He's Not Who I Texted

Chapter 3 - A Name for a Name

UNKNOWN: “Sky, huh? That short for something or are you secretly a superhero?”

I hesitated. Not many people outside my friend group called me Sky. Hearing it from him—whoever he was—felt... weirdly personal.

Me: “Wouldn’t you like to know, mystery man?”

UNKNOWN: “I would, actually. Fair’s fair.”

I waited. My thumb hovered again.

Then the bubble appeared.

UNKNOWN: “Call me J.”

J. Not exactly helpful. But also not totally random.

Me: “Is that short for something or are you secretly a rapper?”

UNKNOWN: “Maybe. Maybe I moonlight as a rap god when I’m not stalking trig victims.”

I smiled to myself.

The bell rang, snapping me out of it. Tasha appeared beside me like clockwork.

“Who were you grinning at like that?” she asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

“No one,” I lied.

Her eyebrow raised. “No one’s got you texting through Graves’ class. Spill.”

I debated. Part of me wanted to keep J a secret. It felt like this fragile, buzzy little thing I didn’t want anyone else messing with yet.

So I shrugged. “Just some guy.”

She narrowed her eyes. “If you get catfished, I’m not saving you.”

“Noted.”

But as we walked toward our lockers, something nagged me.

J could be anyone.

A prank. A friend messing around. Someone in my class. Maybe even someone I already knew...

I glanced behind me—and caught a guy across the hall staring at me.

Tall. Hoodie. Hands in his pockets. When our eyes met, he looked away fast.

Weird.

I shook it off.

But deep down, I had a feeling.

This wasn’t going to stay anonymous for long.