With You

Squeaking in excitement, Emily opened up the long-awaited email she had been expecting since she asked for help weeks ago. Clicking profusely on her mouse to make the email full screen, the first thing she saw was a handsome face in the sender’s icon. The name next to it read: Daniel Altman. Blinking away the confusion of finding this Daniel person handsome, she read over the email:

Emily,

Thank you for reaching out to Onward Technologies. My name is Daniel, and I will be helping you out with the ticket that you submitted to the help desk. Regarding the problem that you are having with your app, can you please tell me a little more about it?

Thanks,

Daniel Altman

Software Engineer

Onward Technologies

Typing her reply quickly, Emily explained that the software that she uses for her designs has been glitching and lagging for weeks now. She had no luck getting in contact with the help desk that was supposed to come with the app, so she had to resort to finding an outside source to help her with the problem. As a graphic designer, she had a time limit. Lots of people wanted their designs at prompted times: authors, directors, producers, etc. The snotty type.

She hit the send button and let out a breath. Okay, so she was finally getting somewhere. Reaching for her Yeti cup of water, she briefly looked at Daniel’s picture again. It was much more professional compared to the selfie she took when the lighting in her studio was at the perfect peak.

Daniel's reply was quick. It was just as nice and professional as the first one. He asked her to send him a few screenshots of the error messages she had been getting, as well as the logs from her app. Emily did just that, and then she waited.

A few more minutes of sorting through her junk emails, and Emily received another email from Daniel. He had been able to identify the problem with her app and had come up with a solution. He walked her through the steps to fix it, and within minutes, her app was running smoothly again. She was so grateful and thanked him in her last email to him. Sighing, she started to work on the graphics again.

Just when she thought the conversation was over and a few minutes had passed, another email popped up from Daniel. Raising her eyebrows in surprise, she opened it and read over the message:

By the way…is that the movie poster for Dreadful Mothers that you’re designing??

Emily couldn’t help the laugh that came out of her mouth. The guy was obviously curious, and she couldn’t blame him. She replied simply:

No one was supposed to see that yet. You get a pass because you were helping me to submit it on time!

Still smiling to herself, she went back to work, making some final touches to the graphics. Another email popped up, and Emily opened it quickly:

Since I was so nice in helping you, I think I should get front row tickets to the screening…just saying.

Emily couldn't help but grin as she read Daniel's playful reply. She hadn't expected him to ask for tickets, but she couldn't blame him. After all, she had been the one to send him a rather embarrassing, albeit hilarious, movie poster. She took a moment to compose her response, wanting to make sure it was just as witty as his:

Front row, huh? Well, since you're going to be so close to the screen, I think I'd better make sure you're entertained. Maybe I'll slip a few Easter eggs into the movie that only you'll catch. It'll be our little secret. :P

Emily couldn’t believe the playful banter that was happening between the two and over email no less. Each time she received an email from him, she would open it with a smile and eagerly reply. It was insane. It was stupid. It was fun. It was adorable. Daniel was adorable. Even though she had no idea what his voice sounded like, she could hear his voice through the email. She imagined a deep baritone voice, one that matched his face perfectly. And she could hear him laughing at her witty replies just as much as she laughed at his.

Eventually she finished the movie poster and didn’t think twice before she took a screenshot of it and sent it to Daniel, asking for his thoughts. He replied instantly:

It’s amazing, Emily. I can’t wait to see it with you.

With you. If that didn’t make Emily’s face burn red in excitement, it definitely made her face burn with nerves. It was such a simple statement, yet she interpreted it in another meaning. They were…flirting. And she liked it a lot. Biting her lip gently to try and contain a smile, she replied:

Me neither, Daniel.

*

Tonight was the night that Emily was going to see Daniel at the screening. Her heart was beating erratically with nerves at the thought. Over the week leading up to the screening, Emily and Daniel had emailed constantly, getting to know each other more. They asked each other what made them get into the work they were in, their hobbies, their likes and dislikes. They found out that they both lived in the same city, so traveling to the theater would be no problem with the both of them.

Not once did the other person suggest they switch to phone numbers. Oddly enough, they were both comfortable seeking out the pleasures of emails. For Emily, she was happy to see Daniel’s icon pop up in the corner of her screen every time he emailed her back.

   It was almost time to leave for the screening, and Emily took one last look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a black blouse, and a pair of heels that she knew would make her feel confident. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek bun, and she had put on a touch of makeup. She hoped that Daniel would like her outfit. They had emailed about different attire already and shared the same love for fashion.

She had no idea how she would react when she finally saw him in person. Would she be able to speak? Or would she just stand there and stare at him like an idiot? The thought made her nervous and excited all at once.

She took a deep breath, gathered her things, and headed out the door. As she walked towards the theater, her heart raced even faster. The anticipation was almost unbearable. When she finally reached the entrance, she scanned the crowd, searching for him.

Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted him standing near the refreshment table, looking just as handsome as ever. He was wearing a navy-blue suit that hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, and a crisp white shirt that emphasized his strong jawline. His hair was combed back, revealing his piercing blue eyes. He was talking to someone else, but when he glanced up and saw her, a genuine smile lit up his face.

Emily felt a wave of heat rush to her cheeks as she tried to keep her breathing under control. "You look incredible," Daniel whispered as he walked towards her. She could feel his presence as he neared, his cologne filling her nose, making her head spin. "You really do," he said, taking her hand in his. His voice was just as deep and smooth as she imagined. It made her heart flutter.

Their fingers intertwined, and Emily couldn't help but smile up at him. "Thank you," she managed to say. "You don't look too bad yourself." 

Daniel chuckled, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. "I'm glad you like it. I wasn't sure if the suit would fit me properly."

They stood there in silence for a moment, just enjoying the feel of each other's hands in theirs. Then, Daniel glanced around and smiled. "Well, shall we take our front row seats?" He offered her his arm, and she gladly took it. As they made their way through the crowd, Emily couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and happiness that she was with him.

They found their empty seats at the front of the theater and sat down. "So," Daniel said, leaning in slightly, "Are you excited to see the movie?" 

Emily nodded, her heart still racing. "I am. I've been looking forward to this for weeks." She squeezed his hand. "And I'm glad it's finally here. I've been dying to show it to you."

The lights dimmed, signaling that the movie was about to begin. Emily felt a shiver of anticipation run down her spine. This was it. The moment she had been waiting for. The moment she got to see her work on the big screen, with Daniel by her side. 

As the opening credits began to roll, she squeezed his hand again, unable to contain her excitement any longer. "I’m so glad to finally see the movie," she whispered. "With you."