The Impossible Trial of Love

"Oh no. What have I done?" Zelda asked to no one. Sitting by herself, all alone, in her darkened room, tears starting to fill her eyes.

"I have to halo-chat my mom. She will know what to do."

Zelda picked up her communicator and spoke into it "MOM!"

The light spewed from her communicator and the words -DIALING- flashed across her wall. Ariel always answer on the first buzz when it is Zelda, and at this moment, it was no different.

Drenched in sweat from running around the hospital, Ariel saw the tears in Zelda's eyes and asked her what was wrong, her epathy pushing hard on her heart. Zelda rarely called her at work.

Zelda spoke quickly between frightened sobs.

"I think I messed up in the simulation momma."

"Talk to me baby, what is wrong?"

"He has already fallen for her momma. He has already opened up to her, and he is heartbroken she doesn't respond. I don't know what to do!"

"Slow down baby. Tell me exactly what you did."

"He has been taking the dogs to the dog park twice a day now. He barely ever took them anywhere but once or twice a month. Now, he goes everyday, waiting for her."

"Who Zelda?"

"JULY momma! He met July!"

Ariel knew this day would come. She knew there would come a day where Zelda would dabble in letting go of her celebrity gamer boy crush and let him explore love in his own world. And she smiled, as she knew just how to handle it.

Ariel took three deep breaths and led her through the trial of letting go of impossible love, a trial she once had trouble with herself but quickly overcame.

"Why did you have him meet her now Zelda?"

"He...he was just so lonely momma. He cries for love and to not be lonely and I thought if I could introduce him to her now, he would feel..not so lonely. And now it eats at him, because she won't respond to his texts!"

"Its ok baby. This is how the trial goes."

"What do you mean?" Zelda sat up in her chair and listened intentally to her mothers wisdom.

"Do you remember Ryan?" Ariel asked, a boy that Zelda truly loved but rarely responded to because of her focus on school work and the fact she didn't want to seem desperate.

"Y-yes," Zelda replied, timidly.

"Do you remember when you started the simulation, or game, rather? When you scanned your memories when you created your personal avatar?"

The realization was starting to set in for Zelda.

"This is Ryan and me all over again!?"

"Well, not exactly baby. You see, July is your avatar. She is the visual recreation of your personal self! She is like you in every way! The butt, the boobs, the eyes, the personality! She is YOU Zelda! You have finally let go enough to let David love, for real, and if you want to see if he is TRULY ready for her, you have to play the game! You have to be you, but as July! Are YOU ready for that Zelda?"

Zelda silently pondered the question. She loved David, from the day she met him. And Ariel was right, she played hard to get. She could have easily texted Ryan back, but choose to focus on her own life and career and not let boys get in the way. And that is how she lost him. She put a facad up, one that screamed "friend zone" and it pushed Ryan away. Was she doing it again to David?

"I can't let this happen again momma! How do I control July!? How do I make her respond to David....to let him see she truly cares about him but is trying not to come on too strong!?"

This was a different trial base then the one Ariel experienced. In Ariel's simulation, her and Zelda's father fell in love at first sight and spoke every waking moment. It didn't seem to be going the same way with Zelda's David and July.

"You need to understand that although July is your avatar, you can't control her. Only your own memories can. It is destined to go the exact way it went with you and Ryan. I am sorry baby, but that is how the trial works." This was a lie, and Ariel knew it. Or at least, a half truth!

Zelda wiped away a tear and sighed aloud. "Ok, so July ISN'T the one for him!?"

Ariel remembered asking the same question to her own mom. "Of COURSE she is the one for him baby! Do YOU still love Ryan?"

Zelda pondered the question for a few beats. She did still love Ryan, but he had moved on and was seeing other women. She wished she had the courage to reach back out to him, but fear and lack of trust made her hesitate.

"Yes. I do."

"Then maybe it is time you try and talk to him again. See what he is up to and possibly reignite that love."

"I don't know if I am ready momma. He knows about the drugs. He knows about the suicidal thoughts! What if he doesn't except me!?"

"Girl, if I was home, I'd zap-shock you! Of COURSE he still loves you. Don't you think maybe he was dealing with some similar things of his own!? Maybe that is why he doesn't call YOU! Because he is scared YOU wil reject HIM!"

Zelda looked over her shoulder at David in the simulation, silently sitting on his couch, day drinking, something he never did.

Ariel saw her daughter's glance.

"What is he doing?"

"He is drinking wine momma. What the hell! It is only 1 pm!"

"What else did you have him do today?"

Zelda thought about it for a moment.

"Well, he took the dogs to the dog park again. They finally had a little more energy and were playing with other dogs! I think it was the new diet. Lucy even chased after a stick a few times!"

"Good! See, the dog park was a great idea!"

And then, because he got paid today, he went and changed out some parts in his car. But it didn't fix it...."

"Go on," Ariel urged, knowingly.

"And after that, he kind of gave up for the day and that is when he started drinking."

"Did he check his phone?"

"Yes...."

"And......!?"

"No text message." Zelda threw her hands up in frustration.

"Maybe have him turn off his phone for a while?"

"I was going to do that, but his mom just messaged him."

"Ahhh. Moms always have the best timing, don't they?"

"I guess you could say that," Zelda replied, rolling her eyes. "So...what do I next, with David?"

"How long ago did you have them meet?"

Zelda looked at her flash calendar across the room.

"Two...NO! Three days ago."

"Then just let it be baby. Is she..er, he.. going back to the dog park tonight?"

"I think so. " Zelda checked the bucket list schedule you set for David. "Yes. He is going closer to 6pm this time."

"Good, it'll give him time to rest off the wine."

