kiss.
Batman’s eyes widened, his breath catching—but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he let out the smallest laugh, shaky and boyish. “Bubble… you’re going to ruin me.”
She grinned, whispering, “Good. Someone has to.”
Narration
As she stepped inside, she glanced back.
He was still there, watching her with that rare smile—the smile of a man who had finally let someone inside his fortress.
And though neither said the word love, both knew—
this was no longer a drift in the sea.
This was a permanent anchor.
A forever friendship.
A beginning that would never end.
✨ End of Story ✨
