alexandra woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling.

her brows furrowed slightly as her still-drowsy mind tried to piece together where she was. the soft morning light seeped through the partially drawn curtains, casting a hazy glow over the room. she blinked, adjusting to the brightness, before her gaze slowly traveled across the space.

bluish-green walls.

a bookshelf stacked with things she had seen before. her eyes drifted to the desk—a few scattered belongings, some papers, a pair of headphones, a watch. everything looked so... familiar. yet completely foreign at the same time.

then her gaze landed on him.

nick.

he was asleep in the chair across the room, his head tilted awkwardly against the backrest, arms crossed over his chest. his breathing was slow, steady. his face was relaxed in a way she rarely saw, free of his usual smug expression or sharp remarks.

she frowned. why was he in a chair? her eyes flickered to the nightstand beside her, spotting a glass of water and two painkillers. realization sank in slowly, like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place.

he had brought them for her.

a small, unexpected warmth spread in her chest, but she quickly shook it off. it didn't mean anything. it was just... considerate.

her head throbbed, a dull ache pulsing behind her eyes, and she finally reached for the painkillers, swallowing them with a sip of water. the cold liquid felt soothing against her dry throat. with a quiet sigh, she leaned back against the pillows, sinking into the unfamiliar comfort of his bed.

her gaze flickered toward the digital clock on his bedside table.

6:23 am.

too early.

she had only been asleep for maybe an hour and a half. exhaustion still clung to her like a heavy weight, dragging her eyelids back down. there was no reason to fight it, no reason to force herself awake.

so she let sleep take over again.

the second time she woke up, the room was brighter.

sunlight streamed through the windows now, golden and warm. the air felt heavier, as if the day had already settled in, waiting for her to catch up.

she groggily turned her head toward the clock.

11:42 am. 

shit.

her stomach twisted as panic jolted her fully awake. she reached for her phone, swiping at the screen with clumsy fingers.

six missed calls.

her eyes skimmed the notifications, her heartbeat quickening as she saw four unread messages.

where are you?

come home.

alexandra.

tell me where you are right now!

she rolled her eyes, already exhausted by the thought of dealing with her mother this early in the day.

quickly, she typed out a reply.

i'm fine. slept over at a friend's house.

she barely had time to toss her phone aside before the door creaked open.

footsteps.

her entire body tensed instinctively. she didn't even have to look to know who it was.

nick.

great.

he stepped inside, his gaze immediately locking onto her. he was wearing a hoodie underneath a shirt and jeans, his hair slightly messy from sleep.

for a moment, neither of them spoke. the tension in the air was suffocating.

his eyes flickered to the now-empty glass of water, then back to her.

"you're awake," he finally said, voice rough with sleep.

"didn't notice," she muttered, running a hand through her tangled hair.

he exhaled, leaning against the doorway. "how's your head?"

"awful," she admitted, rubbing her temples.

he nodded like he expected that. "figured. that's why i left the painkillers."

her lips pressed together. she wanted to say thank you, but the words felt too heavy, too awkward. instead, she just gave a small nod.

the silence stretched.

"so," she said finally, glancing around the room again. "why am i here?"

"you were blackout drunk. figured your mom wouldn't exactly be thrilled to see you like that."

her jaw clenched slightly at the mention of her mother. yeah. catherine sinclaire's perfect daughter stumbling in wasted? that would go over real well.

"so you just decided to bring me here?" she asked, raising a brow.

"would you rather have woken up to her screaming at you?"

she sighed. fair point.

"besides," he continued, "i wasn't about to just leave you passed out in some club parking lot."

her stomach twisted again. he was right, but it annoyed her. it annoyed her that he had taken care of her. that he had thought about what would happen if she went home. that he had made sure she had water and painkillers.

he shouldn't care.

and yet, here they were.

she sighed, running a hand down her face. "well... thank you. i guess."

he smirked slightly, the corner of his mouth lifting. "was that so hard to say?"

"shut up."

he chuckled, pushing off the doorway. "you hungry?"

she hesitated. "you're offering me lunch?"

"no, i'm offering you food so you don't die of a hangover in my bed. there's a difference."

she rolled her eyes, but a small part of her—one she refused to acknowledge—felt a little lighter.

"fine," she said, throwing the blankets off and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "but only because i don't want to die in your bed."

he smirked again. "good choice."

as he turned to leave, she hesitated. her fingers absentmindedly played with the hem of her dress.

"nick," she said, almost too quietly.

he turned back. "yeah?"

she let out a breath. "could i maybe borrow some clothes? this dress isn't exactly comfortable."

his lips twitched like he was holding back a laugh. "of course. you know where to find my closet."

she rolled her eyes at the smirk on his face as he disappeared downstairs.

alexandra sat there for a moment longer, rubbing her temples before slowly getting up.

this morning was already turning out to be more complicated than she wanted it to be.

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