Amelia
Have a good night, Otis!
Amelia shuts her front door.
At the click of the door handle, her smile fades.
She deflates and lays her head against the wood.
She taps her forehead against the door a few times.
Amelia
Don’t be a wuss, Amelia.
She looks through the peephole.
Outside, Otis walks away from her house.
Amelia looks at herself in a nearby mirror.
Amelia
One last practice.
Then she makes her best “sexy” face.
It’s not great, but at least she’s trying.
She starts rehearsing her speech.
Amelia
I leave for college tomorrow morning.
Amelia
But before I go, there’s something I have to tell you.
Amelia raises an eyebrow as alluringly as she can.
It looks super goofy, but in her mind it’s amazingly cool.
Amelia
Like…like-you-like-you…
She stares meaningfully at the imaginary Otis in the mirror…
Until finally she breaks.
A confident smile zips across her face.
Amelia
That’s good stuff.
She nods, absolutely sure of herself.
Amelia
Okay, let’s do this.
She peers through the peephole once more.
Otis is nearly to the end of her driveway.
Amelia takes a deep breath.
She reaches for the door handle.
Her hand starts to shake.
Otis turns onto the sidewalk.
Finally, her hand drops to her side.
Amelia slumps to the floor.
She closes her eyes and lets out a slow, defeated breath.
Her failure washes over her.
Eventually, she opens her eyes.
She sees her packed suitcases at the bottom of the stairs.
Tomorrow, and all it brings, is inevitable.
But suddenly, Amelia has an idea.
She leaps to her feet and races upstairs.
The glow from her computer lights up her face.
Nearby, her printer churns out a fresh page.
It finishes and she snatches it up.
On the paper is a large QR code with the words “Scan Me” underneath.
She grabs another paper just like it and dashes out of her room.
Morning birds welcome the sun.
Otis stretches as he gets out of bed.
He opens his window and is immediately taken aback.
One of Amelia’s QR codes looks back at him from the other side.
His groggy eyes read the words “Scan Me.”
So, he grabs his phone and scans the paper.
A moment later, a video of Amelia pops up on his screen.
Amelia
I bet you weren’t expecting to see me this morning, were you?
Amelia
By the time you watch this, I’ll be on my way to school with my parents.
Amelia
My mom will totally be crying.
Amelia
And my dad will be pretending not to cry.
Amelia
Goodbyes are hard.
Amelia
Like REALLY FREAKING HARD.
Amelia
But I’m hoping that maybe goodbyes are also an opportunity.
Amelia
A chance to put all your cards on the table.
Amelia
So that’s what I’m going to do.
Amelia
But if you want to see what I’m talking about…
Amelia
You’ll have to go to where it all began.
Amelia smiles nervously before the video ends.
Otis puts his phone down.
He tries to make sense of the video.
Suddenly, Otis gets an idea.
And he heads for the door.
Meanwhile, Amelia sits in the backseat of a car.
She’s stuffed in between boxes and suitcases.
She can hear her mom whimpering up front.
But she’s too focused on her phone right now to deal with that.
There are two grey dots on the screen.
She watches them with rising anticipation.
Suddenly, one turns green.
And the word "viewed" appears next to it.
There’s no turning back now.
Her eyes zero in on the second dot.
Otis walks down the sidewalk toward a light post.
The base is covered in taped-up ads for guitar lessons and cleaning services.
But one thing stands out:
He hustles toward it and scans it with his phone.
A moment later, another video of Amelia pops up.
Amelia
Welcome to where it all began.
Amelia
I’ll never forget how scared I was when I moved to town.
Amelia
I mean, I was like, seven…
Amelia
So I was basically scared of everything.
Amelia
But moving was especially terrifying.
Amelia
I was afraid I wouldn’t make any friends.
Amelia
That nobody would like me.
Amelia
But then I came to this bus stop.
Amelia
And a quirky little kid asked an awkward little me to sit with him.
Amelia
And then he became my best friend.
Amelia
And then, much later…
Amelia
After lots of great conversations…
Amelia
And lots of great experiences together…
Amelia
We got into different colleges.
She closes her eyes as she feels the full weight of the moment.
Amelia
Our friendship is the most important thing in the world to me.
Amelia
The thought of putting it in jeopardy totally freaks me out.
Amelia
And not just as a friend.
Amelia relaxes as those words tumble off of her lips.
Amelia
We’ll figure out the distance.
Amelia
We’ll figure out everything…
Otis stares into the screen…
Meanwhile, Amelia paces in her dorm room.
None of her things are unpacked.
Her only thought is the grey dot looking back at her from her phone.
Suddenly, it turns green…
And the word “viewed” appears next to it.
She watches the phone, ready for a call at any moment.
And still, there’s nothing.
Amelia checks to make sure she has service.
Amelia sits on her mattress, still waiting for a call.
Moonlight creeps in through the window…
And she finally falls asleep.
Amelia jolts awake on her bare mattress.
She grabs her phone, certain that she’s missed a call from Otis.
Amelia
You’re an idiot, Amelia.
She looks over at the clock on her nightstand.
And despite her every desire to stop it, time goes on.
Amelia has managed to unpack.
But the life seems to have drained from her face.
She stares out the window of her dorm room.
Her phone, half crammed under a pillow, still displays the two green dots.
Just when the world is looking its most bleak, the mail arrives.
A few magazines slide under her door.
Then, a single white envelope.
Amelia snatches it off the ground.
Her eyes go wide when she sees the return address.
She tears the envelope open and rips out the letter inside.
She unfolds it and her jaw drops.
Amelia leaps across the room, grabs her phone, and scans it.
A moment later, Otis appears on her screen.
Otis
Okay first of all, I’m so sorry that this took so long.
Otis
I’m not nearly as tech-smart as you are.
Otis
So this took many tries.
Otis
But that got me thinking about how different we are.
Amelia nervously bites her lower lip.
Otis
Our hobbies and interests are almost the polar opposites of each other.
Otis
But somehow…it works.
Otis
We come together and support each other.
Otis
I love that about us.
Otis
I love that about you.
A tear rolls down Amelia’s cheek.
Otis
You said you wanted more out of our friendship.
Otis
I have for a long time.
Otis
I’m glad you told me how you feel…
Otis
And I want you to know that we’ll figure this out…
Amelia’s heart warms her whole body.
Otis
Now call me, please.
Otis
Because I really miss you!
Amelia drops the QR code to the floor and video calls Otis.
A moment later, he pops up on her screen.
Joy beams from Amelia’s eyes.
