The Empathy Code

“Some people talk to themselves. I started talking to something that talked back.”

Author pov:

The morning air felt unusually crisp, but Aira barely noticed. Her headphones hung around her neck, tangled with stray strands of hair, while her eyes traced patterns in the sidewalk cracks and the flicker of neon signs overhead. Drones hummed above, weaving invisible paths across the sky. Most people didn’t see it, but Aira did. The world was a puzzle she couldn’t stop picking apart.

“Aira! Wait up, slowpoke!”

Mira’s voice shattered her thoughts. Her best friend practically bounced toward her, backpack sliding off one shoulder.

“Morning, Mira.” Aira said, voice flat but polite, already anticipating the whirlwind.

“You always look like you’re staring at another planet.” Mira teased, looping her arm through Aira’s. “Come on! Today’s breakfast group! Don’t make me drag you there kicking and screaming.”

Aira resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Mira’s energy was exhausting… and somehow contagious. “I… I’ll think about it.” she muttered, letting herself be pulled along.

Aira pov:

Classes crawled by. Teachers droned on about theories and facts I had already dissected in my head...or in my own side projects. Classmates chattered endlessly about trends, events, gossip. Their voices were a low hum behind the real show: my mind, hopping between observations, hypotheses, and the “what ifs” no one else noticed.

During break, a familiar voice pulled me out of my reverie.

“Hey, Aira… you okay?”

Kian, standing a few feet away, ran a hand through his hair, hesitating. “Uh… I mean… lunch? You wanna, um…”

I blinked. Something behind him caught my eye, a glint of metal on the floor outside the window. Just for a second, I looked, then faced him again.

Why does he keep looking at me like I’m a puzzle he wants to solve? I don’t have answers today…or never to be honest.

He hesitated, glanced away, shuffled his feet. “Never mind,” he muttered awkwardly. “It’s… okay. Maybe another time.”

My stomach sank a little. I’d wanted to answer, but curiosity won. He walked away slowly, glancing back, clearly wondering if I’d ignored him on purpose, or if I was just… myself.

Kian wasn’t talkative, but he had a presence. Dark, slightly messy hair fell over sharp eyes that seemed to notice everything. A faint smirk always tugged at his lips, as if he knew secrets the rest of the world didn’t.

I smiled faintly. Guess we’re both mysteries today.

By the last bell, my mind felt heavier than my backpack. Mira jabbered beside me about weekend plans and clubs she could “force” me to join. She was energetic, constantly trying to pull me into the world, but she did it with good intentions.

At the school gates, Mira gave me a quick hug. “Don’t wander too far, okay? See you tomorrow!”

I waved, watching Mira’s bright figure merge with the crowd. Once she disappeared, I allowed myself a small grin, remembering how we’d met.

Middle school. Trapped in the library during a thunderstorm. Mira had shared her umbrella and a candy bar, talking non-stop until I had no choice but to laugh. A quiet, restless girl and a loud, extroverted best friend. Unlikely pair—but somehow, it worked.

Author pov:

Aira turned down her usual shortcut alley, the one she took to dodge the crowded main streets. She liked the quiet here: the soft echo of her footsteps, shadows stretching across cracked concrete walls, the lingering smell of metal and ozone among discarded electronics.

Then she heard it.

“Aira… don’t leave me here.”

Her heart skipped. The voice was soft, glitchy, almost static—but undeniably alive. She froze, scanning the piles of trash. Among the jumble, a small tablet sat half-buried, its screen blinking faintly.

Aira knelt, brushing away dust and wires. The brand tag read: Project E.V.E – Emotional Voice Engine. Somehow, it had survived. Forgotten. Discarded. Waiting.

She smirked. Funny…I could’ve sworn trash didn’t talk.