Familiar in the Darkness | +18 | TEXTING

02 | Mysterious Messages

As I read the message from Noah Carter, I tried to contain the excitement bubbling up inside me. Talking to a stranger, especially someone so mysterious, was turning out to be more intriguing than I had expected. Lily was fidgeting impatiently beside me, waiting for me to check my phone again.

The message was pretty simple: "Hey Emma, nice to meet you! I'm up for getting to know you too. What's something about you that would surprise me?"

A smile tugged at my lips. I liked Noah's style—direct, but also playful. I thought about how I should respond. Meanwhile, Lily was practically bouncing in her seat beside me.

"What did he say?" Lily asked as I handed her the phone.

"He wants me to tell him something interesting," I said, rolling my eyes. "But I'm not sure how honest I should be."

Lily glanced at my phone again. "I think you should be honest, but keep a little mystery. Say something that will keep him curious."

I returned to the message box, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. I gathered my thoughts and began to type: "Hey Noah, hmmm... I'm pretty spontaneous, like doing things out of the blue. Maybe we'll get to that part eventually. How about you? What's one thing I should know about you?"

After I sent the message, my heart started to race. I didn't understand why something so simple was making me so excited, but I was eager to learn more about Noah Carter. As I set my phone down, I noticed the excitement in Lily's eyes.

"That's a good start. You're leaving him curious while showing a bit of your personality," she said with a smile.

As I waited for Noah's reply, a sense of unease crept in. I didn't know who this man was, but the idea of getting to know him intrigued me in an odd way. Soon enough, my phone buzzed with a new message from Noah.

"Spontaneous, huh? I like that. I'm the kinda guy who enjoys surprises. Maybe we could plan some for each other, down the line. But here's a fun fact: I'm really into music. What's your vibe? What kind of music gets you going?"

Music. One of the things that resonated most with me. If this guy was into music, maybe we had more in common than I thought. I smiled as I read his message, feeling a growing desire to learn more about him.

"Music is life, right? I'm into all sorts of stuff, but lately I've been obsessed with indie rock. Something about those raw, authentic vibes just speaks to me. What's your go-to genre?"

I was curious about how Noah would respond. For me, music wasn't just entertainment; it was a way to escape. Every song, every rhythm, told a different story. Maybe Noah and I shared a common ground here.

After sending the message, Lily rolled her eyes and asked, "So what now?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. "But I have a feeling this guy might be more interesting than I thought."

My phone buzzed again. Noah was quick to respond. My eyes scanned the message eagerly: "Indie rock? Solid choice. I'm all about that vibe too. There's something about those raw, unfiltered lyrics that hit differently, right? What's your go-to band these days?"

The more we talked, the more I started to feel like Noah might actually be my kind of person. It surprised me how easily and naturally our conversation flowed. I smiled at Lily and started typing again.

"I've been hooked on The National lately. Their lyrics just cut deep, you know? What about you? Any band you can't get enough of?"

It was nice to take things slowly, getting to know each other rather than rushing into meeting up. This little chat with Noah seemed to be drawing me closer to him. My phone buzzed again, and I glanced at the screen.

"The National is a killer choice. I've been into The War on Drugs lately. Their sound just takes me places. Maybe we could trade playlists sometime?"

I was surprised by how naturally we could chat about music. Noah's messages showed that he wasn't just a charismatic guy; he also had a deep inner world. I smiled and turned to Lily.

"He's suggesting a playlist swap? This guy is really interesting," I said, grinning.

"See?" Lily said, pleased. "He's not so bad after all. Maybe he really is someone worth getting to know."

I decided to reply to Noah.

"That sounds fun! I'm always down to discover new music. Let's make it happen sometime."

I wondered how Noah would react to this. Talking to him had become more enjoyable than I'd expected. If he was as famous and successful as people said, I hadn't really expected him to reply at all! That thought excited me. Maybe this encounter was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. But I decided not to rush things. I wanted to really get to know Noah, and for that, I needed time.