All Chapters of One night with my best friend cousin : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Chapter 2LinaMick's voice finally broke the silence between us.His curious look slowly changed into something else. The teasing light that usually danced in his eyes was gone. Now they looked worried. Careful. The playful tone he had used earlier had disappeared completely, replaced by something quieter. Something that felt almost like concern."It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," he said softly.For a moment, I didn't answer.The noise of the bar rushed back to me all at once. The loud music thumping through the floor. The flashing lights. The laughter and shouting of strangers who had no idea I was slowly falling apart in my seat. I hadn't even noticed when I drifted away into my own thoughts. One second I was here, and the next I was somewhere far away,somewhere quiet and painful — and Mick had been the one to pull me back.I turned to look at him.And there it was.That smile.The kind of smile that made my legs feel like they had forgotten how to work. The kind that

Chapter 4MickLina's ApartmentHer apartment was exactly the kind of place I would have guessed she lived in.Clean. Quiet. Thoughtfully arranged, like every small thing in it had been placed with care. And it smelled like her, something soft and faintly sweet that I couldn't name but recognized immediately, the way you recognize a song you haven't heard in years.I stood in the middle of her living room, still holding her in my arms. She had gone quiet against my chest, her arms looped loosely around my neck, her head heavy on my shoulder. Her breathing had slowed into something deep and even. Almost asleep, but not quite.I should have set her down and left.Instead, my eyes moved slowly around the room.The living room was simple,no clutter, no excess,but it had warmth to it. The kind of warmth that comes from a space that actually belongs to someone, not just somewhere they sleep. A small lamp cast soft light across the walls. A few plants sat near the window. And on one wall, ha

Chapter 6LinaI woke up to the sound of someone knocking on my door.My head was pounding. Like something small and angry was hitting the inside of my skull over and over again. I groaned softly and pressed my face deep into the pillow, hoping the pain would go away if I stayed still long enough.Maybe it was the alcohol from last night.Slowly,I opened my eyes.The room was quiet.The curtains let in soft morning light. Everything looked the same as always,the same walls, the same ceiling,but something felt different. Like the air itself had changed.I turned my head.Mick was gone.My heart dropped for a second. A quiet, cold feeling moved through my chest. But then something else caught my eye.A small tray on the bedside table.I pushed myself up slowly, my body feeling sore in a way it never had before. My hands reached for the tray. Two slices of bread. A cup of tea, still warm. And beside it…A folded piece of paper.My fingers trembled a little as I picked it up. I stared at it for a m

Chapter 8LinaMy legs felt weak the moment Mick kissed me.Everything I wanted to say was gone.I had come downstairs to talk to him. I wanted to ask him what last night meant. Was it just because we were drunk… or was it something real?But now…Standing this close to him,Feeling his lips on mine…I could not think anymore.I could not even breathe properly.The truth was… I had been hoping to see him.I could not sleep upstairs. Every time I closed my eyes, my mind went back to him. The way he held me. The way he looked at me. Like I was the only person in the room.I told myself I only came down for water.But that was a lie.I wanted him.His question made my heart drop straight to my stomach.Was it a mistake?No.It was not.Last night was not a mistake.And this moment was not either.But everything was moving so fast. Too fast. My heart was running ahead of me and I did not know how to catch it.I did not know how to say any of that.Slowly, I opened my eyes.Our foreheads were still t

Chapter 10MickSitting in front of my dad's business partner, Mr. Smith, felt like the longest moment of my life.I was there. Physically.But my mind?Far away.Far from this table. Far from this conversation. Far from everything happening in front of me.My dad was talking. Of course he was.His voice was steady and confident, the way it always gets when business is involved. Like he was selling something. Like he was always selling something."She's a wonderful girl," he said, smiling. "Well-raised, educated, and from a good family. Mick is ready. He understands responsibility."I clenched my jaw.Ready.Is that what he really thinks? Or is that just what he wants them to believe?I sat still, my hands resting quietly on my lap, my fingers slowly tightening without me noticing. I wasn't looking at either of them. I was just… existing in the chair. Going through the motions. Nodding at the right moments. Breathing.Mr. Smith kept nodding, satisfied, like every word my dad said was music t