The morning light streamed in, casting a soft glow across Sophia's room. She lay back against her pillow, the events of last night replaying in her mind like a film on loop. Ethan's touch. His kiss. The way he had made her feel, like she was the only person in the world. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
Her body ached in places she wasn't used to. But the strange thing was, it didn't feel bad. It felt like a reminder of something alive inside her that she hadn't noticed in a while. Something she'd kept buried under blueprints and deadlines for far too long.
She sat up in bed and reached for the note Ethan had left on her nightstand. His neat handwriting: "Last night was amazing. - Ethan."
Her heart fluttered. It felt so simple, but there was something about the note that made her feel like the entire world had shifted.
Just then, her phone buzzed with a text. She glanced at the screen, half-expecting it to be from him again. But it was from Jamie, of course.
Jamie : "OMG, I can't even. You and Ethan? Seriously? Spill, girl!"*
Sophia's stomach fluttered, but not from excitement. More from nerves. How could she explain last night to Jamie when she wasn't sure what it even meant?
Sophia: "It was… complicated. Let's talk later."
Jamie was quick to reply.
Jamie : "Girl, you're killing me. Call me. NOW."
Sophia laughed quietly to herself. She wasn't ready to talk about it, not yet. She needed time to process everything. Instead, she grabbed her coffee and sat on the balcony, staring out at the city as the morning noise buzzed below her.
Everything felt different today. Even the city seemed to hum with more energy. And she couldn't shake the feeling that Ethan's presence had left an imprint on her—one she wasn't sure how to remove, or even if she wanted to.