13 | the morning after

My phone alarm blared somewhere around the room as I groaned and shuffled around the bed seeking warmth from a certain someone. Only to feel an empty bed. Frowning, I felt around again before calling out John's name.

Hearing nothing, I quickly sat up and glanced around the room. It was silent. A wave of disappointment reached me and I wanted to bang my head for being so easy. I looked around the room again and blinked, confused. It was... clean.

I remembered how we had basically torn each other's clothes off and carelessly thrown them on the floor.

My phone alarm rang again, and it was then that I noticed my clothes were neatly folded by the windowsill along with my lingerie. Clutching the bedsheets to cover my nude state, I walked by the window and notice a yellow post-it note on top of my pile of clothes.

Gotta head to class. I left breakfast for you in the microwave. Coffee later today?

Scoffing, she crumpled up the paper and decided to hop in the shower.

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Stepping out of the cold shower, I found Rebecca hanging by the windowsill with a cup of coffee in her hands. When she heard me clearing my throat, she gave me a knowing smirk before glancing at the bed and then back to my folded dress from last night.

She didn't see the note.

"Had fun with John?" Rebecca asked, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly.

"I need to change." My tone coming off sharper than intended. I shouldn't be as upset, but my mind couldn't help making me feel as though I was used. And as much as I kept trying to tell myself I wasn't, that John didn't seem like that, and that he technically did leave me a message, it still felt like I was just one of the girls.

You deserved it. You know what you did. A part of me whispered.

A short glimpse of memory resurfaced. Of a boy with faded blond hair and dark brown eyes.

Clenching my jaw, I shook my head in an attempt to rid of the thoughts before putting on a casual silk dark green blouse and dark blue pants. I had back-to-back classes and a meeting with my professor in the evening to help him out with grading.

"So are we going to talk about it or are you just going to be sulky the whole day?"

"There's nothing to talk about. We went out. Had sex. Mind-blowing. For me at least. And then I woke up and he's gone." I muttered as I started packing for books and essentials for the rest of the day.

"Wait. He didn't leave a message? I bumped into him this morning and he mentioned he left a note. He was in a rush or something."

"He did. I just didn't like that it was through a post-it note." At that, Rebecca started giggling to herself. I glared at her before walking out. I was aware that I sounded somewhat immature, and a rational part of me told me that he probably had good intentions. But he could've woken me up to let me know he was leaving.

"He could've just woken me up. I'm not like you, I don't go all monster like when someone wakes me up." I defended myself when Rebecca's giggle hadn't ceased.

She sobered up and took a seat by the bar as she watched me prepared my tea. I debated checking the microwave. "It's John. He's... different. He's not good with words. I figured you'd realize after your date with him."

Rebecca paused, sipping her coffee, and continued. "Plus, he made you breakfast. It's chocolate chip pancakes."

"Funny how he had time to make me breakfast but not wake me up for it."

Rebecca sighed, defeated in trying to defend her old friend. She left her mug by the bar and walked back into her bedroom for me to mull to myself.

Biting my tongue, I glanced back at the microwave. Screw it. I took the plate of pancakes out and felt my anger melting away as I noticed how he had added strawberries along with additional chocolate chips on the side.

My phone pinged with a message. And a minute later, a phone call.

»»---------------------►

Hi Aria...

[delete]

Hey Aria. I had fun last night...

[delete]

John groaned as he struggled to type a decent message to Aria. He was never a texter, and he wondered if he should call her instead.

But what if she was still asleep?

He recalled the sight of her on the bed as he was getting ready. Her red hair wild and unruly spread over the pillow, the white bed sheets barely covered her body, and the light glare from the rising sun almost gave her a golden glow. A fiery angel.

A memory of her elusive eyes resurfaced, her underneath him with her back arched as she clutched the sheets, her above him with challenging eyes as her nails grazed his chest, and her playing with his hair when they were both exhausted and falling asleep.

And at that moment, when they locked eyes just before she gave him a soft peck right where his heart was, that he knew, he had to make this girl breakfast.

He would've woken her up right after breakfast if it weren't for his professor's email inquiring about his presence at the office immediately.

His hand hovered over her number. He still hadn't heard from her about his coffee date. Maybe she was still asleep...

Sighing, he sent her a quick message to call him whenever she wakes up before locking his phone.

For now, he had students to tutor and an equation left unanswered.

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how'd you felt waking up to an empty bed & a post-it note?

genuinely curious.

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