The Next Morning
1057 Words
Early the next morning, she had a throbbing headache and her body was sore from the wild night she had the night before. As she tried to sit up, the bright sunlight streaming through the curtain made her squint. As she stretched, she realized with a start that she wasn’t alone in the bed.
She slowly opened her eyes, her heart pounding as she saw a figure in the bed next to her. A mix of fear and curiosity coursed through her as she tried to remember what had happened the night before. She took in the man's familiar face, and her heart sank as she realized what had happened. She had made a huge mistake.
She found herself remembering the previous night quite vividly. It was a whirlwind of laughter, touches, and heated kisses that had blurred into one, passionate blur during that night. During this moment, her heart was racing as she slowly turned her head to find Lucas still asleep beside her, his face relaxed in peaceful slumber as he lay beside her.
In that moment, she watched him for a few moments, feeling a strange mix of emotions, a mix of attraction, confusion, and something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Part of her wanted to stay, to see what would happen once he woke up. Possibly they would laugh about it, exchange phone numbers, and something more would happen. Yet another part of her urged her to leave before the awkwardness of the morning could set in, the part that was still processing everything that had happened.
She soon realized she was getting really carried away stirring at him.
“Come off it Clara” she said to herself and getting up immediately to get dressed.
Her clothes were scattered around the room, leading from the door to the bed. She gathered them up quickly, her fingers trembling slightly as she put on her dress from the night before.
As she put on her shoes, she glanced back at him. He hadn’t stirred, his breathing slow and steady. She felt a bit of guilt for leaving like this—without a word, without an explanation. But what could she say? How could she explain the emotions she was feeling, the confusion and fear that came with the realization of how deeply she had been drawn to him in such a short time?
Her gaze flitted about the room, seeking a surface upon which to inscribe. She sighted a notepad and she quickly grabbed it walking away from the bedside stand, she wrote a short note before leaving:
Lucas,
“Gratitude for the revelry of last night. It was a night to remember with so much fun, and most of all, I got to spend it with you, yet I find myself in need of reflection. Perhaps our paths shall cross again.”
Hannah.
She faltered before placing the note beside him upon the pillow. It felt impersonal, cold even, yet what more could she articulate? Drawing in a deep breath in an attempt to quell the frenetic rhythm of her heart, she noiselessly departed the room.
As the door shut behind her, she leaned against the wall in the corridor, her mind consumed by turmoil. Unfamiliar with her trajectory and uncertainty. one thing remained certain - an unforeseen juncture had materialized in her existence, with no means of retracing her steps.
She was still lost in thought when her phone rang, it was a call from one of her team mates at work.
“Good morning Clara, where are you?. The boss has been looking for you since she got in the office” the team mate said.
“Ohhh shoot, I’m on my way” she responded.
She rushed out the corridor to get a cab home to freshen up before she finally left for the office.
At the office:
“Why the hell are you just coming to the office at this late hour?” Stephanie asked.
“I’m so sorry, I’m a bit under the weather and I didn’t realize that the time was fast spent” Clara responded.
“That is a silly excuse right there, whatever it is you have going on with you, do not let it affect your work, most especially this present project you are handling. if there’s a little mistake from you and your team during the next presentation on this project, consider yourself fired. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, I do” Clara responded
“Good, I would like you to send me the correction from yesterday’s presentation that I asked you to work on to my email later today so I can go through it, because I would not want any flops during the next presentation to our clients”
“Noted ma’am” Clara responded
“You may leave my office”
She stepped into her office immediately , but her mind was still racing from the night before. As she sank into her chair, her phone buzzed on the desk. It was a call from her Sarah.
"Hey! Just checking in. How was last night? What time did you get home?"Ha! What a question. Clara took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of embarrassment creep up her cheeks. A wild grin spread across her face as she responded."Hey! Last night was... unforgettable. Got home just this morning to freshen up before coming to work.
“What really happened?” Sarah asked
"Well, let’s just say I got a little carried away," she continued, trying to keep it light. "Had a one-night stand with a complete stranger! I know, right?The best part? I woke up late and had to rush into work. Can you imagine my boss’s face when I strolled in two hours late? Total disaster!"
“OMG! Are you serious?" Sarah response came almost instantly.
“Yep!
“You’re lucky it was a fun night! Next time, maybe just give me a call after?
“A smile played on Clara’s lips. "Absolutely! But let’s maybe skip the one-night stands. I’m not quite cut out for this reckless behavior yet!"
“Hey, i would talk to you later, gotta get back to work” she said, dropping her phone on her desk.
She found herself caught between laughter and the reality of her choices.
- Writer
