IS IT HIM?

RACHEL

My head felt heavy and hazy as I slowly stirred awake.

I wasn’t fully conscious yet, but something inside me didn’t want to wake up at all.

Maybe I was too terrified to. Or maybe it was just the pounding headache from whatever knocked me out yester—

Wait.

Oh my God.

My eyes snapped open.

I had definitely been hit with something yesterday. Something heavy.

I didn’t even know how it happened.

The last thing I remembered was fixing my bra and staring at myself in the huge bathroom mirror. Then the next thing I saw was a man in a red suit appeared behind me.

I never even got to see his face when something slammed hard into my head before I could turn around.

My gaze dropped to the bed beneath me. Definitely not my bed.

I’d be crazy to think it was Thane’s… although a stupid part of me wished he had somehow saved me.

A sharp pain shot through my forehead and down my back when I pressed my palms into the mattress to sit up.

The moment I tried lifting my weight and swinging my legs off the bed, a violent jolt of pain shot through my shoulders and down my spine. Mostly around my shoulder.

It felt like the muscles behind that spot were screaming the hell out of me at me not to move unless I was asking for the kind of pain that forced me to collapse back onto the bed, completely exhausted and aching all over.

Where the hell am I?

The room was eerily quiet. Then the door slowly creaked open.

Strangely, I didn’t scream. My heart didn’t even jump that much, almost like some part of my brain already knew I was safe.

Someone walked in.

Because of the dim neon light, I couldn’t see the person’s face clearly until they stepped closer to the bed and placed a bowl of water on the wooden edge beside it.

“Jae?” I muttered, confused.

He sat down on the bed beside me, his expression half worried and half exhausted.

“How are you feeling?” he asked softly. “I didn’t think you’d wake up until morning. You’ve been out for almost three hours.”

He pulled one knee up onto the wooden pavement of the bed leaned closer before reaching out to touch my face.

His hand was cold. Which meant I was the one burning up.

“You’re running a fever, Rachel,” he murmured, his thumb brushing gently across my cheek as if he was tracing a line there.

Finally, I managed to speak. “What time is it?” My voice cracked slightly.

He looked surprised, almost confused that this was the first thing I cared about. I hadn’t asked how I got here. Or what happened. Or how the gala went. Or if anyone even knew I had disappeared.

Or… Thane. If he had come back from wherever he vanished to.

Jae sighed before grabbing his phone from the nightstand.

“It’s past midnight.”

I nodded slowly.

“I found you in the male's bathroom. You passed out on the floor,” he continued, his warm brown eyes meeting mine. “I was really scared. I didn’t even know why you were there. I'd never been that scared before… And Thane wouldn’t even let us know what the hell was going on, so…”

“Wait. Thane?” I interrupted, confused.

I didn’t remember seeing him at the party. For a second I forgot how badly my arm hurt. The moment I clenched my fist into the sheets and tried to pull myself up, a groan tore out of me.

“Fuck!” I cried. It felt like the muscle in my back had split open. Jae was already leaning closer.

“Hey—easy,” he said quickly. “You should stay still.”

“Oh God…” I groaned.

My back sank against the pillow he quickly adjusted behind me so I could rest more comfortably.

My eyes were still closed when I felt his fingers brushing the side of my head.

Without thinking, I pushed his hand away. I honestly didn’t mean to react that harshly.

His brow furrowed slightly. “Right. I’m sorry.”

“N-no. I’m…” I exhaled slowly, trying to steady my breathing. “I’m sorry. You saved me tonight. The least I can do is show a little gratitude. I just… I’m not sure why you did all that for me. We only met today.”

He scoffed like he couldn’t believe I had just said that. “You’re saying I should’ve left you on the bathroom floor?” he asked. “Pretended nothing happened and just walked away? Is that what you mean?”

His voice cracked slightly, like the words were being forced out of him.

I immediately regretted what I said. Jae was nothing like most of the guys I’d known.

He looked genuinely worried about me, and I could tell he was holding back a thousand thoughts just by the look in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “I was wrong. I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine, Rachel,” he said gently, meeting my eyes again. “I understand your fears.”

His gaze dropped to the jersey I hadn’t even realized I was wearing.

