The Stranger / Chris Evans x OC

Chapter 20: One Second

AMELIA

When I wake up on Sunday morning, my nerves are completely on edge. 

I managed to will myself to sleep by convincing myself that it was all in my head. 

But waking up today and checking my text messages, I quickly realize that I did, in fact, not imagine it. 

MysteryMan most definitely called me Ames. 

Now, the rest of it I could maybe have been imagining. 

But not this. Because I have written proof. 

No. That is simply.. not possible. There must be a reason. 

I look through my instagram to check. Nope, no mention of the nickname in any of my posts. 

Then I work my way through Taylor's. He barely has any pictures of us, he mainly uses his social media to promote himself or work projects. No mention there. Taylor mostly posts us on his story, so I can't check, but usually he would just tag me. 

Ames is sacred. My family created it. Pierre uses it occasionally, and now Chris does too, apparently, but otherwise it's a nickname Taylor uses because my family does. And he's now considered part of my family. 

There's no way MysteryMan could have known. 

Unless he knew Taylor and I. 

Nope, strike that. Doesn't even have to know me. Knowing Taylor would be enough. 

Fuck. 

No, this is crazy. 

It's impossible. 

Get a grip, Amelia. Why would Chris Evans be texting you?

You've talked to MysteryMan for over a month and you've known Chris for two days. It makes no sense. 

There's no correlation. 

That would be an insane thought to have. 

But still, it just all seemed so.. familiar. 

When Chris calmed me down, his voice felt familiar. Too familiar. And that's why it instantly calmed me down. 

I can't credit that to a high school crush because I didn't even know it was him when it was happening. 

And hearing the voice on the phone felt different suddenly, the sound of his chuckles immediately brought me back to an hour earlier when I was spending time with Chris in his room. 

The same, deep, rumbling chuckle. The same expressions. The same concern for my well-being, despite Chris barely even knowing me.. 

I mean, he knows a bit about me, and we got drunk last night and spent a few hours together today, but it's still very early to be that concerned. 

And when he was talking about my safety, that was right after I woke up. It wasn't even after spending time with me, sober. Until then all he practically knew about me was panicked Amelia or drunk Amelia. 

That's not enough to be concerned about my well-being already, at least not for normal people. Does being famous make you more concerned for strangers? 

That doesn't sound very plausible.

Taylor should have been the one taking care of me when I got too drunk, not Chris. Why was it Chris?

As I'm deep in thought, I get a text. 

MysteryMan Wake up yet, sleeping beauty?

Shit.