Time flew by so quickly that I had to do a double take when I glanced at the clock on my computer. Apparently Natalie and I had talked for almost four hours. The only reason we hadn't talked for longer was because Natalie had to leave.

Disappointed though I was to end our conversation, I still had a wide smile plastered across my face. I spun in my chair, recalling my favorite parts of our conversation. With each recollection, the frustrations and stresses of the day were pushed further out of my mind and replaced with a joy I hadn't felt in a very long time.

I was drunk on a euphoric feeling that I'd only experienced a few times in my life. That feeling you get when you make a new friend that you have perfect chemistry with. When you meet a person so complementary to yourself that it feels like the completion of something cosmically significant.

Natalie wasn't technically a new friend, but that didn't stop me from feeling like they were. It wasn't that they acted like a different person-not enough to be unrecognizable anyway-it was something else. Something I couldn't put into words that made me feel that way.

I had to take a moment to really appreciate my situation. I was so fortunate to have reunited with Natalie. So lucky to have recognized their voice. 

I  thought about all of the choices I had made that led to our reunion and I shook my head in astonishment. 

To think I could have missed them if I had done just a few things differently-made a few different decisions…

It took the rumbling of my stomach to shake me out of my existential thoughts. I was so distracted in my time with Natalie that I hadn't realized how hungry I was.

I stood from my chair and made my way to the kitchen. 

I spotted the plate my dad had probably made for me on the middle shelf of the refrigerator, droplets of water condensed to the plastic wrap that covered the food.

"Ah. Put it in while it was still hot…" I thought aloud as I pulled the plate out. I retrieved a fork from the cutlery drawer and was halfway back to my room when I stopped, looking at the food in my hand.

It was rare, (no pun intended), that we had steak. Only when it was on sale did my parents get it, so it would have been a waste to eat it cold. Especially since it looked like my mom had gone through the trouble of seasoning it pretty thoroughly. 

Out of respect for the steak and my mom's cooking, I decided to reheat it.

I made my way back to the kitchen and removed the plastic wrap before sticking it in the microwave and setting it for a minute and a half.

I watched the plate spin as I listened to the hum of the microwave, becoming entranced for a good thirty seconds. I chuckled a little bit, amused at the ease of my amusement. I didn't know what about it was so hypnotic, but I felt compelled to comment on my behavior.

"This pleases my lizard brain," I said in a cartoonishly nasally voice to no one in particular, then flicked my tongue.

I chuckled.

The smell of the steak and broccoli began to fill the kitchen and I did a little dance in anticipation as I watched the timer count down.

"I'm very very hungry, my tummy's very rumbly, I want the steak and broccoli," I sang as I bobbed up and down in rhythm. As I repeated it, the song became a chant and my hand hovered over the handle of the door.

Before long the timer had reached zero and a chorus of beeps told me that it was time to eat.

As I pulled the microwave door open I was greeted by a most delightful smell. Steam wafted off of the steak and broccoli and with great care I removed the plate, holding the edge of it with the palms of my hands, my fork held in my left between two fingers.

Without hesitation I headbutted the microwave door closed.

I chuckled.

I could imagine Natalie saying something to the effect of "You're a fucking animal!" if they had seen me do that and the thought amused me.

As I began my journey back to my room, I wondered if I would ever see Natalie in person again. I really hoped I would, but knew that the chances of that happening were pretty low, which gave me a twinge of hopeless disappointment.

And yet, events would soon occur proving that the likelihood of that happening was much higher than I thought.