You Again

The Morning After

 I groaned as I sat up in bed. A quick glance to my clock revealed that it was just past 7AM, and I wasn't able to sleep until 4AM. "Why am I up so early?" I ask myself, sleep barely wiped from my eyes.

A throat is cleared in the room, and I nearly scream. I rub my eyes with my palms and see Alec is at the foot of my bed holding two mugs in his hands. Steam rolling off the tops suggests its either coffee or tea. I hope for the latter.

"Morning," he smiles at me, and shifts uncomfortably.

"I swear," I moan, flopping back onto bed. "I should just tell my parents I hate you for a week so I can wake up all ugly and not freak out on the inside." I sigh, putting a hand over my eyes, blocking the sunlight and beautiful sight of Alec in front of me.

"Well we wouldn't like that, now would we?" Alec asked, sitting on the bed. I could tell because I ended up rolling until I hit his back. I uncovered my eyes and glared at him.

"I look horrible in the morning, why would you do this to me?"

"You look fine," he answers as I sit up. He hands me a very pleasant smelling fluid. I stir it with the spoon and take a sip.

"You got me Earl Grey?" I ask with a smile.

"Just the way you like it, three spoonfuls and milk," he reminds me. "Drunken Stella really likes tea."

I laugh, and stare at him as I take a sip. "Are you okay? You looked pretty shocked last night,"

Alec's color flushes, and I giggle. "God it was so embarrassing," he runs a hand through his hair.

"Oh gosh, that bad?" I start to giggle at him.

"Horrible," he looks into his cup. "Stella?"

"Yeah?" I say, looking up at him.

"I kissed her," he says, and drinks the last bit of tea in his cup. "I'm gonna get more tea. Want me to top yours off?"

"No," I answer automatically. Something in my chest hurts, and I'm not exactly sure how to feel. I mean, he was being pressured by her, and he was also really uncomfortable with it. I watch him leave the room and I set my drink on the table next to me, and lean against the headboard.

Why am I freaking out? I kissed Ryder last night, didn't I? I mean, it was impulsive and crazy, but I did. Admittedly, I just wanted to dump the pain I had from knowing Alec had an intimate moment with another girl. Ryder's lips did feel good that cold night, his warm breath against my pink cheeks.

I'm so confused. Kissing Ryder was a sweet relief, but every moment with Alec is absolutely magical. After a minute or so of debating with myself, Alec comes back in.

"How'd it happen?" comes tumbling out of my mouth.

"We were dancing," he sits on the bed, and grips the handle of the cup. I shrug my blanket over my shoulders. I realize he's only in sweats and a t-shirt. I then get off the bed and walk to my closet in nothing but my big shirt and put an oversized sweater and shorts on.

"Continue," I said, turning around and noticing his eyes on me.

"Oh, yeah," he blinks a few times, and I smile.

"She goes, 'Come on, I've got something great to show you.' I knew she was already drunk. She lead me up to the bedroom, and she giggled, and leaned in. I kissed her. Then things started spiraling out of control. She took off her shirt and tried to kiss me again. I threw a blanket over her and ran."

I laughed out loud and the last sentence. "You threw a blanket out?" I scoffed. "Great manners!" I kept laughing until I was on the bed again. "Horrible," I sigh, and lean my head on his shoulder as I sit on my calves. We sit and stare out the window facing his house.