𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 | 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗

Clara stirred awake, her head pounding. She groaned softly, feeling the ache in her body as she tried to shift under the covers. The thought of moving made her stomach churn, but the urgent need to get to the bathroom pushed her to sit up.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she paused, letting the dizziness pass before standing. She steadied herself against the nightstand, blinking against the bright morning light. As she took a few cautious steps, she realised that she was in Carlos's room. Her location made her a bit confused.

Each step felt heavy as she shuffled across the floor. Upon reaching the mirror, she frowned at her reflection. All her makeup was off, and she looked down to find herself in short pajamas she didn't remember putting on.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. The last thing she recalled was handing Lando her car keys. She ran a hand through her hair, searching for any memory of the night. With a deep breath, she leaned on the sink, trying to steady herself.

She quickly took care of business and splashed cold water on her face, rubbing her eyes to shake off the grogginess. After a moment, she took a deep breath, adjusted her hair in the mirror, and headed for the stairs.

As she made her way down, she gripped the railing and listened for any sounds coming from the kitchen. The smell of something cooking spread through the air, and she heard the clatter of pans. She recognised the sounds of Carlos at work, which made her quicken her pace.

Once she reached the kitchen, she leaned against the doorway, watching him expertly flip pancakes and pour a fresh batch of coffee. Clara grabbed a glass from the cabinet, filled it with water from the tap, and took a sip. She set the glass down on the counter, then turned to Carlos, who was now stacking the pancakes. "Hey, do you have any painkillers?" she asked, leaning slightly against the counter for support. As she waited for his response, she noticed the plates already set on the kitchen counter.

"Oh, you're finally up," Carlos said with an unamused look on his face as he set the steaming pancakes on the plate, completely shirtless and wearing shorts. Clara noticed the look on his face and raised an eyebrow. "What's up, Carlos?" she asked, leaning against the kitchen island.

Carlos sighed, placing the pan down with a clatter before turning to face her, arms crossed over his chest. "I stayed up until 2 a.m. yesterday waiting for you to come home," he began, his tone a mix of frustration and concern. Clara perched on a bar stool, listening intently as he continued. "Then I had to get you out of your dress and wiping off your makeup after you vomited all over your bed. You had to sleep in my bed, and you spent the whole night kicking me in your sleep," he added, shaking his head in disbelief. Clara couldn't help but stifle a laugh, her eyes filled with amusement. Seeing her smile, Carlos's mood lifted slightly. "Then I had to wake up early to make you your favorite breakfast because I assumed you'd be very hungover."

Once he finished his story, Clara hopped off the stool and walked around the island, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Thank you so much, mi amor," she said, pressing soft kisses on his back, feeling grateful for his care. Carlos's heart warmed at her affection; he really looked out for her, and she knew that if she had gone out with him, she wouldn't have drunk as much because he was always so responsible on nights out.

Clara and Carlos both walked to the other side of the island and settled right next to each other on the barstools, their shoulders brushing as they shared light conversation while eating their breakfast. Once they finished their meal, Carlos glanced around the kitchen, searching for painkillers for Clara. He quickly found them and carefully handed her two of them.

"Thank you, mi amor," she said, taking the glass and sipping it gratefully.

Carlos smiled back at her and then turned to the sink, rinsing off the dishes and letting the warm water run over his hands. Meanwhile, Clara felt a wave of fatigue wash over her, so she excused herself and made her way to the couch, sinking into the cushions for a much-needed rest.