"Do I text her again? Or...er...does David text July again?"

"When was the last time he texted her?"

"Last night. At about 9:32pm."

"And what did he say?"

This question scared Zelda, for she assumed Ariel wouldn't approve of the long winded and heart felt text she had David sent.

"Just. That he liked her and hoped to see her again," Zelda explained, figiting in her chair, her eyes trailing away from her mothers'.

Ariel rolled her eyes. "Zelda? Send me the text transcript."

"BUT MOMMA!"

"Send it Zelda. You know you have to let me see everything for this to work. No secrets."

Zelda reluctantly brought up the text history from David's phone and CCed the message she sent July the night before.

---I'm not writing this second message because I think you are ignoring me. I listened when you said you are a very busy women, focused on your career. I listened to every word I could hear with my bad hearing. Blame the Army. Lol. Also, your phone died, and you had plans for the gym and a glass of wine. But if I can say this before your drift off to your odd dreams after a successful day, its this....you are a beautiful women with a wonderful heart. And though I may have been initially attracted to your slight shyness and that incredible ass (forgive me for my bluntness) I enjoyed our conversation tonight and hope for many more. It made you that more stunning. You are sexy as you are and if you want to change more to boost your self confidence, I say get that stomach you want. I was drawn to you for your positive energy and talking to you is like speaking to a long lost friend. I never open up to anyone about my past as fast as I have with you. Somehow, I broke down my walls of trust and let you in immediately. Maybe you'll think I am weird, or crazy, but I went again to the park tonight, even though you said you only go every other day, at the same time I met you, hoping to see you again. Because seeing you smile brings me a joy I haven't experienced in years. And there you were. Perhaps its the only reason we met or maybe its something more...but I am content in telling you..July...I like you. And I hope you achieve every dream you have ever dreamed and then some. Don't be afraid to take the little breaks here and there to speak your mind to those you care about. Because they want to hear from you. I have a problem with patience. Its a big flaw of mine but you seem worth it. I hope you enjoyed your workout and night and wine. I know I have. Life is a bitch. But sometimes, we meet people that make it a tad bit easier. I'm sending this message at 9:32 pm, 9:30 by your phones 2 minute delay. Not at 1 am...so if my phone acts up, screw the technology. Maybe we BOTH need iPhones.---

Ariel laughed to herself " Are you sure you don't like women Zelda?"

"MOM," Zelda exclaimed, embarrassed by the possibility.

"That was beautiful baby. Now just let it be. If July is truly right for David, she will have loved this message and it got her thinking. After all, she wrote it, and she is YOU!"

Zelda thought about that for a moment. Maybe THIS was her chance, albeit virtual, to finally be with David, in her own way. July was her, so in essence, July thought it up, so it had to ring true. And if David, also Zelda, could find a way to make it work, she would virtually be with David after all!

"Oh this is so very confusing and magical momma."

Ariel again laughed, knowingly. "So then you understand?"

" I think I do. I just have to let it play out. If it happens, it happens."

"You think you can do that, for David's sake?"

Zelda smiled at her mom. " I think I can."

"Good!" Ariel sighed a sigh of relief.

-Paging nurse Ariel. You are needed in room 323. Paging Nurse Ariel. You are needed in room 323."

Ariel confirmed the page on her communicator. "I have to tend to Grandma Betty again. You now how she can be!"

"Its going to be alright momma. I got this!"

"I never had a doubt baby. I love you!"

"I love you too momma. See you later tonight!"

Zelda closed the connection and turned to the simulator. David sat on the couch, staring off into space. Seemingly deep in thought. The command prompt lay dormant on the screen:

-1) Text July again

-2) Drink another glass of wine

-3) Take a nap (Save game)

Zelda highlighted both the two and three.

-Glass size?

Zelda typed in a custom dosage

"Two smalls sips"

David got up and walked to the bottle of wine and poured out a small amount into his glass. He sat down at his computer and suddenly, the urge to sleep hit him.

"What a day," he thought as he finished the wine and had a quick smoke, then headed into his bedroom, Buttercup and Bruno a few short steps behind.

Finishing his smoke, he thought of July and how proud he was she was taking the time in her life to pursue her future. He couldn't wait the three hours to go to the park again for the chance to see her once more.

"I hope I didn't scare her off with that text," he thought, letting the slight fear start his nap.

Zelda saved her progress and put the simulator into sleep mode.

"See you in three hours my love."

Once David was sound asleep in his mid-day nap, Zelda searched her communicator for Ryan's number and sent him a simple message

-Hey you, how have you been?-

She looked at the clock and saw it was 4:59 pm. Smiling, she went into the kitchen and dispensed her own glass of wine and waited for Ryan's reply......

It came just 3 minutes later......

-Zelda! I've been good! How have you been babe!?-

Sipping her wine, Zelda got a sudden reminder from her communicator that she had a test to take tonight at 5pm.

"SHIT!" She exclaimed and turned off the communicator, totally forgetting about Ryan. "Sorry bud, this conversation is going to have to wait....

Thinking twice, she reengaged the communicator and sent Ryan a simple message...

-OOPS! Forgot I had a test to take! Rain check! But lets talk soon! Miss you!-

On the other side of the country, Ryan stared intently at his own communicator and waited for Zelda's reply. One minute. Five minutes. 10 minutes. Nothing.

Sitting in his lavish condo, Ryan slammed off his communicator in frustration. "What the hell!? Why would she do that!?"

Little did Ryan and Zelda know, the current worldwide upgrade to 20G was underway and all outgoing and incoming transmission were halted in that moment. And Ryan, having nothing else to do but wait, decided to take a nap.