Chapter 1: The Message That Changed Everything
It was supposed to be just another boring evening.
Rain tapped softly against my window as I lay on my bed, scrolling endlessly through my phone. College assignments unfinished, dreams unfinished—everything in my life felt paused, like a loading screen that never moved.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown Number:
"I can't do this anymore. Please tell me I'm not alone."
I frowned.
At first, I thought it was a prank. Or maybe a wrong number. I typed back, hesitating.
Me:
"I think you texted the wrong person."
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Unknown Number:
"I know. But somehow… I hoped you'd reply."
Something about that line made my chest feel tight.
Me:
"Are you okay?"
A long pause followed. The rain outside grew heavier, as if the sky itself was listening.
Unknown Number:
"No. But thank you for asking. No one usually does."
I sat up.
I didn't know this person. I didn't know their name, their face, or their story. But I knew that loneliness when I read it. The kind that makes even strangers feel like a lifeline.
Me:
"You don't have to be okay right now. You just have to stay."
Another pause. Longer this time.
Unknown Number:
"You sound like someone who understands pain."
I smiled bitterly.
Me:
"Pain is easier to understand than happiness."
A small vibration. Another message.
Unknown Number:
"Can we talk? Just for tonight."
I looked at the clock. 9:47 PM.
I should've said no.
I should've ignored it.
But instead, I typed—
Me:
"Okay. I'm here."
That night, we talked for hours.
About dreams that felt too big.
About fears we never shared with anyone.
About how silence sometimes screams the loudest.
We never exchanged names.
Before falling asleep, I received one last message.
Unknown Number:
"Thank you for saving me today… even without knowing me."
I stared at the screen, my heart racing.
I didn't save them.
I was just a stranger.
Or so I thought.
Because I had no idea that this wrong number—
was about to become the most important person in my life.