Not your parent's romcom
My palms were sweaty. My cheeks flush with humiliation at what I was doing. The whole thing sounded ridiculous — paying a month’s rent to an AI called ‘Serendipity’ to find love. Yet blind dates never went well for me, and swiping through apps was as romantic as rewiring solar panels.
Tonight, all I was told was the AI would deliver someone whose eyes wouldn’t glaze over when I described the beauty of Martian sandstorms.
“Ms. Stacey Park?” The AI voice whispered in my head. “Your Serendipity is about to begin.”
Coordinates appeared on the wall of my apartment, flickering in a pale blue light. Below were a few cryptic words that the AI had planned out for me: “Bring a book you enjoyed in your teens.”
That felt a little weird, but I knew that was part of the deal. I had to place my trust in the process. I plucked an worn fantasy novel I loved reading when I was an edgy teenager — a story of rebellion and magic. I picked up my helmet and stepped out into the Marsglow.
The city lights were flickering on as I waved for a cab. As it sped along, I started to feel a nervous pain in my stomach. Once I stepped out, I discovered the AI led me to a… garden?
I stepped closer, taking in the bursts of color that was a vibrant contrast to the stark red dustscape outside the city dome.
I stepped forward, slowly winding down a path among cherry blossoms. With the perfectly controlled climate, they came out once a month.
Although the garden forked into a labyrinth of paths, I found myself drawn to the right and came to a clearing. In the middle was an ice sculpture in the shape of a telescope, pointed at the top of the dome. Beside it was a lone figure, just a silhouette against the sunset.
My heart skipped a beat. The AI was only supposed to factor in common interests, not looks. Whoever this guy was hadn’t sacrificed brains for muscles.
“Enjoying the view?” I tried to ask nonchalantly.
He turned and a genuine surprise flickered across his face.
“I’m surprised to find someone else here,” he grinned.
“Yeah what are the odds?” I laughed sheepishly.
He joined in with a hearty laugh. Serendipity apparently had a flair for the dramatic.
“Did you come here just to read?” he asked, gesturing to the item in my hand.
“Oh this?” I held it up. “I just like carrying books around. Do you think that’s odd?”
“Yes. The best kind of odd.”
His smile was easy and genuine, and my heart did something traitorous.
“I’m Stacey, by the way.”
“My friends call me Armen.”
His hand was warm as I shook it. His touch felt unexpectedely real, something more real than the rest of the manufactured setting.
As we stood there, the red planet glowed majestically. Serendipity had set the stage, but now it was up to us. His curiosity wasn’t programmed. The sparks between us weren’t artificial. Yet somehow the AI had stumbled upon something real. Something told me this was just the beginning.