CHAPTER THREE
Selene
I woke up feeling like hell warmed over. My whole body feels like I worked 5 straight shifts without break at Fat Joe's. I was trying to recollect what went down yesterday when the memories hit me like a train.
I stretched my hands to the left to feel the body of the hot stranger that warmed my bed the night before only to find a cold empty spot. I propped myself up on one elbow, scanning the room. His clothes were gone. No note, no message, nothing. I guess that's how a one night stand works. But I find it rude and demeaning that after what we shared the night before he just up and left with not even a note or a phone number.
For a second, I stared at the door, half expecting him to walk back in, maybe with coffee or some awkward excuse about why he slipped out early. But there was nothing but silence and the faint hum of the morning outside. I could still smell him on the pillow, and it twisted something deep in my stomach.
I pulled the sheet tighter around me, my thoughts spiraling. Did I say something wrong? Did I miss a signal? Everything seemed fine last night, didn't it? Or maybe it was never about me. Maybe he had no intentions of sticking around from the start.
I sat there, feeling the weight of the quiet, of the space he left behind. The morning light creeping through the blinds felt too bright, too harsh. Part of me wanted to text him, ask him why, but another part of me knew better. If he wanted to explain, he would have.
Instead, I just sat there, letting the reality sink in. It was like the night before was nothing more than a fleeting moment—something that came and went, just like him. I knew if Maya saw me in this funk, she'd damn near smack me.
"Snap out of it! You had a good night- a great night even. Relish it, keep it in the 'To bring out at night' compartment." I imagine this is what Maya would say which is actually helping.
Finally, I reached for my phone on the bedside table. My hand froze when I noticed it — a thin, jagged crack spidering across the screen. He must have picked it up because I remember it falling to the fall.
I sighed, swiping it open anyway, half hoping he had some technical knowledge to open my phone and put his number in my phone or dropping a message, half-knowing there wouldn't be one but still hoping. Nothing. No messages, calls from unknown caller. Just my lock screen mocking me with the time, and the missed notifications from my best friend, Maya
Maya❤️🔥:Girl! Have a blast with your hot stranger? Spill the details when you can! 😏🔥"
Another one followed right after. "You alive? Or was he so good you're still recovering? 😂"
I huffed out a laugh, though it felt empty. The irony of it all—Maya's words, her excitement—just made everything worse. If only she knew. I hadn't even told her about waking up alone. Maybe it was better this way. Let her think it was a wild, carefree night, instead of what it really was—me, sitting here feeling small, unwanted.
I tossed the phone onto the bed. The crack on the screen almost seemed symbolic. Of course, it would happen today of all days. It wasn't just the phone that felt broken; it was me, too. There was no reason to feel like this. It was one night. He was a stranger, and strangers didn't owe you anything. I knew that. But logic didn't stop the ache creeping up my chest, making me feel like something had been taken from me when he left.
I took a deep breath, shaking my head. *No. Snap out of it,* I told myself. I wasn't going to let this mess up my day—or my life, for that matter. So he didn't stick around. So what? People came and went. I was fine before, and I'd be fine after.
Enough already.
I slid out of bed and padded toward the bathroom. My reflection stared back at me in the mirror—hair a mess, makeup smudged. I didn't recognize myself for a second. What was I even doing here, in this hotel room that suddenly felt too empty, too cold? I ran a hand through my hair and splashed cold water on my face, willing the grogginess—and whatever this weird heaviness was—away.
With the silence weighing down on me, I grabbed my bag and phone, avoiding the reflection as I passed. I wasn't going to stay here another minute, not when the emptiness threatened to swallow me whole.
I stepped into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind me with a soft click. The corridor stretched out in front of me, the carpeted floors too plush, the walls too white. Everything felt wrong. I made my way toward the elevators, each step an effort. Every brush of my bare feet against the carpet reminded me of how exposed I was.
The walk of shame. That's what it felt like, though I hadn't expected it to sting this much. I held my head up anyway, gripping my bag a little tighter. I didn't have anything to be ashamed of. Not really.
But when the elevator doors finally closed behind me, I couldn't shake the thought that I had lost something back there in that room—something more than just a cracked phone screen or a night of fun. I wasn't sure what it was, or how to get it back, but I knew I needed to move forward, even if my steps felt shaky now.
By the time I got home, I had consoled myself with the news of my job. If I can't land a man, at least I can land a job. I pushed my hot one night stand stranger to the back of my mind.
By the time I got home, I had already consoled myself with the thought that even if I couldn't land a man, I could land a job. The idea of a stable job kept me steady, something solid to focus on while I pushed the memory of that empty hotel room aside.
I opened the door to find Maya sprawled across the couch, a half-eaten bag of chips in her lap. Without missing a beat, she lobbed the bag at me. "Catch!"
I barely managed to grab the bag of chips before they spilled everywhere. "Seriously?" I laughed.
"Whore!" Maya cackled, throwing a cushion at me for good measure. "You sent me *three words* last night—found my man—and then disappeared off the face of the earth! Who does that? I need details, stat!"
I rolled my eyes, setting the chips down on the counter. "Sorry, Maya. It's not what you think."
She shot me a skeptical look, her eyes narrowing as she sat up straighter. "Not what I think? Girl, you either had the best night ever or the worst. I'm leaning towards the latter, judging by the look on your face."
I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "It was... fine. Not much to tell."
"Uh-huh," she said, raising an eyebrow. "You're not fooling me, but we'll circle back to that later. For now, I demand snacks and a proper story."
I shook my head, brushing off her playful interrogation for now. "I'll give you the lowdown later. Right now, I need to figure out what to wear for my first day tomorrow."
Maya grinned, leaning back into the couch. "Ah, the job. Fine, I'll let you off the hook... for now."
I escaped to my room, shutting the door and letting out a long breath. If only Maya knew how far from "fine" things had really been this morning. But there was no point dwelling on it. I had my first day tomorrow, and that was what mattered now.
I crossed to my closet and began rifling through my clothes, pulling out anything that remotely fit the "professional" category. Most of it was casual or worn out, but after some digging, I found a few pieces that might pass for secretary attire. A black skirt, a plain white blouse, and a navy-blue dress that, while a little snug, would have to do.
I laid the clothes out on my bed, eyeing them critically. They weren't perfect, but they'd get me through the week until I could afford to buy something new. I could make it work.
With the wardrobe crisis momentarily handled, I let out a sigh of relief. At least that part of my life was manageable. I turned on my playlist, letting the familiar beats fill the room, and kicked off my shoes. The tension from the morning started to melt away as the music seeped into my bones.
Without even realizing it, I started humming along to the songs, my hips swaying to the rhythm. One song turned into another, and soon I was full-on dancing, spinning around my room as if the worries of the past 24 hours didn't exist.
For the rest of the weekend, I let myself get lost in the music. Whenever doubts tried to creep in, I just turned the volume up a little louder and kept moving, dancing, humming, letting go of everything that wasn't worth my time or energy.
Tomorrow was a new beginning. My first real job. A fresh start. I didn't need a man to validate me, and I certainly didn't need to dwell on someone who didn't even stick around. For now, I was enough, just as I was.