Page 1 of Swipe Right for Stardust

VANESSA

Wine glass in hand, I lounged on the couch, my legs tucked under me. Jess sprawled next to me, her long legs tossed over the armrest. The TV droned softly in the background, neither of us paying much attention to it. The warm glow of my floor lamp cast a cozy atmosphere over my living room.

“Van, you need to get out more,” Jess said, reaching for a handful of popcorn from the bowl on the coffee table. “When’s the last time you went on a date?”

I rolled my eyes. “Not everyone needs to be in a relationship, Jess.”

“I’m not saying you need to get married or anything. Just have some fun!”

My phone buzzed on the side table. I picked it up, frowning at the unfamiliar app notification.

“What’s ‘Stardust Souls’?” I muttered.

Jess sat up straight, nearly knocking over her wine glass. “Oh! That’s that new dating app. The one with the aliens.”

I tapped the notification, my curiosity piqued. The app opened to reveal a message:

“Congratulations, Vanessa Wilson! You’ve been selected as a contestant on ‘Stardust Souls: Where Earthly Love Meets Cosmic Romance.’ Please confirm your participation within 24 hours.”

My jaw dropped. “What the hell?”

“What is it?” Jess leaned over, trying to peek at my screen.

I showed her the message. Her eyes widened, a guilty expression flashing across her face.

“Jessica Anabelle Thompson,” I growled. “What did you do?”

She bit her lip, avoiding my gaze. “I may have... signed you up for their show. As a joke! I never thought they’d actually pick you.”

“You what?” I shrieked, nearly spilling my wine. “Jess, how could you?”

“Come on, Van! It’s not that bad. Think about it – you could meet some hot alien guy. Or girl. Or... whatever they have out there.”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “This is insane. I can’t do this.”

“Why not?” Jess scooted closer, bouncing on the couch. “Van, this could be amazing! You’ve always loved space, right? Remember when we were kids, and you’d drag me outside to stargaze?”

A pang of nostalgia hit me. She was right – I’d been obsessed with the stars, dreaming of exploring the cosmos. But life had gotten in the way, and those dreams had faded.

“That was a long time ago,” I muttered.

“So? This is your chance to actually go to space!” Jess grabbed my hands. “Think about it. You’re in a rut. Why not take a chance to do something fun?”

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it. She had a point. My life had become a monotonous cycle of work, vids, and the occasional night out with Jess. The idea of an interstellar adventure sent a thrill through me.

“But... aliens? For dating?” I threw a piece of popcorn at her. “It’s ridiculous.”

“Exactly!” Jess grinned. “It’ll be fun. And, hey, maybe you’ll meet your soulmate among the stars.”

I snorted. “Right. My perfect match is probably a tentacled blob from Jupiter.”

“You never know. He could be a hot tentacled blob.”

We burst into laughter, the tension easing. I looked back at my phone, the notification still waiting for a response.

“I can’t believe I’m even considering this,” I muttered.

I closed my eyes, memories of my childhood dreams flooding back. The wonder I felt gazing up at the night sky, imagining what lay beyond those twinkling lights. The excitement of possibility, of adventure.

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