Chapter 1: The Cold Draft

Grandma had been so cold and distant in her recent Facebook Messenger replies. She used to call me “sweetheart.” Now, every message felt like a cold draft sneaking in under the dorm window.

The familiar warmth was gone, replaced by replies that felt clipped—almost mechanical. It stung, more than I expected. I found myself scrolling back through old messages, hunting for the little hearts she used to send, like maybe I’d missed one. Maybe it was just my homesickness making everything feel off, but I couldn’t help missing the old her.

I figured I should take the initiative and message her first, hoping things would go back to normal.

I even started sending her photos of my meals and little campus updates, waiting for those heart emojis or silly GIFs she used to send. But her replies stayed brief. “Okay.” “Looks good.” I started to wonder if I’d done something wrong.

But a month later, Grandma suddenly added me as a friend again.

I stared at my phone like it had just glitched out—was Grandma really sending me a friend request, or was I losing it? But there it was, clear as day: “Your grandma has sent you a friend request.”

“Sweetheart, Grandma sent her phone in for repairs last month. I just got it back. Did you miss Grandma?”

A message popped up, bright and bubbly like she’d never left. I stared at the contact—the same lucky penny profile picture as always—completely stunned.

For a second, it was like I’d stepped into the Twilight Zone. My palms went clammy. I scrolled up, looking at weeks of conversation. If this was Grandma, then who had I been chatting with for the past month?

The next day, the ice queen senior, Natalie, was waiting for me downstairs, holding two cups of coffee.

She stood near the dorm entrance, hair pulled back, and the rising sun caught the steam from the cups. “Hi... sweetheart...”

Her voice wavered—like she was trying on a new pair of shoes and wasn’t sure they fit. I felt the world tilt, just a bit.