Unexpected Changes.

Mayor Clayton Rhodes sat in his office, his fingers drumming furiously against his desk. The muted hum of the television filled the room, replaying a news segment about William and Jake's latest project. The images of the newly constructed efficiency apartments, bustling with activity and hope, made his blood boil.

"They're undermining everything," he muttered.

His aide hesitated before speaking. "The public response has been overwhelmingly positive, sir. It's going to be hard to counter this without—"

"Without looking like the villain," Clayton snapped, cutting him off. "I know. But I'm not going to let two idealistic nobodies ruin years of planning."

He leaned back, scowling. "What can we do to slow them down?"

The aide shuffled through a folder of documents. "We could increase building inspections, introduce stricter regulations on temporary housing, or impose new zoning requirements for modular structures."

Clayton smirked. "Good. Let's—"

"Actually," the aide interrupted nervously, "they've already accounted for most of that. Their projects meet all existing codes, and they've preemptively filed for exemptions where necessary."

The mayor's smirk disappeared, replaced by a dark glare. "They're more thorough than I expected."

He stood and paced the room. "If we can't attack them directly, we'll have to shift the focus. Maybe we can stir up concerns about overpopulation in that area or claim their projects are driving up crime rates."

The aide nodded, jotting down notes. "I'll get started on the narrative."

At home, William and Jake were blissfully unaware of the mayor's scheming. After weeks of nonstop work, they finally took a day to themselves. The AI had been tasked with overseeing operations, issuing instructions to workers and managing logistics across the city via email.

"You sure this thing's got it covered?" Jake asked, popping the cap off a beer.

William shrugged, already leaning back on the couch. "It's smarter than both of us combined. Relax."

The TV blared with the sounds of a heated sports tournament. Jake cheered loudly as his favorite team scored, while William sat back, chuckling at his friend's enthusiasm.

"This is what we needed," Jake said, grinning. "Just a day to chill."

William raised his beer in agreement. "Cheers to that."

Their moment of peace was interrupted by a knock at the door. Jake frowned, setting down his drink. "Who's that?"

William gestured lazily. "Your turn. I got the last one."

Jake sighed and got up, opening the door to find a familiar face. His ex-girlfriend stood there, her eyes wide and pleading. She looked nervous, clutching her purse tightly.

"Jake," she began, her voice trembling. "Can we talk?"

Jake's expression darkened. "What do you want?"

"I've been seeing you on the news," she said quickly, her words tumbling over each other. "You're doing so well. I just... I made a mistake."

Jake crossed his arms. "You made a choice. Big difference."

She stepped closer, her voice softening. "I was scared, Jake. When everything happened, I didn't know what to do. My parents said—"

William, still lounging on the couch, called out, "Let me guess—they told you to leave the 'criminal' and find someone safe, right?"

She shot William a glare, but he grinned, unfazed. "Oh, don't mind me. Just the peanut gallery."

Jake shook his head, his voice firm. "I don't care what your parents said. You left when things got tough. I'm not interested in whatever excuse you've come up with now."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Jake, please. I was wrong. I'll do anything to make it up to you."

William leaned forward, feigning curiosity. "Anything, huh? Can you rewind time? Maybe stick around when things get hard?"

"William," Jake said sharply, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Jake's ex took a deep breath. "I just want another chance. Please."

Jake stepped back, shaking his head. "You made your choice, and I made mine. I'm not going back."

She hesitated for a moment before turning and walking away, her shoulders slumped.

William raised his beer in mock salute. "Here's to closure."

Jake chuckled, sitting back down. "Let's just get back to the game."

The persistent buzzing of Jake's phone was starting to grate on both their nerves. Another text from his ex lit up the screen, and Jake groaned, tossing the phone onto the coffee table. "She just won't quit."

William raised an eyebrow. "What's she saying now?"

Jake grabbed the phone reluctantly, scrolling through the messages. "'I miss you,' 'I was wrong,' 'Give me another chance'... you get the idea."

William smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Alright, here's an idea. Find someone new, snap a cute picture, and send it to her. Might shut her up."

Jake laughed. "Oh, sure. Let me just summon a girlfriend out of thin air."

"Dating apps exist for a reason," William said, gesturing toward Jake's phone. "Swipe, match, problem solved."

To William's surprise, Jake actually took his advice. After a few minutes of scrolling through profiles, Jake's face lit up. "Got a match!"

"That was fast," William said, leaning over to look. "She cute?"

Jake nodded, holding up the phone to show a profile picture of a bubbly brunette. "She's cute. And get this—she wants me to bring a friend."

William blinked. "Why?"

"She's got a friend who's single too. Double date."

William leaned back, crossing his arms. "Alright, I'm in. Where are we going?"

Jake grinned. "Retro arcade. Hope you're ready to show off those gaming skills."

The retro arcade was a mix of nostalgia and neon. Rows of vintage machines beeped and buzzed, their screens glowing with pixelated adventures. Jake's date, Katie, was as bubbly in person as her profile suggested, immediately putting everyone at ease.

Her friend, however, caught William's attention the moment she walked in. She was short, with dark makeup, piercings, and a wardrobe that screamed gothic/alt chic. Her confident stride and mischievous smile were enough to make William's usually quick wit falter.

