Silver Lining ❥ daerin

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑: 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

𝚂̷𝚊̷𝚐̷𝚎̷

I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling as if it held the answers to the thousand thoughts running through my mind. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, a dull ache that I welcomed, almost relished. I blinked, letting out a soft sigh as the memories of tonight flooded back,

wave after wave.

The room was dark, but my mind was wide awake, alive with every detail. I could still smell her, faint notes of Calista's perfume lingering on my skin, a soft blend of something fresh and bold, just like her. I turned my head slightly, pressing my cheek against the pillow, and for a moment, it was almost as if she was still here. Her presence hadn't faded, like she'd imprinted herself into the very air I was breathing.

And her lips—God, I could still feel them. It was as if the ghost of that kiss clung to my mouth, a tingling reminder of the moment we shared under the stars. A smile tugged at my lips again. I hadn't been able to stop smiling since I got home. My heart still fluttered at the thought of her, the way she looked at me, her eyes full of something I couldn't quite put into words.

What was it about her?

This was more than just the excitement of the night. I'd felt something stirring inside me, a kind of pull I couldn't explain. Everything about Calista—Cali—was intense. The way she moved, spoke, even her laughter, it all drew me in. And then, that kiss... I ran my fingers across my lips absentmindedly, like I could summon the feeling back just by remembering it.

It wasn't just the kiss. It was how it all happened, how natural it felt. How, without a second thought, I leaned in, and how she kissed me back, as if we'd done it a thousand times before. There was no hesitation, no awkwardness—just us, wrapped up in the heat of the moment. And now, I lay here, still feeling the aftershocks of it, my heart racing like I was still sitting in her car, the world outside forgotten.

I closed my eyes, and for a split second, I could see her standing there in front of me, her smirk, the way her hair framed her face, that spark in her eyes when she called me her lucky charm. The way she made me feel like I was the only person in the world she wanted to be with.

Rolling over, I hugged the pillow closer, trying to calm the pounding in my chest. It was ridiculous how much she was affecting me. I barely knew her. And yet, there was something about this, something that felt different. Like we'd skipped all the small steps and jumped into something deeper, something that scared me as much as it excited me.

I chuckled to myself, shaking my head slightly. "You're crazy," I whispered under my breath, my voice soft in the stillness of the night.

Crazy. That's what this was. But maybe, just maybe, I liked it a little crazy. I laughed softly, hearing the word echo in my own mind—crazy. I felt crazy just for calling myself that. Groaning, I rolled over, burying my face into the pillow, trying to smother the feeling away.

It was late. I needed sleep. I wanted sleep. But there were two issues—one being the usual, my insomnia. The second, and far more worrying tonight, was the countless Calista-sized thoughts swirling around in my head.

Every time I closed my eyes, she was there—her smirk, her laugh, the way her lips felt against mine. It was overwhelming. How could one person—someone I barely knew—occupy this much space in my mind?

I shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position as if that would help. The soft hum of the air conditioning and the distant sound of cars outside usually grounded me, but tonight, it was impossible to settle.

I tossed to one side, pulled the blanket tighter, then kicked it off a moment later. It was infuriating, like chasing something just out of reach. My body felt tired, but my mind wouldn't stop racing. I tried counting backward, focusing on my breathing—inhale... exhale—but it was pointless. My thoughts kept drifting back to Calista.