Rejection: Fiction

The story is presented as a social media post written by Max, a futurist entrepreneur in his late thirties, who wants feedback from the online community. His writing style involves the frequent use of pop culture slang to show that he can relate to anyone.

After matching with Alison (from “Pics”, now in her early thirties) on a dating app, Max takes Alison to an omakase dinner. Alison doesn’t talk much, which Max interprets as a sign that she is stunned by the experience. Max tries small talk before asking about her biggest current problem in life. Alison shares about her eating disorder, her unrequited love for her best friend, and losing her entire social circle. Max then asks about her life goals, but Alison laughs at the question—she is unlikely to achieve anything more than health insurance. Max offers to help. At the end of the date, he uses his first startup app to hail a robot dog that will escort her home.

On their second date, Max surprises Alison with an all-expenses-paid trip to Barcelona. Alison hesitates to go because it will mean abandoning her magazine internship, but Max convinces her that the luxury is worth the risk.