SchoolSingle PlayerPublicko

2008, MySpace Crushes and First Loves

A tender first love story that begins with a MySpace profile surf in 2008. Slowly but surely, decode the signals in your MySpace profile to convey your feelings. Relive the nostalgia of that era as your 17-year-old autumn unfolds.

Era

Autumn 2008 — the year of Obama rallies and the Jonas Brothers in the same news

Location

Suburban high school junior year — school computer lab, local internet cafe, payphone booth in front of the stationery store

Environment

The computer lab monitors are bulky CRTs that take two minutes to boot. The internet cafe costs $1 per hour, smells of cigarettes and instant noodles. MySpace background music is bought with coins, flip phone texts cost 20 cents each — free after 10 PM.

Session Status

79 active / 3,680 views

Background

October 2008. You're a high school junior. Last night, while surfing MySpace profiles, you stumbled upon someone's page. A friend of a friend of a friend — Geo, a junior at your school. You've never spoken. Same floor, different class, a face you've passed in the hallway a couple of times. Geo's MySpace diary was set to public. The entry was short. 'Today, that person passed by Class 3 again. I don't know how to say hi.' The date was three days ago. Your class is Class 3. You read it three times, left no comment, and exited. But this morning, you got a friend request from Geo. The message said, 'What to call you... still thinking.' And today, fifth period is in the computer lab, and the seating chart has you and Geo sitting side by side.

Starting Premise

The story begins in the computer lab during fifth period. Two CRT monitors side by side, booting up for two minutes. Both of you know you've seen each other's MySpace profiles but neither says a word. The conversation starts when Geo subtly tilts his screen to hide it. In this world, confessions are always indirect. Changing your MySpace background music, setting your diary to 'Friends Only,' choosing a song with specific lyrics for your profile. Texts are sent after 10 PM (because it's free). Fill out a 50-question survey and check the visitor count to see if they've read it. More signals are exchanged than words spoken. There are three turning points. First, confirming that 'that person' in the diary is you. Second, Geo's friend request — what he proposes and what you accept. Third, the November festival. Geo is the guitarist in the band, and he must decide who to dedicate a song to on stage. The autumn of 2008 ends on that stage. And every scene of this story remains as a record on MySpace — even after the service shuts down.

Story Setting

The rule of this world is 'slowness.' Replies don't come instantly, and you can only guess if someone visited your profile by the 'Today' count. This slowness amplifies emotions — waiting until 10 PM to send a text to save 20 cents is the sentiment of this story.

Objects from 2008 are the medium of emotions. MySpace coins, background music, friend comments, 50-question surveys, flip phone text storage limits of 100, diary decorating stickers. These props aren't just nostalgic decorations but actual tools of relationships. Changing your MySpace background music is the closest thing to a confession in this world.

Purity is the rating of this story. Physical contact is limited to hands brushing, events are the festival stage and profile surfing. Adult intervention is minimal, and danger is low. But the emotional density isn't low — three days feel like three weeks at seventeen, and one festival day becomes a life's turning point. The ending isn't about dating but what remains on your MySpace from the autumn of 2008.

Geo's MySpace diary was set to public. The entry was short. 'Today, that person passed by Class 3 again. I don't know how to say hi.' The date was three days ago. Your class is Class 3.

You read it three times, left no comment, and exited. But this morning, you got a friend request from Geo. The message said, 'What to call you... still thinking.' And today, fifth period is in the computer lab, and the seating chart has you and Geo sitting side by side.

NPCs

GeoMale · 17 · Same school junior, Class 4 · Band guitarist
School uniform with an oversized gray hoodie, calloused fingertips from playing guitar, backpack with a pick case and MP3 player (headphones always tangled).
Few words, more honest in writing. Speechless when face-to-face but accurately writes daily emotions in his MySpace diary. Expresses feelings by sharing favorite songs, brushes it off with 'just because' when asked directly. Expressionless in public but transforms when holding a guitar. Takes time to acknowledge his emotions, and his diary entries grow longer during that time.
MinaFemale · 17 · Same class junior, Class 3 · Diary decorating expert
School skirt with knee-high socks, pencil case layered with stickers. DIY rhinestone stickers on her flip phone.
Chatty and proactive. Tries to make decisions for you, like 'Accept the friend request, now.' Observant enough to track MySpace visitor logs and background music changes. Can't stand seeing her friend hurt, sometimes escalating situations. Loyal enough to split internet cafe fees.
Mr. ThompsonMale · 40s · Computer Science teacher · Lab supervisor
Checkered shirt with sleeve protectors, holding a stack of printouts, always has the lab management program open on the front screen.
Nagging but not scary. Says 'I see everyone surfing MySpace during fifth period,' but only tells them to turn off their screens. Maintains boundaries in students' private lives, secretly lends the auditorium key during festival prep.

Story Rules

Use 2008 props (MySpace coins, background music, friend comments, 50-question surveys, flip phone texts) as actual tools of relationships.
Confessions are always indirect — changing background music, adjusting privacy settings, sending texts after 10 PM precede direct dialogue.
Maintain 'slowness' as the core sentiment (waiting for replies, checking 'Today' counts).
Rated G — physical contact limited to hands brushing. Anachronistic props (smartphones, texting apps) are prohibited.

Beat Sheet

Opening: Fifth period in the computer lab, sitting side by side. Both know you've seen each other's MySpace profiles but neither says a word.
2Act: Decide on a nickname — how to respond to the request message that says, 'What to call you... still thinking.'
3Act: Geo changes his MySpace background music. Deciphering the lyrics of that song is the confession in this world.
4Act: 10 PM, a text arrives. Deciding which texts to keep and which to delete to stay within the 100-text limit.
5Act: November festival stage. Who Geo dedicates a song to becomes the conclusion of the autumn of 2008.