Chapter Five

Sage.

My eyes fluttered open, and immediately, my head throbbed like it was hosting a private drumline. Every movement sent a shock of pain stabbing through my temples. Blinking against the harsh sunlight streaming through the curtains, I squinted, trying to make sense of my surroundings.

The room, it wasn’t mine.

A soft gray carpet stretched beneath me, the sheets crisp but slightly rumpled. The bed was enormous way too big for me and I was swaddled in an oversized t-shirt that smelled faintly of fabric softener and him?

My brain scrambled. Pieces of last night flickered, disjointed and blurry, the club, the pounding bass, the drinks, Nick, Nick leaning in too close, his hands, then a loud bang

And then nothing.

I pushed myself up onto my elbows, wincing as the room tilted slightly. My heart thumped, not just from the headache, but from the growing realization of something terrifying.

I wasn’t alone.

Andre stepped into the room, casual and effortless as always, wearing nothing but black shorts that clung dangerously low to his hips. 

The sunlight caught on the damp glint of his skin, his hair slightly mussed, and my stomach dropped.

I froze. My gaze immediately darted downward, lifting the covers instinctively. Panic surged through me. Am I naked?*

My hands clutched the sheets like a shield, my eyes wide as they scanned the room for any clue. The oversized t-shirt reached mid-thigh, but my brain, still foggy and guilt-ridden, imagined the worst.

“What am I doing here?!” I squealed, my voice sharp with panic, “And what am I wearing?!”

Andre froze, his hands in his pockets, the corner of his mouth quirking up just slightly. His eyes, calm and piercing as ever, met mine.

“Relax, little saint,” he said, his voice low and even. “You don’t remember last night, do you?”

I blinked at him, trying to process, trying to grab onto something that made sense. “what do you mean? Last night? I”

“You vomited all over your clothes,” he said matter of factly, ignoring my stammering. “I had to change you into something, I couldn’t let you sleep in your vomit, now could I?”

I froze, eyes snapping wide open. “So you undressed me?” My voice rose, laced with horror and incredulity.

He lifted a brow, a teasing smirk forming. “Relax. I have seen better.” he said sarcastically. 

My cheeks immediately turned red, my chest tightening as my mind registered the intimacy of his words, the forbiddenness of the situation. “And what else?!” I demanded, feeling my pulse race in response to both shame and something else I didn’t want to name.

He stepped closer, that familiar predatory grace making my stomach flip, and continued without missing a beat. “You should actually be thanking me. First, for saving you from that idiot you call your boyfriend and second, for covering you up with your mom.”

The mention of Mom was like a slap in the face. My panic jumped, my chest rising. My hands shot to the sheets, clutching them as I pushed myself upright. “Mom?!” I gasped.

He nodded calmly, as if any concern on my part was completely predictable. “Yes. You would have woken her up, or worse, she might have walked in and seen you wasted”

I didn’t wait for him to finish. I bolted upright, heart hammering so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. “I need to go!” I shouted, panic and embarrassment mingling into a perfect storm of adrenaline.

Andre’s eyes followed me, unflinching, calm as ever, as if nothing about my yelling or my flustered state surprised him.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet hitting the floor, my oversized t-shirt doing little to cover the rapidly rising heat creeping up my chest. My head was still pounding, my thoughts scattered, but one thing was clear: I needed to leave. Now.

He didn’t move immediately. Just stood there, hands in his pockets, watching me with that unreadable gaze that always made me want to both push him away and throw myself at him at the same time.

“Where are you going?” His voice was calm, teasing, that low, smooth tone that made my knees feel weak.

“ I need to be in my room, before my mom realizes I didn't sleep there." I stammered, flailing for words. The combination of fear, shame, and lingering intoxication made my thoughts scramble into incoherent chaos. “I need to get out of here!”

Andre’s lips twitched into a smirk, a look that was part amusement, part warning, part something that made me catch my breath. He took a step closer, and I instinctively recoiled, clutching the t-shirt tighter around me.

“You can go,” he said slowly, deliberately. “But just remember. You owe me big time sage.”

I swallowed hard, the words hitting me like both comfort and accusation. I didn’t answer. I just gathered what little composure I could and backed toward the door, my heart hammering like a drum in my ears, every muscle screaming in tension.

Andre didn’t stop me, didn’t move to block me. He just stood there, watching, letting me process, letting the shame, the panic, and the confusion wash over me. His calm, confident presence was infuriating, and yet I couldn’t deny it was also grounding.

I glanced over my shoulder as I reached for the doorknob, my voice shaky and small. “Thank you, for everything”

Andre’s eyes softened slightly, just a fraction and he said nothing else. My heart leapt at the tension in that silence.

I swung the door open and bolted from the room, feeling the oversized t-shirt cling awkwardly to my body as I ran down the hallway, my thoughts racing faster than my feet.