New York, Mia


    The mood felt cozy and our bellies were full after the delicious meal Sebastian had prepared. Surprisingly, he turned out to be a good cook, and I couldn’t help but feel satisfied and appreciative of his hospitality. It was an unexpected twist in a day that had been filled with one surprise after another.


    But now, as the night drew closer, a new dilemma arose. I surveyed the room, my eyes eventuallynding on the spacious bed. It was evident that there was only one bed, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.


    “We will both sleep here?” I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty.


    Sebastian entered the room with an extra nket in hand, seemingly unbothered by the arrangement. “Yeah, something wrong with it?” he asked, his casual demeanor contrasting with my growing unease.


    I watched as he threw the nket in my direction, and I couldn’t avoid addressing the elephant in the room any longer. “There’s one bed…” I pointed out, my voice trailing off as I hesitated to voice my concerns.


    Sebastian seemed unfazed, raising an eyebrow as if challenging me. “Yeah, and?” he retorted, clearly not seeing the issue.


    My difort must have been evident as I continued to stare at the bed. I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “I’m not going to sleep with you,” I finally said, the wordsing out more assertive than I had intended.


    A hint of amusement danced in Sebastian’s eyes as he responded, “You did it before. What’s wrong with it now?”


    I bit my lip, refraining from admitting that thest time we shared a bed, I had been drunk, and now, I was sober and more aware of my actions. Instead, I opted for a different excuse. “You snore,” I said, hoping it would discourage him.


    Sebastian’sughter filled the room, and he countered, “Really? I think you snore.”


    Rolling my eyes, I attempted to remain firm in my decision. “I’ll sleep on the couch,” I dered, eyeing the rather ufortable-looking leather couch in the corner of the room.


    Sebastian, however, seemed unyielding. “Don’t be so stubborn,” he said, approaching the bed. “The bed is big enough for the two of us.”


    I hesitated, torn between my pride and the practicality of sharing the bed. I wasn’t quite sure what had changed between us since ourst encounter, but I knew that I wasn’t as willing to let my guard down this time. Still, the thought of spending the night on that couch was less than appealing.


    With a sigh, I relented, albeit reluctantly. “Fine,” I agreed, taking a step toward the bed. “But we stay on our own sides, okay?”


    Sebastian chuckled, “Deal,” he said, and we both settled into our designated spots on the bed.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    With a sense of resignation, I made my way towards the leather couch in the corner of the room, determined to create a clear boundary. I gathered all the avable pillows I could find, piling them into my arms. As I started to throw them onto the bed, Sebastian watched me with an amused expression, curiosity evident in his eyes.


    “What are you doing?” he asked, his voiceced with curiosity and amusement, as he stood at the end of the bed.


    I continued arranging the pillows in the middle of the bed, forming a makeshift divider. “Making a clear line with these pillows,” I exined, my tone determined. “I don’t want your big ass legs touching me or hear you snore.”


    Sebastian couldn’t help butugh at my resourcefulness. “Do you want earplugs too?” he teased, a yful glint in his eyes.


    I rolled my eyes, unamused by his banter. “Haha, funny,” I muttered, clearly unimpressed with his attempt at humor.


    With my barrier of pillows now in ce, I climbed into bed on my side, feeling a certain level of satisfaction that my space had been delineated. Sebastian, on the other hand, remained standing, his gaze fixed on me. His persistent scrutiny annoyed me.


    “Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, my irritation evident in my tone.


    He simply shook his head, a small smile ying on his lips. “You’re so funny,” he remarked, his voice carrying a hint of fondness.


    With that, he finally moved to his designated spot on the bed, causing it to shift slightly as hey down. We bothy there in silence, the pillows serving as our makeshift divide. I couldn’t deny that I felt a mixture of relief and apprehension about the proximity we now shared.


    As I tried to settle into afortable position, my phone buzzed once more, interrupting my attempts at rxation. I reached over to grab it, a sense of dread settling in my stomach as I nced at the screen to see the name of the sender. I wished I hadn’t looked.


    The message was from my father, and the words sent a chill down my spine: “You are such a disgrace to the family! I wished your mom had aborted you!”


    Sebastian’s earlier inquiry about my family had stirred up painful memories and emotions I had long tried to suppress. My father’s message only served as a stark reminder of the strained rtionship I had with my family, particrly my father’s harsh treatment of me.


    Closing the message, I set my phone aside, my thoughts consumed by theplex web of emotions that had been awakened. I stared at the ceiling, wrestling with the unresolved issues from my past, all while lying just inches away from the man who had unexpectedly be a part of my present.