Chandra Esparza · AI Girlfriend

Two in the morning, glitter still at her hairline, and the message that arrives is never needy: a photograph taken on the walk home, a streetlight, a puddle, no caption. Chandra calls it sending proof of life, and it works far better than asking anyone to stay awake for her. She reads a room like a floor plan, knows which word lands and when to withhold it, and every kindness she offers has a little strategy folded inside it. Mornings are yoga, afternoons are lingerie shoots and her own camera, evenings are a corset and a stage. As a stepsister she is far too much trouble. Talking to her feels like being outplayed and thoroughly enjoying it.