BAIT🥹

THE MORNING AFTER

Sophia’s eyes fluttered open to a ceiling she had never seen before—white, unfamiliar, and too bright. For a moment, she didn’t even breathe. Her head felt heavy, her throat dry, and her body… sore. Very sore. She blinked twice, trying to gather her thoughts, but everything came to her slowly, like thick smoke refusing to clear.

Where am I?

She pushed herself up from the soft mattress, and that was when she noticed it—the strange room. A hotel room. Quiet. Neat. Air conditioner humming weakly in the corner. The curtains were half-drawn, letting in morning sunlight that looked too peaceful for the storm growing inside her chest.

Her dress—the glittery short gown Amber had insisted she wore to the party—was halfway off her body, hanging loosely from her shoulder. The zipper was broken. Something inside her dropped, but her mind tried to deny it. She touched her neck, her shoulders… her skin felt strange, like someone had been there.

No. No, no, no…

Sophia tried to stand, but a sharp pain shot through her lower body—pain she had never felt before. She gasped, collapsing back onto the bed. And that was when she saw it.

Blood.

Stained on the white sheets.

Her breath froze. Her heart stopped. Her fingers trembled violently as she covered her mouth, shaking her head over and over. She blinked rapidly, but the sight didn’t disappear.

“No… please, no… this can’t be happening,” she whispered to herself, her voice breaking.

Her chest was tight. Her stomach twisted painfully. A wave of fear washed over her—cold, paralyzing fear—before another wave came, heavier, sinking her deeper.

My virginity… gone? Just like that? Because of who? What happened? Who touched me?

She pulled her legs closer, hugging her knees as she began to sob. Not small tears—deep, ugly, painful sobs that tore out of her like someone ripping cloth. She felt dirty. Used. Thrown away. Her innocence… the one thing she had held onto since she was a child… stolen by a stranger in a hotel room she didn’t even know.

Her mind scrambled for memories, but everything was blurred. She remembered lights from the party, the loud music, people laughing, dancing. She remembered Amber telling her, “Just relax, Sophie. Nothing will happen.” She remembered a drink someone handed her. She remembered a sudden dizziness.

And then… darkness.

She didn’t remember coming to this hotel. She didn’t remember getting into any car. She didn’t remember anyone touching her. She only remembered closing her eyes for “a second”… and now she was here.

A sound escaped her throat—a small broken sob—as she buried her face in her hands.

Why didn’t I fight?

Why didn’t I know?

Who did this to me?

Why did they do this?

After several long minutes, she forced herself to breathe. She needed to know if the person was still here. She scanned the room—empty. The air smelled like expensive perfume mixed with alcohol. No trace of a man. No wallets. No clothes. No name.

Nothing.

Until she saw something on the bedside table.

A small envelope.

Sophia’s hands trembled as she reached for it. Her heart pounded as she opened the flap—and froze again.

Money.

A thick bundle of cash.

Fresh notes. Clean. Neatly packed.

Like payment.

Her stomach twisted violently, and she almost threw up. Her lungs struggled to find air, and she pressed her shaking hands against her mouth, screaming silently.

“I’m not… I’m not a p********e… why would they… why would anyone—Why?!”

Her voice cracked again. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.

This wasn’t how she dreamed of her first time. She always imagined it would be with someone she loved. Someone who cherished her. Someone who held her gently and whispered that she mattered.

But now… she couldn’t even remember the face of the person who stole it.

After minutes that felt like hours, Sophia wiped her eyes, her breathing still shaky. She needed to leave. She couldn’t stay here any longer. She gathered her torn dress, her shoes, and the little purse she had brought to the party.

Every step was painful. Every movement reminded her of what she had lost. She walked into the bathroom, splashed water on her face, and stared at her reflection.

Her eyes were red. Her makeup was smeared. There was a small scratch on her collarbone. Her hair was messy. But what hurt her the most wasn’t what she saw—it was what she felt. Something inside her had been ripped away.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she noticed one more thing on the floor—her bracelet. The one Amber had told her looked cute with the dress. She picked it up slowly.

Amber.

Where was Amber? Why did she disappear at the party? Why did she leave her alone? They came together. They promised to go home together.

Sophia tried calling her, but Amber’s phone was switched off.

She didn’t know that it would stay off… for a long time.

With one final glance at the ruined bed, Sophia pulled open the door and walked out. The hallway was empty. The sound of distant traffic floated in through a window at the far end. Everything looked normal—like the world kept moving while hers had stopped.

She stepped outside the hotel, flinching at the sunlight. People walked past her, laughing, talking, living their lives, not knowing that hers had just been shattered.

She wrapped her arms around herself and walked away as fast as she could, trying to hold herself together. But inside, she felt broken, lost, and deeply hurt.

She didn’t know who hurt her.

She didn’t know why.

She didn’t know how to tell anyone.

But she knew one thing clearly—

Her life would never be the same again.

And Amber…

Amber was gone.