Filed to story: Once Upon a One Night Mistake Book PDF Free by Simone Shirazi
“Actually,” she said, turning toward him. “Would you mind grabbing me a t-shirt to wear? I’m dying to get out of this dress and obviously I didn’t bring anything else.”
“Fine. I’ll be right back.”
He left the room and walked the short distance down the hallway toward Michael’s room. The door was still open, so he strolled inside and found Michael sitting on the edge of his bed.
“I need to steal one of your shirts.”
Michael raised an eyebrow as he unzipped the jacket of the tracksuit. “You telling me you don’t enjoy the freedom of sleeping naked?”
Sebastian rolled his eyes and turned to the large dresser, grabbing a t-shirt at random. “It’s for Talia,” he explained.
“I guess that means she doesn’t sleep? au naturel . What a shame.”
“Stop having dirty thoughts about my girlfriend, Michael.”
“Fake girlfriend!” Michael called to his retreating back as he left the room.
Taliana was waiting by the door when he returned and took the shirt from him with a mumbled thanks.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Stick Girl.” He yawned, turning away. “Goodnight.”
He was a few steps away when he heard her call out softly, “Hey, Seb?”
He turned back, noting that the expression on her face now was the same one he’d seen right before she’d started to cry earlier, and he silently prayed there wasn’t about to be a repeat.
“Yeah?”
She leaned against the doorframe and worried her bottom lip between her teeth, almost seeming smaller than usual. “Let’s just say, somehow, even though the test said I wasn’t,” she began. “If I were pregnant… What would you do?”
The question took Sebastian by surprise. He had refused to think about that earlier, but now that it had been directly asked, he supposed it was time to actually think about it. Or else try to avoid it again.
He remained silent for a few beats, trying to come up with something to say. “I wouldn’t, like, abandon you or something. I’d be there all through whatever you decided to do. It’s your choice.”
A slight smile came to her lips. “You’re really not that bad of a guy,” she said. “As much as I hate to admit it.”
He returned the smile, unable to help it. “You’re not so bad yourself. I really think we could have been friends if all those things hadn’t happened when we were kids.”
Her eyes locked on his. “Maybe we still can be.”
Sebastian wasn’t too sure about that, but he was at least willing to consider it. “Yeah. Maybe.”
They stared at each other a moment longer before Stick Girl shook her head and pulled back, breaking the moment.
“All right, this is getting too sappy,” she said, snapping out of it. “Goodnight.”
He watched as she quietly closed the door before heading down the hall to his own room. Flipping off the lights, he stripped down to his boxers and collapsed into bed, trying to keep his mind off the girl who was just two rooms over.
Just as he was on the verge of falling asleep, he heard his phone vibrate on the bedside table. He heaved a sigh when he saw Taliana’s name flash on the display and grudgingly answered.
“What do you want now?” he mumbled.
“Well, I’ve got good news and bad news,” she said. “Which do you want to hear first?”
He frowned, trying to comprehend what was going on. “Give me the good news.”
She took a deep breath. “No one is going to be calling you daddy anytime soon.”
He squinted into the darkness, not quite sure what she was trying to say. Was she trying to hit on him or something? If so, this had to be the most awkward attempt. “Uh…”
After realizing he wasn’t following, she clarified. “What I mean is that I’m not pregnant, dummy.”
He sat up, the sheet falling to his lap. “You’re sure?”
“Well, that’s where the bad news comes in.” She paused, most likely trying to figure out how to phrase her next words. “Let’s just say these sheets are going to need a good washing.”
Sebastian was completely lost for a moment before realization hit him like a speeding train. “Oh, thank god,” he sighed in relief. “You, uh…need anything?”
“Nah, the Richardsons thankfully keep their bathrooms well stocked.” She laughed, but it quickly trailed off. “Anyway, I just wanted to put your mind at ease. Sleep tight, Cry Baby.”
“Hope the bed bugs bite.”
“Fuck off.”
“Likewise, Stick Girl.”
20
Home is Where the Crazy Is
The sound of ringing woke Taliana the next morning.
She slapped blindly at the bedside table, trying to silence what she thought was her alarm clock, but the ringing continued. It took a few more seconds for her to realize it was her phone, which was resting on the corner of the bed. With a groan, she ran her finger across the screen and pressed it to her ear.
“If you aren’t home in the next twenty minutes, you are going to be in big trouble.”
That definitely woke her up.