Begin Again

chapter two

"EVIE? HEY, YOU need to wake up. Evie?" I groan, rolling over on the bed before slowly opening my eyes. Hovering over me is Miles, his hand gently shaking my shoulder. He has a mug in his other hand, placing it on the nightstand when he realizes I'm awake.

I sit up, immediately wincing from the slight throbbing in my brain and the bright sunlight streaming through the cracked blinds. Miles is leaning against the wall, a slight smirk on his lips as he watches me take in my surroundings.

"What time is it?" I rasp, patting the bed down for my phone.

"Ten minutes past nine." I look up to see him holding my phone out for me, and I practically lunge for it, turning it back on to see a plethora of texts from my roommates asking me where I am. I groan.

"Shit."

Miles raises his eyebrows at me, pointing his finger at my phone. "That bad, huh?"

I nod my head. "I forgot to tell my roommates I wasn't coming home last night." I quickly tap on the texts, my thumbs moving a million miles a second as I type out an adequate message to calm their nerves. Once I step foot into the apartment, I'll hear their disapproval about me pulling a disappearing act on them.

"You need me to call you an Uber or something?" His voice is so sincere that it catches me off guard. There is nothing but concern in his emerald gaze. I honestly thought he would come in here, guns blazing, shouting at me to get out of his apartment. I look down at the mug, fresh coffee hitting my nose.

He's made me coffee.

I let out an awkward cough when I realized I had gone too deep into my thoughts, noticing that Miles is still waiting for an answer. "Uh, no. You've done enough for me already."

He nods a few times, pushing himself off of the wall. "I can put your coffee into a to-go container if you want."

"That'd be great, thank you," I say, watching him take the mug from the table. He disappears through the door as I sit on his bed for a minute longer before my phone buzzes again, opening it to look at the incoming texts.

Veronica
You better have a fucking fantastic explanation for why you went all Houdini on us bitch

Talia
WE WERE GONNA CALL THE POLICE

I sigh, pushing the comforter back and letting my feet touch the carpeted floor. I quickly gather my dress from last night, folding it up and stuffing it into my purse, glad it isn't too bulky. Looking down at my heels, I realize I have no choice but to put them back on; the blisters on the backs of my feet be damned.

When I finally leave Miles' room, he stands behind his kitchen island, my coffee secured in a styrofoam cup with a lid. He smiles as I enter the room, and I can't help the fluttering feeling in my stomach. He somehow looks even better in the morning.

"I just wanted to say thank you again," I say, picking up the coffee cup from the counter. "I don't even know how I can repay you."

"It's fine, Evie," his voice is sincere. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." My voice rises in volume, and I breathe out a sigh. That is one bold-faced lie. The only thought that keeps running through my mind is Sebastian. I know I shouldn't be thinking about him, especially not after last night. But my fingers itch to call him. To hear the smooth tone of his voice and to feel that familiar comfort he used to bring me.

Though I know calling him will be the most desperate thing I can do, I do the next best thing. I suppress the urge.

Miles eyes me, his gaze practically penetrating through my lie as he tries to dissect it by only using the expression on my face. It makes me uncomfortable. He makes me uncomfortable. Just being around him seems to put my senses into overdrive. I'm acutely aware of my posture, appearance, and how I talk, all of it. I've never felt that way about Sebastian or any guy, for that matter.