Fetish

Episode: 3 Conversations after midnight

"The most dangerous people aren't the loud ones. They're the ones who make you feel seen"

.

I stared at the message for almost a full minute.

Dominic: Tell me one thing about yourself that's completely true.

It shouldn't have been a difficult question.

Yet somehow...

It was.

I could've said I was twenty.

That I lived in South Africa.

That I was studying law.

All of those things were true.

But they weren't me.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek—a nervous habit I'd had for years—and finally typed.

Me: I overthink everything.

The little "Seen" appeared almost instantly.

Seconds later, my phone vibrated.

Dominic: Good.

I couldn't help laughing.

There it was again.

Good.

I shook my head and replied.

Me: You say "good" a lot.

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Then appeared again.

Dominic: Most people spend their lives avoiding uncomfortable thoughts.

Another message followed before I could answer.

Dominic: People who overthink usually ask better questions.

I frowned at my screen.

No one had ever called overthinking a good thing before.

Usually people told me to relax.

To stop worrying.

To "live a little."

Dominic didn't sound like everyone else.

He sounded...

Interested.

I leaned against my pillow.

Me: Now it's your turn.

A few moments passed.

Me: Tell me something that's completely true about you.

The typing bubble appeared.

Stopped.

Appeared again.

I wondered if I'd asked something too personal.

Finally, his reply came.

Dominic: I don't like pretending to be someone I'm not.

I smiled.

Me: That's your big secret?

Dominic: You'd be surprised how many people spend their lives pretending.

I thought about that.

Social media.

Perfect smiles.

Perfect relationships.

Perfect lives.

Maybe he had a point.

Our conversation drifted from one topic to another with surprising ease.

Books.

Travel.

Music.

Childhood memories.

The cities we'd always wanted to visit.

Hours slipped by without either of us noticing.

It didn't feel like talking to a stranger.

It felt like picking up a conversation we'd somehow forgotten to finish years ago.

At one point, I glanced at the time.

00:37

My eyes widened.

Me: I have class tomorrow.

His reply came with what I imagined was a smile.

Dominic: Then you should probably sleep.

Me: You're the reason I'm still awake.

Dominic: I don't remember forcing you to reply.

I laughed out loud.

"Fair enough."

I realized I'd actually spoken the words.

To an empty room.

I covered my face with one hand, laughing at myself.

This man had somehow managed to make me smile more in one evening than I had in weeks.

Before saying goodnight, another message appeared.

Dominic: One last question.

I smiled.

He certainly liked asking questions.

Me: Go ahead.

There was a brief pause.

Then...

Dominic: Have you ever wanted to completely change your life?

The smile slowly faded from my face.

It was a strange question.

A dangerous one.

Because the answer wasn't something I admitted out loud.

Not to my friends.

Not to my family.

Not even to myself.

I looked around my small bedroom.

The stack of law textbooks.

The unopened rejection letters on my desk.

The cracked photo frame beside my bed.

Everything suddenly felt...

Temporary.

I looked back at my phone.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Then I answered honestly.

Me: Every single day.

His reply came almost immediately.

Dominic: Then maybe you're closer to that life than you think.

I read those words again.

And again.

Long after we'd both said goodnight.

I didn't know it then...

But that conversation would become the first step toward a decision that would change everything.