Chapter 2 Chapter 2
Loud music pulsed through the crowded nightclub.
Flashing lights illuminated the dance floor as people laughed and moved to the beat.
Amelia sat at the bar, clutching her second drink. Tessa leaned close to her.
“Okay” she said. “Rule number one tonight, no crying.”
Amelia rolled her eyes. “I’m trying.”
“Rule number two,” Tessa continued. “flirt with attractive dudes.”
Amelia nearly choked on her drink.
“Tessa!”
“I’m serious!”
Before Amelia could protest further, Tessa’s attention shifted.
“Oh.”
Amelia’s brows furrowed. “What?”
Tessa grinned. “I see someone I want to talk to.”
“Wait, are you just gonna abandon me?”
“Temporarily.” Tessa said, already sliding off her chair.
Then she disappeared into the crowd.
Amelia sighed. “Great.”
She finished her drink and signaled the bartender for another. The alcohol was starting to make her feel lighter.
Her gaze drifted across the room and landed on aman sitting a few stools away. He wasn’t dancing or flirting like everyone else. He simply sat there calmly, watching the crowd.
She studied him for a moment. Then, fueled by alcohol and heartbreak, she grabbed her drink and slid onto the stool beside him. He glanced at her, his dark eyes, surprisingly calm.
“Heeey” Amelia slurred.
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Are you lost?”
Amelia swayed slightly as she leaned in closer.
“I'm not.. lost." She giggled. "You look like someone who listens well.”
He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Do I?"
Amelia nodded. "I guess.. You’re a man anyways, all you do is lie and cheat.”
“Not all men though.”
She snorted. “You’re a man. Of course you’d say that.”
She gestured to the bartender.
“Two more drinks.”
The man looked at her.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Of course, I can handle it.” Amelia said boldly.
When the drinks arrived, she pushed one toward him.
“Drink.”
He studied her for a moment, then he picked up the glass and downed it in one go.
He studied her for a moment, then he picked up the glass and downed it in one go.
Amelia blinked in mild surprise before a crooked smile spread across her face.
“Well,” she said, lifting her own glass. “Someone’s trying to keep up.”
She took a long sip, the burn of the alcohol sliding down her throat. The warmth spreading through her chest felt oddly comforting.
“You look like you’ve had a rough night.” The man said.
“That obvious?” she asked dryly.
“A little.”
She fell silent for a moment.
“I thought I had everything figured out.” She said, staring into her drink.
“Perfect fiancé, perfect plans, perfect future. And then today happened.” She laughed dryly
“I found out he was cheating, through social media.” She continued. “Imagine that. Three years together and I find out because some random girl posted pictures.”
She shook her head and signaled the bartender again.
“Another round!”
The man sighed quietly.
“You might regret this tomorrow.”
Amelia shrugged. “Tomorrow is tomorrow’s problem.”
The drinks arrived and she immediately grabbed hers.
“Cheers.” she said, clinking it against his glass.
He took a slower sip this time.
“Has anyone ever told you how hot you look while drinking?” She said
He blinked once, surprised by the bluntness.
“Is that so?”
“Very” she said confidently.
The alcohol had clearly erased her filter.
She leaned closer, her hand lifted and brushed lightly along his cheek. Her fingers, trailing across his jaw as if she were studying the shape of his face.
“You’re definitely more interesting to look at than my ex. My best friend hates him, she doesn’t know what I see in him. But I think she’d like you more.”
He caught her wrist gently before her hand wandered any further.
“Careful.” His voice was low
“Why?” she asked, tilting her head.
“You’re drunk.”
“I’m aware.”
She leaned forward again, closing the distance between their lips.
He pulled back almost immediately.
“Hey! Don’t do something you’ll regret tomorrow.”
Amelia frowned slightly. “You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re just overthinking this.”
“You’re not thinking at all.”
She huffed. “The last thing I want tonight is to sit around feeling sorry for myself. So, are you going to keep being responsible… or are you going to help me forget about my terrible ex for one night?
He tilted his head, amused. “You sure about that?”
She leaned in again, this time slower, giving him time to pull away if he wanted to. But he didn’t. Her lips met his again, fiercer. When they finally separated, Amelia gave a small satisfied hum.
“This is a bad idea.” He muttered under his breath,
Amelia grinned. “Those are usually the fun ones.”
She leaned in again, intending to kiss him once more, but this time his hand came up between them, stopping her before their lips could meet.
“Not here.” He said, looking around
With that, he paid for the drinks and lifted her in his arms, out of the bar.
Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains causing Amelia to stir. Her head felt heavy as her eyes fluttered open. For a moment, she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. Then her brain caught up and she jerked upright.
Memories from the night before rushed back all at once.
She had drank more than she could handle, and ended up going to bed with a stranger.
“Oh no…”
She sat up abruptly before immediately regretting it as dizziness hit her. Carefully, she pressed a hand against her forehead and took a slow breath.
Then she noticed something beside her. The man from last night was still asleep next to her. In the morning light, she finally got a proper look at him and unfortunately, he was still ridiculously attractive.
Her face burned instantly.
“Oh my God.” she whispered under her breath.
Moving as quietly as possible, she carefully slipped out of the bed. The cold floor made her shiver slightly as she searched around for her clothes.
Her dress was hanging halfway off a chair, one heel was near the door, the other was somehow under the bed. She hurriedly gathered everything while occasionally glancing back toward the bed to make sure he was still asleep. Thankfully, he hadn’t moved.
Amelia pulled on her clothes as quickly as she could, wincing slightly when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her hair looked wild, her lipstick was completely gone and there was a faint red mark near her collarbone. Her face turned even redder.
She grabbed her bag quickly and searched for her phone. After a few seconds, she found it buried inside her dress pocket. The moment she turned it on, her eyes widened.
12 missed calls from Tessa, three from her mother and one from Ryan.
She shoved the phone back into her bag and glanced toward the bed one last time. Thankfully, the stranger still hadn’t woken up because there was absolutely no way she could survive a morning-after conversation right now.
She quietly picked up her shoes and tiptoed toward the door and escaped the room as fast as humanly possible.
