Back to The Start

chapter 27

Like, I want you, bless my soul, I aint gotta tell him, I think he knows ~ TS, I Think He Knows

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Holy shit. Ouch. 

I groan into my pillow as my head continues to throb. My throat is dry and my head feels like there's an elephant sitting on it. Opening my eyes to the light filling the hotel room just makes everything hurt worse. I pull up the comforter over my head and roll onto my side with a huff. 

I hear a voice beside me, muffled from the blanket. "Morning James."

I freeze. The owner of that voice is not supposed to be in the same hotel room as me! That's when it all comes flooding back. Last night, the club, the shots, the dancing, the fountain, the lost room key, truth or dare, and the night ending with me straddling Luke's lap. If I could crawl in a hole and die right now, I would choose that over taking this blanket off my head. 

Reluctantly, I lower the blanket off my head and squint as my eyes adjust to the light. Luke is lounging on the bed next to mine scrolling on his phone. His hair is messy from sleep and he doesn't have a shirt on. I repeat, he does not have shirt on. Looking at him now, all I can think about is his lips on my neck, his hands on my body, his hair between my fingers, his chest underneath my palms. 

I clear my throat and tear my eyes away from his bare chest. "Morning."

"How's your head feel?" He puts down his phone and looks at me. 

"Like someone's hitting me over and over with a hammer." I grumble. 

"Honestly, I'm really impressed you didn't throw up last night." He says. 

"Yeah that's the only pro about the morning after. The cons list goes on and on. Hang over, memory holes, facing the consequences of my actions." I sigh and look up at the ceiling. 

His gaze burns into the side of my face. "Memory holes?" 

"Yeah. Sometimes when I get super drunk I don't remember things the next morning. It's a pretty common thing." I side eye him. 

"Yeah, I know." He deadpans. "But do you have any memory holes from last night?" 

No. "Yes."

"Hm." He hums knowingly. "So you don't remember anything after... when? The club?"

"Yep. That's when my mind goes blank." I say matter of factly. 

"Hm. So you don't remember anything that happened in this room last night?" He sits up in the bed and regards me suspiciously. 

"Nope. Memory hole." I tap my head and sit up in the bed, throwing the covers off me and swinging my legs to the floor. 

"That's crazy. So you have no memory of playing truth or dare." He copies me and throws the covers off him, revealing his god damn gray sweatpants. I internally sigh. 

"That's a kids game." I say quickly as I stand up.

"Maybe. But it was your idea. And it got a little pg 13." He stands and walks towards me. 

I back up until my back is against the wall. Luke keeps walking until his freaking sculpted chest brushes mine. His arms come up to rest on either side of me, effectively trapping me. 

"Not ringing any bells?" He tilts his head and scans my face. 

I shake my head and purse my lips, drawing a deep chuckle from him.