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A familiar yet strange scent greets me as soon as I wake up. Familiar because I've smelled it before, and strange because it doesn't belong to my home, much less to my bed. Without opening my eyes, I sniff my pillow slightly and recognize it more clearly: expensive cologne and tobacco, a combination that might seem unpleasant but also, strangely, fascinates me. Only one person has that scent, and once my brain makes the connection, my eyes snap open with my heart racing a mile a minute.
Ace Hale.
Once my eyes are open, I expect to see that spectacular body lying next to me, praying that at least he is wearing some clothes, but to my surprise, there's no one beside me. This discovery brings a mix of emotions within me, some of which catch me off guard. The predominant feeling is relief, obviously. I don't remember much from last night, but if I had slept with Ace, I would never forgive myself and would never have a drop of alcohol again in my life. On the other hand, my most primal instinct can't help but feel a little disappointed because I'd be lying if I said I haven't imagined that scene in my head before. It's not surprising; it's simply because Ace is far from bad looking, and one is neither blind nor foolish. You don't have to like someone to appreciate their looks, my relationship with Travis is the perfect proof of this.
So, what the hell happened last night?
I close my eyes in an attempt to remember something, but the effort is immediately frustrated by the pounding headache of a hangover. I take measures to alleviate it by taking some painkillers, trying to recall last night once it starts to take effect.
The first thing I remember is Travis's hands on my body, an unwanted and undesired touch. I recall with disgust how I tried to push him away without any success until, suddenly, he seemed to fly backward as if pushed by the hand of God. Just a second later, Ace's face appears in my memories, and the relief his presence and subsequent words brought me floods my body once again.
Ace saved me from something too terrifying to think about, and not only that, but he carried me in his arms to my home, shouting at everyone to stop staring at me because I just wanted to disappear and was too weak and overwhelmed to do anything by myself. Once home, he removed my makeup and offered to stay with me, to which I not only agreed but invited him to lie down with me under the sheets.
Remembering everything that happened last night, my cheeks turn pink at my actions when I was drunk. I don't regret asking Ace to stay with me now that I remember everything that happened, but I'm embarrassed by what he might think of everything I did and said. I wasn't thinking clearly at that moment due to multiple factors, and Ace and I aren't on the best terms, so I have no idea how he might have taken everything that happened yesterday.
I sigh and, for the second time that morning, thank God for waking up alone. I wouldn't be able to face Ace mocking me for my behavior after everything that happened yesterday, so avoiding that possibility is probably for the best.
