The Message Mishap

Chapter 2: Lacey

Only a few minutes left of homeroom and so much had already happened today. Well, maybe not that much, but it was certainly interesting. The phone on my desk flashed, indicating I had received a notification. I swiped open the screen revealing a message from this morning's rando and recalled the events.

Lucas and Violet had just picked me up for school when the words “Happy Birthday, Dad” appeared on my screen. Violet is my childhood best friend. I shared my lunch with her in the first grade after some jerk spilled juice on the floor. Violet slipped and her lunch went flying. We had been besties ever since. I watched from the back seat of Lucas’s white Toyota as Violet tucked a stray strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear. She wore a knitted hat on top of her head: one she had made herself and she dressed in a pair of dark green leggings along with a brown sweater. Vi always liked her sweaters a bit larger so the sleeves hung down over her hands. She was a shy girl, but also very sweet.

Lucas is Violet’s boyfriend. They met through me about two years ago. Lucas was new to school and had recently joined the swim team. Violet did her homework on the bleachers after school while she waited for me to finish swim practice. I guess during that time Lucas took a liking to her. It didn’t surprise me when Violet had admitted to liking Lucas as well. He was just as sweet as her and I always caught him goofing off at practice in an attempt to make her laugh. 

Back to the matter at hand: my phone, or should I say the strange person who just messaged me back. After I sent those laughing emoji I thought that was that and the conversation was over. However, I was mistaken as I had just received another message.

“In all seriousness my Dad was not a Goblin. Sorry if that’s disappointing.” 

I found myself smiling. Whomever this person was, I liked their humor. “I thought I’d gotten rid of you earlier. Normally when someone texts the wrong person there’s an apology, or they are ignored and the conversation ends there.”

“Hey now.. You are the one who continued the convo after I apologized.”

The bell rang signaling the end of homeroom. I now had five minutes to get to my first class or I’d be late. “We’ll continue this later. I have to get to class.” I typed, adding on an eye roll emoji at the end of my text.

“Class? Are you in high school?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know. Ever heard of stranger danger?” Part of me was joking and part of me was serious. In today’s world the person I was talking to could have been anyone. It could have been an honest mistake messaging me, or maybe this was a scam and someone was trying to get money out of me. The possibilities were endless. Jokes on them. As a senior in high school with no job, I didn’t have any money.

“Again, YOU are replying to my messages. I ain’t afraid of no ghost.”

I let out a small giggle. “Was that supposed to be a Ghostbusters reference? Love the movie. Hate the joke.”

“Lacey, come on. We are going to be late.” Harper, my other best friend, called to me from the classroom doorway.

“I’ll be right there.” I quickly grabbed my purse and my books, and headed for the door. As I did so I received another text.

“Ah, a fellow Buster enthusiast. It’s a pleasure to meet thee.” Now that made me giggle.

“I saw that look on your face.” Harper gave me a soft nudge. “What’s got you smiling? Is it a boy?” The grin on her face was hard to miss.

“It's nothing.” I nudged her back as we walked to first period, English. Although we had separate homerooms, Harper and I shared first period together. We had formed a routine at the beginning of the year of meeting up and walking together.