The cafe is so cold that I'm shivering, but nobody else seems to be affected. It's like Veronica has buried herself under my skin, chilling me from the inside out. I try to smile when the Update slips into the booth across from me but it comes out strained. He notices right away.
"What's wrong, babe?" His smile fades quickly.
Babe. I immediately crumble into a heap of fond. Update reaches across the table and takes my hands.
"Notes, you're freezing. Are you okay?" He flags down the waitress with a wave and orders us both a hot cocoa. "Do you need a software update or something?" I don't even know what to say. "I know what will make you feel better!"
He clears his throat, picking up his spoon and begins to use like a microphone. "Stories removed from 抖阴社区 that were already in your library are now more clearly labelled. We've added 3D Touch on user avatars to more places in the app (for iPhone 6S/6S Plus and newer devices). Plus lots of improvements for those reading in right-to-left languages."
Then he leans over and plants a kiss on me. He's still smiling when we connect and for the first time I feel warm again, like a fire has been lit inside me. But it doesn't last. It's snuffed out like an eclipse, shrouding my mind in shadow. There's a splinter of black ice inside me. I don't know how it got there and I don't know how to make it go away.
And when I open my eyes for a fraction of a second I see Veronica's icy cold glare staring into my own.