Opposites Attract - Rhea Ripley

Chapter 2 - Hangover.

"Sasha! It's 11am get up!"

I woke to my mum's voice, feeling the weight of my deserved hangover. The room spun as I sat up, groaning. My head throbbed and my mouth tasted bad. I glanced at the clock on my wall: it was indeed 11am, fuck. I dragged myself out of bed, stumbling over to the bathroom to brush my teeth and do my business. After brushing my teeth, I made my way back to my room, collapsing onto the bed again.

I checked my phone, a message from Demi at 9am, how the fuck could someone be up that early? She'd just said "Morning Sasha, it's Demi from the party last night, how you feeling?"

I replied, "Honestly feel like shit but thanks for asking. We still meeting up tomorrow?"

After a few minutes, I mustered up the energy to get dressed, not really in the mood to socialize but feeling like I should keep my options open. I made some toast and grabbed a glass of orange juice, trying to get something in my stomach. As I ate, I idly browsed through my phone, mind still a little foggy from the night before. But Demi was quick with replies,

"Of course we are, I never forget. What do you wanna do tomorrow? We could go to a cafe, or even just make a bunch of sandwiches and have a picnic at the park, I'll bring snacks."

Her reply made me smile, even though my head was still throbbing. I told her that a picnic sounded perfect, and we continued messaging back and forth about where in the park to meet up and what to bring. As the day went on, I found myself looking forward to seeing her again. The thought of spending more time with her helped forget the pain of my hangover and lifted my spirits. I took her advice from last night and took some painkillers, which helped a little, but I knew I should probably take it easier today.

My mum spotted me taking them and sat beside me on the sofa, putting her arm around me. "You don't learn do you? Every time you drink, you're like this the day after."

"I know, but last night was good. You know, I kinda like this girl I met yesterday, her names Demi and she's just so cool. We spoke for ages, she was funny and really good looking. She even walked me back home. It was like she wanted to make sure I got here safe. I don't know, it was just one of those nights I guess. But I get to see her again tomorrow, Mum. I want to get to know her better. She's the kind of person I want to be around, you know?"

"Ohh you're such a little softie, sweetheart. Tell me about this Demi girl, what's she like?" I rolled my eyes at my mum calling me a softie, even though I knew it was true,

"Well she's a bit of a goth, kinda crazy, but I can tell she cares about me. Like when we talked last night, we had different interests and stuff but she just got me. We talked for hours about all sorts of stuff, and she was just so easy to be around. She's really funny and has this cute Australian accent. I agreed to meet her tomorrow at the park. I really want to get to know her better. She could be someone special, Mum. She really could." I paused, thinking about everything I'd just said. "Do you think she could be, you know...? The one?"

My mum smiled sweetly, taking my hand in hers. "You know, sweetheart, it's hard to tell from just one night, but I can tell she made an impression on you. And that's important. You have to trust your instincts. If you feel like she's someone special, then go with it. Just take it slow, okay? Don't rush into anything. You have plenty of time to get to know her and see where things go."

I nodded, feeling a little more hopeful. "Thanks, Mum. I will. I promise."

"Now rest, I was your age once and I know how bad hangovers can be. You should get plenty of sleep tonight so you can be fresh for your date tomorrow." Mum teased,

"It's not a date! Well... Not that I know of. I mean, we haven't even talked about it like that. It's just a hangout, you know?" I protested, even though part of me hoped it was more than that,

"Whatever you say, darling." Mum playfully smacked my arm and walked into the kitchen. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Demi had definitely made my day a little brighter. Even with the hangover, just thinking about her made me feel better.

I was taken out of my daydream by my dad coming through the door, he spotted me and teased me saying, "Oh she's out of bed, she's risen!" making me groan and roll my eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, Sash, just having a joke. How's your head?" He walked into the living room to put away his bag,

"I've had some paracetamol, so I'm feeling a bit better I guess. Where have you been?" I asked, trying to sit up a little straighter on the sofa. My dad walked over to me and ruffled my hair, just like he used to when I was younger. It was weird how some things never really changed, even as you grew older.

"Just been to the gym. You should come with me sometime, it'll get you out of the house for a bit."

I made a face at him. "No thanks. I'd rather not sweat more than I already am." He laughed and sat down next to me on the couch.

I told him everything about Demi, from our conversation to the fact that we were going to meet the next day. My dad listened intently, his expression softening as I spoke. When I finished, he gave me a nod and said, "Well, just remember to be yourself, and don't try to be someone you're not. If she's the one, she'll love you for who you are."

I smiled at his advice. It was good advice, and I knew he was right. I didn't want to come across as too desperate or anything, but at the same time, I wanted her to know how much I was looking forward to seeing her. I had to make sure to pick out my best outfit, and I knew I wanted to take her to a place where we could really talk and get to know each other better. The park was perfect for that, so calming and beautiful.

As the night crept up, I found myself on call with Emily. She told me about how it was going with that girl she liked, Lena, and I found myself smiling as she gushed about her. It was nice to hear her happy, and it made me hopeful that I would feel the same way about Demi. We talked until it was time for her to go to bed, and then I spent some more time online, browsing through different articles and posts about relationships and dating. I wanted to make sure I was as prepared as I could be for my "date" with Demi. It was cheesy, I know, but I didn't want to look like a total idiot in front of a girl I liked.

I couldn't mess it up with Demi. I knew that much. I kept thinking about the way she laughed, her smile, the way she made me feel when I was around her. I wanted this to be something special, something real. I didn't want it to be like all the other times, where it fizzled out after a few weeks or even days. I wanted this to be different. I texted my friends on our little group chat we had, asking for their advice and opinions. They were all excited for me, and they promised to give me their full support, each of them giving me opinions and ways to make the day special for both of us.

Just before bed, I got a nice warm bubble bath, lit some candles, and put on some relaxing music. I wanted to make sure I was feeling as good as possible for my day with Demi tomorrow. I thought about what I wanted to wear and finally decided on a white crop top with some blue jeans that I knew would look good on me. It was something I rarely wore, but I figured Demi wouldn't mind. Plus, it would show me off a little, and I wanted her to see my body, usually covered by baggy clothes. I spent a while just lying in the tub, letting the warm water and the soft music wash away any lingering worries or anxieties.

I knew I'd be nervous, anyone would be in my position, but I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement coursing through me. I wanted her to see the real me, not some version of myself I thought she'd prefer. That wouldn't get me anywhere. I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep properly. I kept thinking about how tomorrow would go, what we'd talk about, what she'd wear... It was all so overwhelming...

Demi's POV, 3am:

I sat up in bed, a slight hint of nervousness flowing through my body. It really felt like a date, but it was early days. I still didn't know if I liked her or not, but she was definitely intriguing. I glanced at my phone, wondering how long I had been asleep. It was almost three in the morning. I sighed and decided to get out of bed. Maybe a bottle of water would help.

As I padded across the carpet to the kitchen, I couldn't help but think about our conversation. She had such a unique personality, and I found myself drawn to her. I reached into the fridge and pulled out a water bottle, taking a sip as I leaned against the counter. Maybe this was the start of something special, I thought to myself with a small smile. I just hoped my outgoing nature would help her open up, get out her shell a bit more...