Sophia Jones was a few months away from finishing her master and she was terrified. She didn't want to admit to anyone including herself that she didn't know what to do after. All she's ever known is studying and studying. Getting into the world wit...
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Being sober and clear-eyed changes everything.
Marty Stuart
-----
The ringtone of my phone had me waking up startled.
Luke's name appeared on the screen, having me sit straight.
"Luke?" I answered, my voice hoarse because I wasn't fully awake yet. The clock on my nightstand marked 3:22 am.
"Luke? Are you alright?" There was silence on the other side of the line and my heart was pounding from worry.
"I'm soooo tired" There was heavy breathing heard on the other side.
"What's wrong?" I was now fully awake, dead worried.
"You're my friend, right Sophia? You hep me, rit?" He's drunk. Definitely drunk since he's starting to talk incoherently.
"Where are you, Luke?" I was worried that he might be alone somewhere.
"Sir, where are we?" There was a conversation in the background but I couldn't hear well.
"Luke, put that person on the phone!"
"You don't want to talk to me?" There was sadness in his tone and I wasn't sure how to react. He wasn't his usual self. Something definitely happened.
"I do, I just need to tell that person something so hand your phone to them," I said and then heard rustling in the background.
"Hello?" Said a high-pitched voice of a man.
"Hello! It looks like my friend is drunk. Could you tell me where you are?" I was vert worried about where he was.
"Ah, we're in a cab right now. I'm the driver. We've been driving in circles for a while because he doesn't remember where he lives." I let out a relieved sigh because at least he was safe and not somewhere in a dark alley.
"Please bring him to my house" I gave the driver my street address right away without thinking further. I told myself that I would worry about it in the morning.
—
"Oh my God! Luke, you look terrible!" I said as soon as the cab arrived. I had to help him steady himself because he was barely standing.
His shirt was all over the place, a few buttons missing and half of it out of his pants. His hair was disheveled and his face was red like a tomato.
"Are you flirting with me, love?" Luke said while leaning closer to my face. I would have blushed in that situation if I didn't know he was completely wasted.
It took me a while to get him into my apartment. There is no elevator and I live on the second floor.
Now with a sober person, there would be no problem but drunk Luke had us almost falling with every step. That's mostly because he weighs at least twice my weight and he's too big for me to manage on my own.
"Aren't we going too fast? Directly to your bed? That's bold coming from you Sophy!" He said while I placed him on the bed.
"Luke, you're very drunk and out of your mind and burning. You have a fever for sure!" I said touching his forehead because the redness on his face was unusual even if he was drunk.
"Are you worried, love?" That word awoke the butterflies in my stomach every time he said it but I had to remind myself that he was drunk and out of his mind.
"Of course I am! Do you know how bad you look right now?"
"Do you think I'll get positive points if I undress? I have abs! Do you want to see them? I can even let you touch them!" That made me laugh. He was cute and I had to admit that I liked that silly side of him.
"Stay put and don't move!" I warned him while I went to look for clothes to change.
"Get your shirt and pants off!" I said once I was back with the clothes.
"Wow, love, you're bolder than I thought!" I ignored him and helped him get undressed.
And he was right. He has abs. Well-defined abs that would have had me drooling under other circumstances, but I couldn't do that to a drunk person.
"Why do you have men's clothes? Do you have a man?" His face was serious and I almost got mistaken that he sounded jealous.
"Do you see a man here?" I sarcastically replied.
"These are my dad's clothes. I use them as pajamas but I don't have other clothes to give you." I clarified even though there was no need to do that.
"Why are you dressing me again? Aren't we about to do the goodie?" He looked adorably confused and he had me chuckling.
"The only goodie you'll do is take a good night's sleep" I replied, pinching his cheeks.
"Then we'll do the goodie when I wake up?" Gosh, he was pouting!
"Luke, just shut up and go to sleep!" I replied laughing.
"You're no fun, love! Then at least let me get a taste"
I didn't have time to react. He lifted his head while I was tugging him and brushed his lips against mine then fell back on his back, completely knocked out.
It couldn't be considered a kiss. Our lips barely touched each other but it had my heart about to burst out of my chest.
I took the couch that night but I could barely sleep. I went to check on him multiple times to see if his fever went down and when it did it was already bright outside and I was no longer sleepy.
"Did I do anything wrong last night?" Luke said after he woke up.
He was confused at first but after explaining he looked ashamed of himself.
What had me disappointed was him not remembering anything.
"You don't remember anything?" I asked again because deep down I wanted him to remember that he kissed me and called me love.
"No, the last thing I remember is going to the bar and then everything else is blank."
I nodded but I was disappointed.
"These cupcakes are delicious!" He broke up the silence. We were somehow awkward with each other and it was understandable.
"You like them? I made them yesterday!" I said with a huge grin.
I decided to not tell him anything. That would complicate things and maybe make us more awkward.
Also, he had a fiance and I did not want to come in between them. It was a drunk mistake anyway. It's not like he wanted to kiss or do anything with me.
"Are you serious? They're delicious!" He said eating at least four of them.
We kept talking about my passion for baking and he kept praising me.
We looked like a couple having a usual morning conversation except we were not.
At 8 am he left my apartment because we had to work that day.
"Thank you for last night, Sophia! I am really thankful! And I hope I didn't cause you a lot of trouble" Luke said before leaving.
"No problem! Anytime!" I replied with a smile.
He looked at me for a few seconds. Luke looked like he wanted to say something else but refrained from doing so.
After he left my disappointment increased. Deep down I wanted him to come back and say he remembers. I wanted him to come and tell me that he meant all of it and that he felt the same.
But in the real world, none of that could happen because he was engaged and something between us was impossible.
