These days, the only reason she even still uses the social media app is to scroll through new posts on SASS, an international sapphic Asian group she’s in, and Twilight Sewerposting, a meme group with silly, often nonsensical content related to the Twilight movies. But today, before she can navigate to any of those pages, the first post that shows up on her feed is a throwback that reads, On this day…

Surrounded by a nostalgic frame is a cute photo collage that Gemma made of their first and only date to Disneyland. Celeste didn’t even know she still had this picture, since it never popped up on her Facebook Memories in the last eight years.

Gemma must have unblocked her from social media. The realization makes Celeste’s lips twitch with amusement.

In the Disneyland pictures, both she and Gemma are wearing Minnie Mouse ears and posing with various Disney characters. And eating things she doesn’t dare consume now because of the probable heartburn, like greasy turkey legs and giant sodas.

Celeste zooms in on the photos and is struck by how young they both look, like they could be friends with the couples they interviewed last week. In her head, college seems like it was just yesterday, but the pictures are jarringly clear evidence that it wasn’t.

Flipping through other pictures of herself and Gemma, Celeste finally drifts asleep.

18: Gemma

When I show up to the studio for our second set of interviews, Celeste gives me a tight-lipped grin. Even with makeup on, she has visible dark circles underneath her eyes. If we were still dating, I’d ask her if she slept okay, but since we’re not, I only ask, “Hey, are you ready?”

She, in turn, only replies with “Yeah.”

“Okay, great.”

I hand her the small paper bag I’ve put her clothes in. She takes it with a small nod of thanks.

I want to ask Celeste if she’s been thinking of me as much as I’ve been thinking of her, if she still can’t get over what happened on Sunday like I can’t. But besides our unusually long message exchange on Monday, we barely talked to each other for the rest of the week. And now, she’s not even meeting my gaze.

We sit silently in the studio and wait for the couples to arrive.

Today, we’re interviewing two millennial married couples. The first one we’re supposed to interview—the Amatos—doesn’t show up for their time slot, so we decide to move on to the second couple.

Brent Thomas and Aaron Pullman are a white gay couple in their early forties who are “living the blessed childfree, and thus worry-free, life.”

“My sister, Bethany, has two kids, and being a guncle for them is fulfilling enough for me,” explains Brent. “We also have two cute little Maltipoos that keep us plenty busy.”