All This Time (Previously Pick and Choose Me)
Niti found herself facing an impossible choice between her long-term relationship and a newly found connection with her favorite K-idol, Jimmie.
Samarth's surprise backfired, thrusting Niti into an unexp...
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October 18, 2022
NITI jolted awake, startled by an unfamiliar sound ringing in her ears. Her head throbbed mercilessly, a cruel reminder of the vodka she had drowned herself in the previous day. A dry, scratchy sensation parched her throat, escalating the discomfort. It took her a few disoriented minutes to register her surroundings, her bleary eyes slowly adjusting to the sunlit room. The afternoon sun was blinding to her eyes.
The unfamiliarity of her surroundings sent a wave of uncertainty crashing over her. Doubt seeped into her thoughts, making her question the choices she had made in life. Just what had she gotten herself into?
A groan escaped her lips as she reached out, fumbling for the unknown phone that persistently pierced the silence. Clearly, the phone did not belong to her, a stark reminder of what had transpired with Sam the previous day and how she ran leaving her phone with Tara.
"Ugh," she groaned, clutching her throbbing head as she silenced the intrusive device. With a frustrated toss, she flung it back onto the bedside stool and shifted her focus to the pressing need for water.
What's up with that dream? Why was I dreaming about those days ?
She outstretched her hands towards the bedside table but in vain. No water awaited her within arm's reach. Scanning the room, her gaze fell upon a bottle of water placed on a table just beyond the bedroom's threshold.
Right, I came to a hotel. Fuck.
"What is this? A fancy suite room?" she muttered to herself, her words tinged with a mix of confusion and frustration. Gathering her strength, she stumbled towards the table, her unsteady steps revealing the remnants of a long night.
It was then, as she passed a mirror, that she froze in her tracks. The reflection staring back at her sent a shiver down her spine. Mascara smudged across her face, lipstick haphazardly applied, and eyes swollen from exhaustion and perhaps something more. Yet, it wasn't the disheveled state of her appearance that caused her to recoil-it was what she was wearing.
A surge of dread coursed through her veins as she registered the night robe enveloping her body. Its unfamiliar fabric, the delicate lace and intricate patterns, confirmed her worst fears. It wasn't hers; she had never seen it before. In fact, she hadn't consented to being in this room at all. Weren't they merely indulging in drinks at the restaurant?
Chaos descended upon her mind, swirling with unanswered questions. Why was she dressed in a nightgown? What had transpired during the night that had led her to this unfamiliar room? Her anxiety intensified, and she shuffled on her feet, unable to find solid ground amidst the disarray of her thoughts.
Finally, overcome with overwhelming unease, she collapsed to her knees, her breaths ragged and irregular.
"What have I done?" she murmured, her voice laced with fear and uncertainty. Images of potential scenarios danced before her eyes, each one more unsettling than the last.
