Saturday morning arrived, and Emma felt restless. The fall sunshine spilled through her apartment windows, casting a warm glow that made her want to get out and enjoy the crisp October air. She texted Sophie, who replied with an enthusiastic “YES” to her suggestion of hitting up the local art fair downtown.

The art fair was a fall staple in their town, a lively festival where artists and vendors set up booths selling everything from handmade jewelry to
abstract paintings, quirky sculptures,and hot apple cider. Emma loved it, and after a week of work stress and a steady stream of playful texts  from Captain Marvel, she was excited to unwind and enjoy a day with her best friend.

Just as she was about to leave, her phone buzzed. She glanced down, smiling as she read Captain Marvel’s latest message.

∆ Captain Marvel: Morning, Pepper. Got any thrilling weekend plans?

∆ Pepper: Actually, yes! My best friend and I are heading to the art fair downtown. It’s always a blast. Quirky artists, overpriced cider, random
sculptures that no one understands…

∆ Captain Marvel: Sounds like my kind of event. I was actually planning to check it out myself. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you there… ;)

Emma’s heart skipped. The idea of running into him, her mysterious “wrong number friend,” sent a jolt of excitement through her. But it was also nerve-wracking. What would she even say? And would he recognize her?
She quickly brushed off the idea, texting back casually.

∆ Pepper: Haha, good luck with that. Remember, I’m Pepper. You’d have to guess who I am. ;)

∆ Captain Marvel: Challenge accepted. Maybe I’ll  just walk around shouting “Pepper” until someone responds?
Emma grinned, imagining the scene and laughing to herself as she left her apartment.

When she arrived at the art fair, Sophie was already waiting by the entrance, a coffee in hand  and her eyes scanning the crowd with excitement.

“There you are!” Sophie exclaimed, pulling Emma in for a hug. “Let’s find some ridiculous art to critique!”

They wandered through the rows of booths, admiring handcrafted jewelry, intricate pottery, and paintings that seemed both beautiful and incomprehensible. The fair was buzzing with people, families with kids clutching balloons, couples holding hands, and friends laughing
together. The air was filled with the smell of cinnamon and cider, and Emma felt her stress melt away as they strolled past the stalls.

At one point, Emma noticed a tall guy with dark hair and a playful grin as he browsed a nearby jewelry booth. For a brief, wild moment, she wondered if it could be him—Captain Marvel, in
the flesh. But then the guy turned to talk to the booth owner, and she laughed at herself for even
considering it.

“Earth to Emma!” Sophie’s voice snapped her back to reality. “You’ve been spacing out ever since we got here. Something on your mind?”
Emma smirked, deciding to share a little of her excitement. “So… I may or may not have told Captain Marvel I’d be here today.”

Sophie’s eyes widened with interest. “Wait, you might run into him? Like, actually meet this mystery guy?”

“Well, I mean… maybe. I doubt it. It’s crowded, and we don’t even know what each other looks like. But, you know, it’s a funny thought.”

“Oh, it’s more than funny. This is fate!” Sophie declared with a dramatic wave of her hand. “Okay, new mission: We’re finding Captain Marvel.”

Emma laughed, though she couldn’t deny the flicker of excitement in her chest. Still, she tried to keep things realistic. “Even if he’s here, he could be anyone. I’m not exactly going to yell ‘Captain Marvel’ in the middle of a crowd.”

Sophie shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Fine, then. We’ll just have to keep our eyes peeled for every cute guy with a phone. And maybe… just maybe, we’ll get lucky.”

They wandered the fair, stopping at booths and laughing over strange sculptures, each more eccentric than the last. At one stall, an artist was
selling paintings that seemed like an explosion of colors splattered across the canvas with no discernible pattern. Sophie studied one piece, head tilted, and whispered to Emma, “It looks like he spilled his breakfast on the canvas and just decided to sell it.”

Emma snorted, clamping a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.
Sophie’s comment reminded her of Captain Marvel’s sense of humor, and she felt a pang of excitement mixed with nervousness as she continued scanning the crowd.

Meanwhile, across the fair, Liam was having a similar experience. After texting Pepper about his  weekend plans, he had actually been half-joking  about seeing her there. But now, standing among  the art booths and watching the crowd pass by, he found himself glancing around, wondering if he’d recognize her if he saw her.

It was silly, he knew that. He didn’t even know her  real name, let alone what she looked like. But  something about the possibility intrigued him.
Maybe it was because Pepper was more than just a texting buddy now; she was someone he’d come to look forward to hearing from every day.

He felt a weird pang of disappointment, though, knowing  that even if she were here, he might not know it.

Jonah, Liam’s best friend and roommate, appeared at his side, holding two cups of hot cider. “Here, figured you could use this. You look like you’re searching for something,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Liam took the cup with a nod of thanks, shrugging. “Not searching for anything specific. Just, you know… enjoying the vibe.”

Jonah studied him, smirking. “You’re lying. You’ve  got that look on your face.”
“What look?”

“The one you get when you’re secretly hoping for something you won’t admit.”

Liam rolled his eyes, trying to brush it off. “Okay,  fine. I told this girl I’d be here. But it’s no big deal ---  she’s just a friend. Sort of. Well, actually, she’s
more like a ‘wrong number’ friend. Long story.”

Jonah looked at him, amused. “You’re trying to meet a girl you texted by accident? Dude, that’s the most rom-com thing I’ve ever heard. Just admit it — you’re hoping for a meet-cute.”

Liam laughed, shaking his head. “It’s not like that.  It’s just… fun. We made a game of it. But yeah,  she’s probably not even here. Let’s keep moving.”

Across the fair, Emma and Sophie continued their  “mission” of finding Captain Marvel, though Emma tried not to get her hopes up. At one point, they stopped by a booth selling handmade mugs, and Sophie leaned over, whispering, “Okay, I’m officially rooting for Captain Marvel. This is  starting to feel like one of those scenes where  you’re meant to find him.”

Emma laughed, shaking her head. “Maybe in your imagination, Sophie. But it’s fine. This whole thing with him is just for fun, anyway.”

Sophie grinned. “Fun or not, I’m calling it now:  fate is working its magic. Just wait.”

Emma rolled her eyes, but deep down, she felt a flicker of hope she couldn’t quite ignore.

As the afternoon wore on, Liam and Jonah eventually made their way to a booth near the back of the fair, where a vendor was selling small,  colorful glass figurines. Liam picked up a small,  blue glass bird, turning it over in his hand thoughtfully.

Emma and Sophie, meanwhile, approached the same booth from the other side, admiring the intricate figurines. As Emma reached out to touch  a green glass flower, she felt a strange sense of  familiarity, like she was brushing past something important without realizing it. For a brief moment, their paths nearly crossed, only inches apart, separated by a few people milling around the booth. But then, as if some unseen force was pulling them away, Liam turned, setting the glass bird down, and walked with Jonah toward the other end of the fair.

Emma watched him go without a second thought, turning back to Sophie with a sigh. “Well, I guess that’s it. No Captain Marvel in sight.”

Sophie patted her shoulder with a grin. “There’s always next time.”

Emma nodded, a smile tugging at her lips despite the near- miss. She knew she’d never find him, but somehow, just knowing he was out there somewhere— maybe even closer than she realized — was enough.

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