Blue Tick Syndrome
A Message That Wasn't Mine
The campus messaging app, Ripple, had been down for maintenance all evening.
According to the developers, the update would improve "connection stability."
Kael Arden
"I don't remember giving anyone my Ripple ID..."
Kael Arden
He opened the app.
💬 @CloudNine
Are you awake?
Kael Arden
💬 Kael (@NightOwl)
I think you have the wrong person.
💬 @CloudNine
That's embarrassing. 😭
He was about to close the chat...
💬 @CloudNine
Since I've already embarrassed myself...
💬 @CloudNine
How's your night?
Kael looked at the message.
He didn't know this person.
He could simply ignore it.
Kael Arden
What about yours?
The reply came almost instantly.
💬 @CloudNine
Better now. 🙂
Kael Arden
"...That's a weird thing to say."
He let out a quiet laugh before locking his phone.
That tiny reply made him smile.
💬 @CloudNine
Thanks for replying.
💬 @CloudNine
Most people would've ignored me.
Kael looked at the screen for a moment.
He wasn't sure why, but he didn't want the conversation to end.
His fingers moved on their own.
Kael Arden
You're welcome.
Kael Arden
Just don't text the wrong person again.
💬 @CloudNine
I can't promise that.
💬 @CloudNine
What if I accidentally text you again?
Kael Arden
Then I'll remind you that you still have the wrong person.
Kael assumed the conversation was over.
He placed his phone on the bedside table and reached for his laptop.
💬 @CloudNine
I don't have the wrong person anymore.
His eyes stayed fixed on the screen.
The most interesting conversation he'd had in weeks.
Without realizing it, he smiled.
Outside, the rain continued to fall against the dorm window.
Inside, a single chat quietly marked the beginning of a story neither of them could have predicted.
The Person Behind the Screen
Kael woke up to the sound of his alarm.
He reached for his phone without opening his eyes.
Seven unread notifications.
Three from the university group chat.
Two from his programming club.
One from Mina.
And one...
From @CloudNine.
Kael stared at the notification.
Especially the last message.
Maybe... I don't have the wrong person anymore.
He rubbed his face.
"Why did I reply to that?"
His phone buzzed again.
💬 @CloudNine
Good morning, wrong person.
Kael stared at the screen.
Kael Arden
💬 Kael (@NightOwl)
You're still doing this?
Kael Arden
Calling me the wrong person.
💬 @CloudNine
Technically, you are.
💬 @CloudNine
I still don't know who you are.
That was true.
He didn't know anything about this person.
Not their name.
Not their face.
Not even their gender.
For all he knew, he could be talking to a forty-year-old professor who had discovered emojis yesterday.
Kael Arden
Then why keep talking to me?
There was a longer pause this time.
The typing indicator appeared.
💬 @CloudNine
Because you're interesting.
Kael Arden
You know almost nothing about me.
💬 @CloudNine
That's what makes it interesting.
Kael smiled despite himself.
Kael Arden
That wasn't a compliment.
💬 @CloudNine
I'm choosing to believe it was.
Kael finally got out of bed.
He had his first lecture in thirty minutes.
He grabbed his backpack and headed toward the dorm entrance.
Before leaving, he checked his phone one more time.
💬 @CloudNine
We should make a deal.
💬 @CloudNine
We don't exchange our real names.
💬 @CloudNine
Because I like talking to you without knowing who you are
💬 @CloudNine
No expectations.
💬 @CloudNine
No judging each other based on appearance.
💬 @CloudNine
Just two people talking.
Kael stared at the message.
It was strangely reasonable.
Maybe anonymity made it easier to be honest.
Maybe that's why he had already told this stranger things he'd never casually tell someone at university.
Kael Arden
Until one of us changes our mind.
A second message appeared.
💬 @CloudNine
But we can ask three questions.
💬 @CloudNine
And you have to answer honestly.
Kael Arden
You're taking this seriously.
💬 @CloudNine
First question.
💬 @CloudNine
What's something you genuinely love?
His fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Kael Arden
You asked what I love.
Kael Arden
Not my entire autobiography.
💬 @CloudNine
I like sunsets.
The morning sky was pale and gray.
Kael Arden
That's unexpectedly normal.
💬 @CloudNine
I'm deeply offended.
💬 @CloudNine
I was hoping you'd think I'm mysterious.
Kael Arden
You're texting a stranger before 8 AM.
Kael Arden
You already qualify as mysterious.
💬 @CloudNine
I'll take it.
💬 @CloudNine
Second question tonight?
💬 @CloudNine
Don't disappear on me.
Kael's smile faded slightly.
Something about that message felt different.
Kael entered the lecture hall.
Mina was already sitting in the second row.
Kael immediately stopped smiling.
Mina Hart
You absolutely were.
Kael Arden
You imagined it.
Mina Hart
Who are you texting?
Mina Hart
That's the face of someone texting somebody.
Kael put his phone face-down on the desk
Kael Arden
You're annoying.
Mina Hart
And you're terrible at lying.
His phone buzzed beneath his hand.
He didn't check it.
But he was already wondering what @CloudNine had sent.
And somewhere across the same university campus...
Another student was staring at his own phone, waiting for the same reply.
Neither of them knew it yet.
But they were closer than they thought.
Three Questions
Kael was lying in bed when Ripple buzzed.
💬 @CloudNine
You promised me a second question.
💬 @CloudNine
Good. I was worried you'd abandon me. 😭
Kael Arden
It's been twelve hours.
💬 @CloudNine
What's something you're afraid of?
Kael's smile disappeared.
He stared at the question.
Kael Arden
Being forgotten.
The typing indicator appeared almost immediately.
💬 @CloudNine
That's... sad.
💬 @CloudNine
Being left behind.
Kael read the message twice.
Something about it felt familiar.
Kael Arden
Those sound almost the same.
💬 @CloudNine
Maybe we're more alike than we thought.
💬 @CloudNine
Last question.
💬 @CloudNine
If we ever meet in real life, would you want to know who I am?
He imagined meeting this stranger.
Two people walking past each other.
Kael Arden
I think I'd want to.
💬 @CloudNine
Then let's make a promise.
💬 @CloudNine
When we finally meet...
Neither of us runs away.
Kael stared at the screen.
Neither knew how soon that promise would be tested.
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