Shocking encounter

Chapter 2

Isla's POV

The sound of my alarm clock made me groan. With my eyes closed, I moved my arm towards the bedside table trying to find my phone and switch off the alarm. My head ached badly making me groan once more. 

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath prying my eyes open. It took a while for my gaze to adjust to the room fully. I frowned when I saw the beautiful bright chandelier on the ceiling. I stood up too fast and the room spun. My head throbbed in protest. I must have had too much to drink last night. The room looked nothing like mine. Was I still drunk? Dreaming perhaps? 

I closed my eyes and opened them again blinking rapidly. These definitely don't look like a dream. The bed was dreamily soft unlike mine. Something suddenly occurred to me when my eyes fell on the dress I was putting on last night. I was completely naked. 

"Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness Isla! What have you gotten yourself into?" I internally screamed freaking out at what was going on. I scrambled out of bed and threw my clothes on as fast as I could. I rushed out of the room, the exit to the house was easy to find. And there was no one in sight to witness how much of a mess I looked. I stopped the first cab in sight and got in. 

The sound of my phone ringing startled me. The driver gave me a weird look through the rearview mirror. I didn’t blame him though, I was sure I looked like a crazy woman. I forced a smile at him before I picked up the call and Macy’s loud voice rang in my ears.

“Did you fall into a ditch? I’ve been calling for hours!” I winced moving the phone from my ear.

“I know. I’m sorry. Last night was just…” I trailed searching for the appropriate words to describe what I had been through. “Crazy.” At the sound of crazy coming out of my mouth, everything that happened last night came rushing back to me. Smug grin, deep velvety voice, kisses, thrusts, moans, and more moans. I slapped my hand over my mouth in shock. 

“Crazy enough that you forgot we have a compulsory class this morning? Did you even remember we are supposed to turn in our assignments…”

“I…um…I have to go. I will see you at my place.”

“Wait, Isla…”

I didn’t wait to listen to her protests before hanging up. I must have completely lost my mind. What was I thinking? Liam cheated on me and I totally spiralled out of control.

“We are here Miss,” the driver informed me. I stepped out of the car and paid him. This environment was completely different from the one I had just left. I was a scholarship student who worked part-time jobs to make ends meet. I stepped into the building which was occupied by myself and three other men. It was the most affordable place I could find. 

“Hey, Isla. Worked late?” Joe one of my neighbors asked smiling as he stood in front of the door to his apartment. He always seemed so nice but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy whenever we were in proximity. 

“Yeah. I had a long shift and I have to get to class. See you later,” I responded with a small smile heading into my apartment. I didn’t wait to listen to what he had to say next. I turned on the flickering lights and groaned. I had completely forgotten to get them replaced again. The paint on the wall was chipped in places, and a narrow couch sat against one wall, the cushions slightly sunken. It doubled as a bed when I was too exhausted to make it to my bed. 

My bed lay in the other corner neatly made. I took my clothes off and rushed to the bathroom to take a shower. The warm water trickling down my skin made me sigh in relief. I closed my eyes and my memories floated back to last night. Strong arms lifting me, soft murmurs in my ears. Goosebumps lined my skin and I quickly shook my head to get rid of the thoughts. Last night was purely a mistake. A mistake no one would ever find out and I would never indulge in ever again.

I got out of the shower and dressed up as fast as I could. I grabbed my books from the reading table and rushed out of the apartment. Macy honked loudly winding down the windows. I sighed getting into the car. 

“Isla Bennett, is that a freaking hickey on your neck?” she asked in awe pulling her sunglasses down slightly to get a closer look. Her blue eyes gradually widened. 

“W..what? What hickey?” I stuttered feeling blood draining from my face. My heart thumped loudly against my chest. I hurriedly checked through the rearview mirror as she drove and to my shock, she was right. The audacity of that strange man.

She smirked. “My, my. You sure had a wild night with Liam. Lucky you. Perfect boyfriend with the perfect grades.” 

I bit my lips anxiously. “It wasn’t Liam.” 

“What do you mean by it wasn’t Liam? Do you have any other boyfriend I don’t know of?” she asked narrowing her eyes. 

“Of course not. Don’t be silly Macy.” I proceeded to tell her everything that had happened last night. She had been my best friend for over five years. We never hid anything from each other. I watched her expression switch from surprise to shock then to anger. The car screeched to a halt in the college’s parking lot. 

“That bastard! Is he fucking crazy? How dare he cheat on you? And he also lied to you? Wait till I get my hands on him,” she fumed pushing a strand of her blonde hair from her face. I shrugged taking a sip from the coffee she had gotten for me. 

“I’m so sorry girl. How do you feel?” she asked worriedly. 

“Like shit,” I mumbled. 

She rubbed my back soothingly. “That dickhead should be the one feeling like shit, not you. Wait a minute, Isla Bennett had a one-night stand?” 

I tried getting out of the car but she pulled me back in. 

She grinned like a Cheshire cat. “Who would have ever thought? Was he handsome? How was it? Tell me all the details.”

“Not now Macy. You were the one who told me we had to get to class,” I protested. 

She shook her head. “Hell no. Classes can wait. You have to tell me all the juicy details. Spill.”

I groaned running my hand through my hair. “The truth is I desperately want to know everything I did but I can’t remember either. I was so drunk. I must have been completely out of my mind.”

“That’s completely fine. All that matters is you are fine and you didn’t spend the night sobbing over a loser instead you were beneath another,” she wiggled her brows suggestively. 

“Shit, we are late.”

I stepped out of the car just as she did the same. We both held hands as we hurried to class together after realising we spent a long time chattering away. Macy pulled the door open and we both stepped in. My world tilted the moment I walked in. The chatters of the students faded into a dull hum as the recognition hit me like a physical blow. 

Shock rooted me to my spot, my fingers tightened around my bag, and the coffee in my hands fell onto the floor. My pulse roared in my ears. This couldn’t be real. No, no, no I had to be dreaming. The same eyes that had studied me intently last night stared back at me equally as stunned. What the fuck was the man I had a one-night stand with doing here at Halcyon College?