Unexpected Love
A Strange Message
Amara stared at the glowing screen of her phone while lying on her bed. Her engagement ring sparkled under the dim light of her room. Tomorrow was another wedding preparation day with Daniel, yet instead of excitement, she only felt tired.
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
A few seconds passed before the reply came.
???
“Sorry. I think I saved the wrong number.”
Amara
“Then why are you still texting?”
???
“Maybe because you replied.”
Kaelyn
“I’m Kaelyn, by the way.”
Amara rolled her eyes, smiling without noticing.
Amara
“You say that to every stranger?”
Kaelyn
“No. Just the interesting ones.”
For some reason, the conversation continued longer than Amara expected.
Hours passed without Amara noticing the time. Then another message appeared.
Kaelyn
“So… do you always stay up this late?”
Amara hesitated before replying.
Amara
“Only when I can’t sleep.”
Kaelyn
“Something bothering you?”
Amara
“I’m getting married soon.”
Amara looked at the engagement photo on her bedside table.
The typing bubble disappeared.Then came back again.
Amara suddenly felt guilty for some reason she couldn’t explain.
Kaelyn
“Because I was starting to like talking to you.”
Amara’s heart skipped. She stared at the message longer than she should have.
Kaelyn
“Sorry. Forget I said that.”
But Amara couldn’t. Not even after she placed her phone against her chest and closed her eyes. Because for the first time in a long while… Someone made her heart feel awake.
Last Night Habit
The next morning, Amara woke up with her phone still in her hand. And the first thing she checked…
was Kaelyn’s messages. She immediately sat up when she realized what she was doing.
Amara
Why am I acting like this?” she whispered to herself.
Her phone vibrated again.
Kaelyn
"Good morning, future bride.”
Amara bit her lip, trying not to smile.
Amara
“That nickname is weird.”
Kaelyn
“Wow. Sounds like someone doesn’t want to get married.”
Amara froze while staring at the screen. Before she could reply, another message appeared.
Kaelyn
“Sorry. That was too personal."
That single word made Amara’s chest tighten.Because there really was a but.But she couldn’t explain it. Not even to herself.
Later that afternoon, Amara sat beside Daniel inside a café while he excitedly talked about wedding venues.
Daniel
“What do you think about the beach wedding?”
Before she could answer, her phone vibrated under the table.
Kaelyn
"Are you ignoring me now?”
Amara quickly locked her phone. Daniel noticed.
Daniel
“Who keeps texting you?”
The word felt strange.
Because Kaelyn wasn’t really her friend.
Not yet.
But somehow… not a stranger anymore either.
That night, Amara sat near her bedroom window while rain softly poured outside.
Her phone lit up again.
Kaelyn
📲“Can I ask something?”
Amara stared at the message for a long time.
No one had asked her that before.
Not her parents.
Not Daniel.
Not even herself.
Kaelyn
📲“You don’t have to answer.”
For the first time in years…
That answer felt honest.
Kaelyn
📲“Then maybe you should find out before the wedding.”
Amara’s heartbeat suddenly became louder.
Dangerously louder.
Because deep inside…
she was starting to realize that the person making her question everything…
was Kaelyn.
The first meeting
For the next few days, Amara and Kaelyn kept talking nonstop.
Morning messages.
Late-night conversations.
Random photos.
Small jokes.
It became a habit neither of them wanted to stop.
And somehow, Kaelyn already knew things about Amara that even Daniel never noticed.
One afternoon, Amara was walking alone inside a bookstore after another stressful wedding meeting with her mother.
Amara
📲"How would I know?"
Kaelyn
📲"Somewhere quiet."
Amara
“That literally sounds like a serial killer.”
Amara laughed softly while turning around the corner—
—and suddenly bumped into someone.
Books fell to the floor.
Amara stopped speaking.
A girl wearing a black hoodie was kneeling on the floor, picking up the books.
Beautiful quiet eyes.
Soft brown hair.
And the exact same voice she heard through voice messages every night.
The girl slowly looked up.
Kaelyn.
Both of them froze.
Kaelyn blinked first.
Amara’s heart almost stopped.
Amara
“Wait… you’re Kaelyn?”
Kaelyn laughed nervously.
Kaelyn
“Okay, this is officially insane.”
Neither of them moved for a few seconds.
It felt unreal.
Because somehow, the stranger behind the screen felt strangely familiar in person.
Amara helped pick up the books while trying to calm her heartbeat.
Kaelyn looked even prettier in real life.
And that realization immediately scared Amara.
Kaelyn
“So this is what the future bride looks like.”
Amara
"Please stop calling me that."
Kaelyn tilted her head slightly.
Amara opened her mouth—
—but no words came out.
Because for the first time…
she didn’t know if she still liked hearing it.
They ended up sitting together inside the bookstore café.
Talking face-to-face felt different.
More dangerous.
Kaelyn kept making Amara laugh over the smallest things.
And Amara hated how natural everything felt.
Too natural.
At one point, Kaelyn suddenly became quiet while staring at her.
Amara noticed immediately.
Kaelyn sighed softly before smiling.
Kaelyn
“You’re prettier than I imagined.”
Amara’s cheeks instantly warmed.
Her heart beat faster in a way it never did with Daniel anymore.
And that terrified her.
Because this wasn’t just curiosity anymore.
Something was changing.
Something she wasn’t ready to name yet.
Kaelyn
“Do you ever think meeting someone can ruin your whole life?”
Amara swallowed hard.
Because deep inside…
she already knew the answer.
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