“I’m sure you imagined something bad,” he continued quietly. “Like maybe I took advantage of you.”

I froze. It didn't even hit me before, until he called it out. My eyes moved down to the oversized jersey and then back to him.

“Uh… well…” I didn’t know what to say. I just stammered.

“I had to change your dress,” he explained. “You were really uncomfortable in your sleep. I know that doesn’t completely excuse it, but I wanted you to feel better. And I don’t have a maid here who could’ve done it.”

I nodded, reasoning with his excuse. “I appreciate that, Jae,” I said with a small smile. “I’m sorry you probably regret helping me now.”

“I don’t…”

His phone suddenly rang beside him, cutting him off. He glanced at the screen and then back at me.

“It’s Noah. I’m sure he wants to make sure you’re okay.”

I wondered if my mom was worried too. She would completely freak out if she knew what happened tonight.

“Hey,” Jae said into the phone.

He paused for a moment before saying, “Yeah. She’s awake. I’ll give her the phone.”

He handed it to me. I pressed it slowly to my ear.

“Hey. How are you?” Noah said softly.

His voice sounded thick and tired. Like he’d been awake all night waiting to hear from me.

“I’m okay.” My voice came out as a whisper. “I’m not dead yet.”

“I’m glad you’re fine.” He ignored my attempt at humor, which told me he’d been really worried. “Look, don’t think about anything tonight. Just rest. I didn’t want things to get any messier, so I begged Jae to bring you to his place. I hate it, but that was the only way to keep your mom from finding out what happened.”

“I get it.” I paused. “So… how’s everyone? I mean… how did the party turn out?”

“I know you’re asking about Thane,” Noah said quietly. “Please don’t ask. But he’s fine.”

I nodded slowly, though the question I'd been wanting to ask still slipped out. “Does he know about me?”

Noah was silent for a second before letting out a sharp breath.

“Yes, he does. I think you should get some rest now. T’s gonna call you tomorrow. I told her to leave you alone for tonight.”

I nodded again, even though I still wanted to press for more. But from the way he sounded, I knew he wouldn’t answer anything else about Thane.

“Alright,” I said finally.

“Yeah. Take care.”

He ended the call.

I stretched the phone toward Jae. “Thank you.”

He didn’t say anything. He just nodded, placing the phone on the bed beside him, before moving a little closer.

“I’m going to leave once the fever goes down,” he said softly.

I pressed my lips into a small smile instead. He helped me lean back against the pillow before dipping a fresh towel into the bowl of water he’d brought.

Then he gently wiped my forehead. The careful way he did it almost made him look like a doctor. Every movement precise, and cautious, like he knew exactly where to touch without hurting me.

When he was done, he placed the damp towel lightly against my temple and brushed my hair behind my ear.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. The room suddenly felt hotter.

Was it Jae’s touch doing that to me?

He didn’t pull his hand away after he finished. His thumb lingered close to my cheekbone.

My heart began beating faster.

“Jae…” I tried to say something but his index finger pressed softly against my lips, stopping me.

“Please… don’t say a word,” he whispered subtly.

Heat rushed through my skin. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure it could burst out of my chest if it went any higher.

His finger stayed on my lips, brushing them slowly, almost like he was imagining a thousand things he wanted to do but was holding himself back.

“Do you…” he started. His eyes never left my lips. I could see the desire in them.

And the strangest part was… I couldn’t deny that a part of me wanted it too.

I nodded slowly not exactly knowing what he meant. I just nodded hoping we were thinking the same thing.

It was as if that was all the permission he needed. He leaned closer until his lips touched mine, soft at first. When I kissed him back, it felt like that was exactly what he’d been waiting for.

He pulled my lower lip gently into his mouth, kissing me with a hunger that surprised me.

His warm breath brushed my chin. The kiss deepened, filled with a kind of passion that felt almost desperate, like he’d wanted this for longer than I realized.

A small moan escaped me when his hands slid lower along my waist, touching me gently, caressing it, each movement sparking something warm inside me.

But before it could go any further, I pulled away. I didn’t know why. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I just did.

His eyes lifted to mine. Wanting. Confused. Searching my face until he found answers.

Then he asked quietly, “Is it him?”