Katie gestured toward her friend. "This is Ivy. Ivy, meet William."

"Hi," Ivy said, her voice smooth and playful. "Katie didn't tell me you'd be this cute."

William chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, thanks. You're... striking."

Ivy grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

The group spent the evening competing on classic games, from Pac-Man to Street Fighter II. Ivy proved to be a formidable opponent, racking up high scores and laughing every time she won. William found himself captivated, not just by her skills but by her energy.

At one point, while they were waiting for Jake and Katie to finish a round of skee-ball, Ivy leaned against a nearby machine. "So, what's your story, William? Katie said you're into tech."

William nodded. "Yeah, I work with renewable energy and tech innovation. It's... kind of my life."

Ivy's eyes lit up. "Nerdy and ambitious? You're like a rare gem."

Before William could respond, his smartwatch buzzed loudly, and the AI's voice rang out. "Compatibility between you and Ivy is 99%."

William's face turned bright red as Ivy burst out laughing. Jake and Katie turned toward them, curious.

"What was that?" Katie asked, stifling a giggle.

"It's, uh..." William stammered, struggling to explain. "It's an AI assistant. It... analyzes data."

Ivy tilted her head, smirking. "99%, huh? Well, you heard the AI." She stepped closer, her playful smile softening into something more genuine. "And I think it's right."

William blinked, caught off guard by her boldness. "You do?"

Ivy reached out, taking his hand. "I do. So, what are you going to do about it?"

For once, William was at a loss for words, but his smile spoke volumes.

The evening ended with laughter and exchanged numbers, the spark between William and Ivy undeniable. As they walked back to the car, Jake nudged William. "So, 99%, huh?"

William groaned. "Don't start."

Jake grinned. "Hey, if the AI says it's a match, who are you to argue?"

William chuckled, glancing at Ivy, who was walking ahead with Katie. "Yeah. Who am I to argue?"

After leaving the arcade, the group decided to keep the evening going. The nearby cinema was buzzing with activity, its neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement.

"Let's catch a movie," Katie suggested, bouncing on her heels. "It's been forever since I've been to one."

Jake nodded. "I'm down. What about you two?"

William glanced at Ivy, who smirked. "I'm in if you are."

"Alright," William said, grinning. "Let's do it."

Inside the theater lobby, the group debated what to watch when a staff member approached, their expression lighting up with recognition.

"Hey, aren't you the guys from the news?" the young man asked, pointing at William and Jake.

William chuckled. "Guilty as charged."

The staffer grinned. "You're doing all that cool stuff with renewable energy, right? My dad wouldn't stop talking about it after seeing your workshop on TV."

Jake gave a modest shrug. "We try."

The staffer hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Look, I know this is random, but... can I comp your tickets? You've been helping the city so much, and it'd be awesome to give something back."

Jake's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," the staffer said, smiling. "Just pick a movie."

Katie and Ivy exchanged impressed glances. "You two are like local celebrities," Katie said, nudging Jake. "What else haven't you told us?"

William chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "We're just trying to make a difference. But hey, free movie night isn't bad."

The group settled on an action-comedy, grabbing snacks and finding seats in the middle of the theater. Ivy sat next to William, their shoulders brushing as they got comfortable.

"So," Ivy said, leaning closer, "you're on the news, you're into tech, and you build sustainable housing. What's the catch?"

William smirked. "Catch?"

"There's always a catch," Ivy teased. "Nobody's that perfect."

William laughed softly. "Trust me, I'm far from perfect. I just... like solving problems. It's kind of my thing."

Ivy tilted her head, studying him. "I like that about you."

Meanwhile, Jake and Katie were deep in conversation a few seats away. Katie gestured toward the screen. "So, you're into action movies?"

"Definitely," Jake said, grinning. "I used to watch these with my dad all the time. He had this huge collection of old DVDs."

"That's adorable," Katie said, leaning closer. "You've got a good vibe, Jake. I can see why your ex is still hung up on you."

Jake chuckled. "Yeah, well, she's history now. Moving on feels pretty good."

Katie smiled. "Good. You deserve it."

After the movie, the group lingered outside the theater, the night air crisp and cool.

"This was fun," Katie said, glancing at Jake. "We should do it again."

Jake nodded, pulling out his phone. "Definitely. Mind if we grab a quick picture?"

Katie laughed. "Sure. Why?"

Jake smirked. "Let's just say it'll help with some... unresolved issues."

Katie playfully rolled her eyes but leaned in for the photo. Jake snapped a picture and grinned. "Perfect."

As the group began to part ways, Ivy turned to William. "Hey, do you... want my number?"

William's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah, I'd like that."

They exchanged numbers, Ivy's fingers brushing against his as she handed back his phone. "Text me," she said, her tone light but sincere.

"I will," William promised, smiling.

The night ended with new connections formed and lingering smiles on everyone's faces. As Jake and William headed home, Jake glanced over, holding up his phone. "Mission accomplished. I got my picture."

William laughed, shaking his head. "And I got a number."

Jake grinned. "Looks like we both won tonight."