Member-only story
The Message That Changed Everything
A Match with Destiny
Lucas gazed at his phone display, his vacant eyes mirroring the chilly light of the device. It was yet another dreary day in 2021, a peak moment of the pandemic that had robbed him of his youth and plunged him into profound sadness. At only 16, confined to his home with a strict family, he could no longer find purpose in anything. Then, at 10:34 on a drizzly afternoon, a simple swipe of his finger altered everything…
Scrolling through Instagram stories, a habit he rarely indulged in, Lucas paused at a photo of a pasta dish. It was posted by Jessica, a former classmate from fourth grade. On a whim he couldn’t quite comprehend, he typed, “Are you trying to make me jealous?” This seemingly insignificant message marked the start of a transformation that even the most optimistic seer could not have foreseen.
Hours later, having entirely forgotten about the message he sent, his phone buzzed. “Who are you?” Jessica inquired. Lucas recounted details from their distant childhood. To his astonishment, the conversation flowed effortlessly, as if the decade that had separated their lives had dissipated in an instant.
Within just five days of fervent messaging, something remarkable occurred. Lucas and Jessica admitted they had feelings for each other. In fact, he had harbored a crush…
