Proceeding with Caution

Just because Jenna had decided not to dismiss the Romance Mechanic app completely out of hand, that didn't mean she didn't still think it was all a load of bollocks. How could it not be? She was a logical, realistic person and what the app was claiming to be able to do for her would be nothing short of magic - the kind of mind control stunt even the worlds greatest hypnotist couldn't come close to pulling off.

She decided just to forget the app even existed for now and enjoy her evening like normal. It was the kind she and Cass had spent together maybe a thousand times by now, and felt just as pleasant but uneventful as any other. Except this time Jenna's phone was buzzing at her every five minutes.

The messages The Romance Mechanic app was sending Jenna were frequent, obnoxious and irritatingly chipper - but also kind of exciting.

You definitely captured Cassie's interest with that story! Keeping your connections intrigued with your words can steadily increase their affection level.

Cassie found that joke hilarious! Making your connections laugh is a great way to build affection.

Wow, you and Cassie have great natural chemistry! Keep this going and you'll soon fill all her hearts!

Being constantly updated in real time about just how much Jenna's long term secret crush enjoyed her company was quickly becoming addictive, as was the prospect of filling the first heart that evening, a target that was looking increasingly realistic.

"Hey, what's up with your messages? You're checking your phone, like, every five seconds" Cassie noticed.

"Just annoying news alerts, nothing important" Jenna lied "You know what, I'm going to switch the fucking thing off so it stops bugging me"

In fact, preventing herself from becoming too distracted from her friend wasn't the only reason Jenna had decided to shut her mobile down for a while. She was starting to get concerned some AI tool must be listening in to her conversation to be constantly reacting to it with such immediacy. She needed to test that theory out, and there seemed to be a simple way of doing it.

"Hey, I have something for you"

Jenna remembered the Romance Mechanic being very clear about the ability of gifts to raise someone's affection, as long as it was something their so-called 'connection' appreciated. Both she and Cassie had always loved books. It was a shared passion that had helped bond them practically from the age they had learned to read. Jenna had the much bigger collection, which was a perk of coming from a wealthier family. She decided now would be a great time to begin to redress that balance.

"I just finished this, I feel like you'll enjoy it" Jenna tossed a science fiction novel she had completed the previous evening to her bestie.

"Oh, thanks. You know how much of a quick reader I am, I'll have it back to you in a few days"

"Nah keep it. Like, you know, let's call it a fucking present or whatever"

"Wow, thanks Jen! That's awesome of you!"

"That's okay. Anyway, why don't you check it out while I go and take a piss?"

Jenna locked herself in the bathroom and switched her phone back on. There was no way any AI could have heard her give her book away, so she was confident she would be able to confirm the trick the app had been playing on her there and then.

When her phone booted up and she saw the latest message the app had waiting for her, Jenna's hands started shaking and she momentarily forgot to breathe.

Cassie was super touched by your thoughtful gesture! And, since books are her most loved gift, her affection has been raised even further than it would have been with a regular present.

What the fuck? Jenna's phone had literally been switched off. There was no way any AI on the application could be responsible for the Romance Mechanic knowing what had just happened.

Jenna was starting to get excited by this latest development, especially when she saw that her friend was now on more than half a heart, and the next message of encouragement that popped up made her heart beat even quicker.

Remember, the same or similar gifts can be given repeatedly without diminishing returns. Since you have identified Cassie's most loved gift type, you can use that knowledge to raise her affection at rapid speed!

Jenna had to take a moment to calm herself down before walking back down the hall to rejoin her friend. She also needed to remind herself how far fetched this all still seemed, despite the mounting evidence suggesting there might be something in it.

When Jenna returned to her room, Cassie was still happily examining the back of the book she had just been gifted.

"Thanks again for this, it looks really good"

"You know what? I have a few more books I finished recently that you may as well take off my hands"

"Really?"

"Sure. You're, like, my best fucking friend. Who else am I gonna give my shit to when I'm done with it?"

Jenna fetched a pile of books from her shelf and proceeded to hand them to Cassie one by one, leaving significant enough gaps to ensure each should be counted as a separate gift. Every time she passed one over she could sense her phone vibrating a little in her pocket. After about the fifth book, it gave a longer, more significant feeling buzz. She stepped back and subtly checked what that meant.

Congratulations! You have successfully filled the first of Cassie's hearts! She will now accept dates from you any time you ask her!

As tantalising as that prospect was, Jenna couldn't bring herself to do it. At least, not yet. Suddenly asking her best friend on a date, seemingly out of nowhere, and getting rejected would feel catastrophic. She needed to feel certain there was no chance of refusal. That meant she was going to have to test the Romance Mechanic on someone else first.

---

"Oh, hey Jenna"

"Hey Imogen"

Imogen could usually be found behind the counter of the small convenience store that her parents ran, and it was located just a few minutes walk from Jenna's place, which made her the perfect sitting duck to be experimented on when it came to the mysterious new dating app.

Since there was really nowhere else for Jenna to buy things without catching a bus, she didn't need much of an excuse to visit the quaint little store. She was also friendly with Imogen, who had been in her year at school, so she would usually stay and chat when she stopped by anyway. Plus, Jenna had always found the petite brunette cute, which meant the app ought to register her automatically as the second name on her Love List, even though Imogen was straight - like every other pretty girl in this stupid village seemed to be.

Buzzzzzzz

Yep. There she was.

Okay, Jenna needed someone to take all the way up to five stars as quickly as possible to see just what the app was truly capable of, and it looked like Imogen was going to be that person. It was time for both Jenna, and The Romance Mechanic, to start working their magic on her.