If Only

Chapter Two: It was just a mistake.

Despite drowning that entire glass of water last night, I wake up feeling awful. My head is pounding, and I can't see straight. I check my phone and sigh as I realize I hardly have time to get to work and therefore have to skip my workout routine. Not such a big deal, but it bothers me to break routine.

I make my way to the kitchen where I steep a giant mug of instant coffee and take three Advil tablets. I rush through my morning routine, pulling a shirt over my head as I brush my teeth, and shoving my shoes on my feet as I run a brush through my hair and tie it into a horribly messy ponytail.

I take another swig of coffee as I reach for my keys but I fumble and end up dumping coffee all over my blouse. I don't even have time to react to the pain and I certainly don't have time to go back and change. I run down to my car and rush to work.

I bounce my leg the entire elevator ride up and upon reaching my floor, I bolt straight toward the nearest restroom. I put my purse down and look around for anything I can use to get the horrible stain out. My only options are toilet paper and the awful, rough, brown paper towels next to the sink. I shake my head as I grab a handful of paper towels.

I dampen them with some water and scrub the coffee off with fury. This only makes matters worse however, as the brown stain spreads even further across my light pink blouse, nearly covering the entirety of my upper right chest. I stop for a moment and look at myself in the mirror. My dark hair spills out of its ponytail and my eyes droop slightly, making my entire face appear tired. My lips are chapped and my cheeks are flushed. I could spend hours obsessing over my every feature, but I simply shake my head and let my hair down. If I position it just so, it nearly covers the stain. I run my fingers through it a bit and decide that it's as good as It's gonna get. I open the bathroom door and make a beeline for my desk.

I'm so focused on my destination, I don't notice that I'm heading straight into someone's chest until I've already crashed into them. I look up to see who I have to apologize to now.

Of course It's you.

Ian shifts uncomfortably and looks down toward my hands which I'm just now noticing are planted squarely on his upper chest. I instantly push myself away from him and apologize. I feel like I've said "I'm sorry" to this guy half a dozen times already and I've known him barely twenty-four hours.

Another uncomfortable pause follows.

Finally he clears his throat, "It's okay," he looks past me, avoiding eye contact. "I actually need to talk to you about something."

It suddenly dawns on me that, Hey, you kissed this guy last night! And I have a horrible urge to launch myself out the window.

"What's up?" I say as though I don't know exactly what's about to come next.

"I actually wanted to apologize for last night," he says "I was a bit drunk as well and I mistook you for my ex-girlfriend for a moment. It was very unprofessional of me," he scratches his forehead and darts his eyes across the room.

My stomach sinks, but I somehow manage to play it cool. "Oh, that?" I say cooly, "It's totally fine, I hardly remember anything from last night anyway. I was completely hammered." I shrug my shoulders in an attempt to look as nonchalant as possible.

He seems to buy my story, and looks almost disappointed. "Glad to hear it," he says and walks away with his head down.

I mindlessly went about the rest of my day. I kept to myself at the office and I didn't see Ian at all. After work I fed my dog, made myself a quick dinner, and watched some reality TV until I fell asleep. I had a hazy dream about a summer romance but the details were unclear. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: 

Thanks for sticking around for chapter two! Comment your thoughts below!