All Chapters of THE NIGHT WE MET: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

I stood outside the bar, staring at the neon lights flashing in front of me. I wasn’t one for places like this. loud, crowded, and chaotic, but my cousins had insisted. “Come on, Sam, you need to loosen up!” Grey had said, pulling me out of the house like it was no big deal. I sighed, wishing I had stayed home. But it was family. I couldn’t exactly say no.Inside, the music was deafening, the air thick with alcohol and cologne. The place was packed, buzzing with energy, while my cousins, Grey, River, and Tony were ecstatic to be reunited after years apart. They were all in their element. Me? I felt completely out of place. I tugged at my simple black dress, trying to feel comfortable, but the discomfort was too strong. I just wanted the night to end already.We found a spot near the bar, and I tried to relax, but my eyes kept drifting to a nearby table where a group of men were laughing and clinking glasses. Something about them seemed familiar, though I couldn’t place it. That was un

Gil’s eyes widened. “Sam, that’s... a lot. You’re sure you don’t remember anything?”I shook my head, “Bits and pieces, but it’s all blurry. I don’t even know how I ended up in his apartment. I mean, I didn’t... plan this. And now, I have no idea what to do.”Gillian leaned back; her expression thoughtful. “Okay, first things first—take a breath. Freaking out isn’t going to fix anything. We need to figure out what happened, but... are you sure you didn’t leave anything behind? Like your phone, purse, anything that might give him a reason to reach out?”I frowned, trying to think. “I grabbed my stuff before I left, I think. Wait...” My stomach dropped when I looked at my wrist, “My bracelet. The one Mom gave me—it’s gone.”Gillian winced. “That’s... not nice.”“Can this day get any better?” I asked in frustration.“You’ll probably need to see him again, that bracelet is sentimental to you,” she said, with a little smile on her face.“What are you smiling about, Gil? Didn’t you know I m

After the party, I was more than ready to go home. The whole night had been a mix of awkward encounters and dodging David Collins. I was exhausted. As soon as I got inside, I kicked off my shoes, tossed my bag on the couch, and collapsed into my favorite spot. My phone was already buzzing with a message from Gillian.Gillian: So, how was the party? Tell me everything!I didn’t feel like texting, so I called her instead. She picked up on the first ring.“Finally!” she said, her voice full of excitement. “Tell me everything. Was Joseph there? Did you take a picture of him for me?”I groaned. “Yeah, he was there... right next to David, of all people.”“No way! You’re kidding!” she said, laughing on the other line.“I wish I were. And, of course, David caught me trying to take a picture of Joseph. He probably thinks I was taking it off him.”Gillian giggled, “Oh, Sam, that’s too funny. His ego’s probably through the roof now. Did he say anything?”“No, thank goodness,” I said, rolling my

Tony leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with an annoying smirk on his face. "Something annoying, huh? Must've been pretty distracting to make you curse in the middle of our meeting."River grinned. "Yeah, what was that all about, Sam? You never slip like that.""Must be something—or someone—who got under her skin," Grey added, raising an eyebrow.I stiffened, they have their mischievous smile on their face. "It’s nothing. Can we just drop it?""Oh no," Tony said, shaking his head. "We’re family, Sam. We look out for each other. If something—or someone—is bothering you, we should know.""Yeah," River added. "Maybe we can help…” he smiled teasingly.I groaned in annoyance with the three, "You guys are the worst."Grey chuckled. "So, is this ‘annoying thing’ tall, smug, and goes by the name of David Collins?"My whole body tensed, and that was all the confirmation they needed."Oh-ho!" Tony laughed, leaning forward with newfound interest. "Now this is interesting.""You know, if