A few days had passed since their last
conversation, and Emma found herself checking
her phone more than usual. Each time her screen
lit up, she felt a twinge of disappointment when it
wasn’t Captain Marvel. She hadn’t realized how
much she’d come to look forward to their random
texts. Somehow, it felt like her secret window into
another world—one where dating disasters and ex-boyfriend drama didn’t exist.
While waiting in line at the café near her
apartment, Emma’s phone buzzed, and her heart
did a tiny leap. She glanced down to see a familiar
number pop up.
∆ Captain Marvel: Hey, Pepper. Haven’t heard from
you. Busy killing plants, or did you find another
wrong number to rant to?
Emma laughed out loud, drawing a curious glance
from the guy behind her. Quickly, she typed back.
∆ Pepper: Hilarious. But no, I’ve been busy trying
to keep a cactus alive. Thought I’d take it easy.
∆ Captain Marvel: Taking on a cactus? Bold move.
You must be getting cocky.
∆ Pepper: It’s just one cactus. I’m feeling hopeful…
for now.
∆ Captain Marvel: That’s the spirit! Just keep it
away from any pizza topped with pineapple, and
you’ll be fine.
Emma was still grinning as she ordered her coffee
and found a seat by the window, her phone in
hand. Talking to Captain Marvel always felt like a mini escape from her day-to-day life. It was
refreshing, even comforting, how they could joke
around without overthinking things. She decided
to go for it, sending him a question that had been
on her mind.
∆ Pepper: So, Captain Marvel, what do you do
when you’re not saving random wrong numbers
from relationship disasters?
It took him a little longer to respond, and she
imagined him smirking on the other end of the
line, considering what he wanted to share.
∆ Captain Marvel: Wouldn’t you like to know? ;)
But seriously, nothing as thrilling as your bad
dates. I work in tech, so it’s mostly screen time,
coffee, and trying to look productive in front of my
cat.
∆ Pepper: Ah, the elusive “tech guy.” Let me guess
—you’re secretly a hacker who moonlights as a superhero?
∆ Captain Marvel: Only if being really good at
fixing routers counts as superhero work.
∆ Pepper: If you can fix Wi-Fi, you’re already on
your way to hero status.
Emma’s phone buzzed with another text before
she could reply, but this time it wasn’t from
Captain Marvel. It was Sophie, her best friend.
∆ Sophie: Movie night at my place tonight! Bring
snacks. I found the most cringey rom-com we
HAVE to watch.
Emma glanced between her two text threads,
feeling a strange pull. On one hand, her real life
was right here, complete with bad rom-coms and
snacks. But on the other hand, there was Captain
Marvel—a funny, faceless stranger who’d
unexpectedly become part of her daily routine.
∆ Pepper: Real life is calling, Captain. But if I
survive tonight’s bad movie marathon, maybe I’ll
have something embarrassing to share with you.
∆ Captain Marvel: Looking forward to it, Pepper.
And hey, don’t worry—I’m sure you’ll find plenty
to mock about that rom-com. ;)
Emma slipped her phone into her bag, realizing
how much she’d been holding onto her
conversations with him. But maybe Sophie was
right: it was just a random text exchange. No need
to overthink it. She’d go have a fun night with her
friend, maybe laugh about it, and life would go on.
YOU ARE READING
Texting The Wrong Number
Short Story"It all started with one wrong text..." Emma Carson's life takes a surprising twist when a breakup rant accidentally lands in the inbox of a complete stranger. But instead of ignoring her, the stranger-a witty, sarcastic guy who calls himself "Capta...
