Music loud enough to wake you up from a deathbed, smoke covering your sense of smell, and harsh lights blinding your sight make you want to scream your lungs out. Oh, wait — I can't even hear my own voice. It's strange, I haven't even taken a sip of vodka. I can see the girl I came here with walking far away from me. Do I know her name? Will I recognize her when I see her again?
The white and blue lights blur my eyes. I can see an angel. Tall, with the kind of face that makes people look twice without knowing why. His smile is slow, knowing, almost intimate — like he already understands something about me I don't yet understand myself. There's a quiet confidence in the way he stands, relaxed but alert, like he owns the space without trying.
He is walking toward me.
"Found you."
His voice is low and warm, wrapping around the word like a promise.
He grabs my hand — not tight, not loose, just firm enough to feel intentional. My eyes can only see infinite bright light. I'm not sure how much time passes. My mind isn't capable of making decisions or even moving a muscle. I feel like a computer shut down, sleeping inside the light itself.
"Did you pass out again?"
The angel — the prettiest guy I met in the pub — is standing above me, drinking water. His movements are unhurried, confident, unbothered by my stare. His presence fills the room without him doing anything at all.
"Are you going to keep staring," he says softly, with a small amused curve to his lips, "or are we going to continue?"
"What?" I ask, still trying to understand where I am.
He tilts his head slightly, studying me like I'm interesting rather than strange.
He glances at his phone.
"Hey, I'm running late. If you're just going to stare, I'm leaving."
I don't go around doing reckless things, but something about him makes it hard to resist — not pushy, not aggressive, just… pulling. Like gravity.
I move closer, still unsure of myself. He smells faintly clean, warm, comforting in a way that feels wrong for a stranger.
Buzz. Buzz.
"Where the heck are you?" A girl's voice yells through his phone.
"I'm on my way. Just five minutes."
"Why does your voice sound like that? Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just running."
"Okay. Call me when you get here."
The call ends.
He looks back at me like I'm more important than the interruption.
"I'm getting close," he murmurs.
Something in his tone makes the words feel heavier than they should.
"Don't."
He pauses.
That's the first crack in his composure.
He looks at me, searching my face.
"Stay," I say quietly. "Just… stay."
For the first time, he hesitates — and that hesitation feels more intimate than confidence ever could.
He steps closer.
Not touching.
Just close enough that I feel his warmth, feel my own breath react to his nearness.
"It's not going to be easy," he whispers.
"I don't need easy."
The moment tightens between us, fragile and charged, like it could break or burn with the same breath.
Then the world blurs again.
Sleep takes me before I can understand what I'm losing.
A nice sleep is the best thing ever. Waking up on your own on a weekend, without alarms or phone calls — that's what makes a weekend special.
I stand in front of the mirror.
"So it wasn't a dream," I whisper. "And he's human. Not an angel. What's wrong with me?"
"'Stay'… When have I ever begged someone to stay?"
For all I know, he could have taken advantage of me. I wasn't in my right mind. I don't even remember drinking. Everything feels messed up. I was finally getting a new start. I shouldn't have followed her — whoever she was. I should have joined Taylor, like always.
The next day at the office, a restless feeling twists my stomach. I want to tell Taylor everything. We're on different teams today, and he looks distracted, too.
We finish at the same time.
"I have to tell you something," we both say at once.
We end up at the café nearby.
"You go first," we both say again.
"Okay," I say. "Did you know there's an underground pub here?"
"What? Really? This place is good."
That's strange. Taylor never compliments anything.
"And what were you going to say?" I ask.
"Uh… the food at Takim Restaurant is really good. We should go sometime."
He's avoiding something.
"Is that so?"
"How did you find the pub?" he asks.
"We went after work."
"Oh. Nice."
We walk outside.
"We're close enough to talk about private stuff, right?" I ask.
He stops near the mountain view and spreads his coat for me to sit.
"I'll go first," he says, handing me chips. "You know Daisy Brawl, right?"
"Yes."
"She asked me to dinner. I thought it was casual. Turns out it was a date. A real one."
My jaw drops.
"Wow. So are you dating?"
"Why would I agree?" he says blankly.
"She's attractive, but something feels off. I wanted your opinion."
"Maybe give it time," I say. "You are the most handsome guy in the office, you know."
"That's embarrassing."
"The pub was weird," I admit. "I barely remember anything. I think I met someone."
"Now we're getting somewhere," he smirks.
"I don't remember much. Just that he was incredibly handsome."
"That's all you remember?"
"When you see him, you'll understand."
Taylor laughs. "I'll help you find him."
"Or we watch Daisy more closely," I say.
And suddenly, everything feels like it's only just beginning.