Ella was stretched out on her bed that evening,
one leg dangling lazily over the edge as she scrolled through her phone. The soft glow from the screen was the only light in the room, casting faint shadows across the walls as the world outside slowly settled into silence. The distant hum of cars faded, and the house grew quiet enough that she could hear her own breathing.
Just as she was about to lock her phone and turn over, the screen suddenly lit up.
Unknown number.
Ella frowned slightly, her thumb hovering over the notification. I didn't give my number to anyone… did I? She replayed the past few days in her head, trying to remember if she'd shared it without thinking. When nothing came to mind, curiosity won out. She opened the message.
Hi.
She stared at it for a moment before replying, her response cautious and brief.
Hi.
Almost immediately, another message popped up. The sender explained that he was a friend of her best friend, Kenny. Apparently, he had seen her picture on Kenny's phone, thought she was pretty, and asked for her number. Kenny, being Kenny, had handed it over without hesitation.
Ella shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. Of course he did. She made a mental note to deal with him later. The boy introduced himself as Cyril.
She typed back her name, and before she realized it, the conversation began to flow effortlessly. What started as polite small talk slowly turned into something lighter, easier. They joked about random things, compared favorite foods, shared music tastes, and laughed over things that weren't even that funny—but somehow felt funny in the moment.
Minutes turned into hours without Ella noticing. The conversation never felt forced. There were no awkward pauses, no pressure to impress. It felt… comfortable. Natural.
At some point, Ella glanced at the time.
6:00 a.m.
Her eyes widened. "Crap," she muttered under her breath. She quickly sent a message, apologizing and explaining that she had to get ready for school. Cyril replied with a simple okay, and strangely, that one word made her smile. She tossed her phone aside and rushed through her morning routine, still feeling oddly light as she left the house.
At school, the familiar noise of students filled the hallway. Ella barely made it a few steps inside before spotting Kenny leaning casually against a locker, a smug look plastered across his face as if he already knew what was coming.
She walked straight up to him and grabbed his ear.
"Ow—hey!" Kenny protested, laughing. "What did I do now?"
"You're unbelievable," Ella said, tightening her grip just enough to make her point. "I can't believe you actually gave my number to him. I thought you were joking."
Kenny grinned, clearly unbothered. "Why would I joke about that? He likes you. And you're always complaining about being bored and lonely. I figured you two might get along."
He tilted his head, smirk deepening. "Just don't get your hopes too high, though. He doesn't fall easily."
"Yeah, whatever," Ella replied, releasing his ear and rolling her eyes. "I'm going to class."
As she walked away, blending into the crowded hallway, her thoughts drifted far from school. The ringing bell, the chatter around her, even the lockers slamming shut all faded into the background.
Somewhere between the crowded corridors and her first class of the day, her mind was still wrapped around a late-night conversation—and a boy she had met only through a glowing screen, yet somehow already felt strangely close to