Daydreaming Angel

The first time I shared a bed with a man, it was with my best friend. The next morning, he kissed me secretly and promised to take responsibility for me in the future. Chapter 1 Rachel's Brothers Up until I was 25, I had never been with a man before. Yet, my best friend, Rachel Langley, suddenly told me I would be sleeping in the same bed with two boys that night. When I heard the news, my eyes sparkled with excitement. Though I pretended to be hesitant, I wasn't truly troubled since I had already met the boys. One of them was precisely my type: towering at 185 cm with a chiseled jawline, bright eyes, and a lean build. He was perfect, but I didn't dare to have any inappropriate thoughts about him except admiring him from a distance. After all, he was Rachel's younger brother, Jared, and we were eight years apart. Most importantly, Jared was still underage. Thus, despite his mature appearance, I still had to stay true to my conscience. Moreover, we all had to cram into the same bed because Rachel and I were financially strapped. We were just scraping by on our salaries, managing only to cover our rent and basic needs. During the summer, her two younger brothers, Jared and Simon, were eager to visit our city. To save money, Rachel decided they should stay with us. Fortunately, our bed was large enough to comfortably accommodate all four of us. To match their height, I spent the day in 7 cm heels, striving to embody the role of the older sister. However, coordinating showers was a logistical challenge with everyone at home. So, I opted to head home first, relishing the relief as I slipped out of my heels. Despite my intentions to maintain an older sister's demeanor, I found myself unexpectedly flustered every time I encountered Jared. After my shower, I tousled my hair and spritzed on some perfume, yet it felt insufficient. I then applied some moisturizer to ensure I looked flawless. Once ready, I sat in quiet anticipation of a knock on the door. Shortly after, there came that expected knock. As I opened the door just a crack, I was met with the imposing figure of the man before me. After a brief glance, I turned away, flipping my freshly washed, fragrant hair. I could sense his gaze on me from the mirror. Despite having spent the entire day together, being alone with Rachel's brothers felt oddly awkward. When Rachel went to shower, Jared had already laid down close to me while Simon took the spot on the outer edge. I was tucked away in the innermost corner. Initially, I had thought of Jared as just a kid. But I had overlooked the fact that he was an athlete, a basketball player who trained daily. Lying on the bed in a short-sleeved shirt, his muscular arms were on display, becoming a considerable distraction. Yet, I forced myself not to stare too long. Jared's presence was palpable, radiating a kind of energy that was new to me. As someone who had never been this close to men before, I felt uneasy. I couldn't bring myself to lie down, silently praying for Rachel to finish her shower quickly. The brothers were absorbed in their games, but I could feel Jared's gaze on me from time to time. His gaze was so intense that it made me even more flustered. Thus, I pretended to be engrossed in my phone. Chapter 2 The Kiss It felt like an eternity before Rachel finally emerged from the shower. Only after she nestled between Jared and me did I muster the courage to lie down as well. The three siblings quickly fell into a deep slumber, and gradually, lulled by the rhythm of their breathing, I, too, drifted off. As dawn crept in, I was jolted from my half-sleep by a soft pressure against my lips. The kiss ignited warmth throughout my body and made my breaths shallow. When I opened my eyes, I found Jared's face incredibly close to mine, his lips still pressed against mine, and his hands propped by my shoulders. The proximity was alarmingly intimate. At that moment, my mind blanked, and heat surged to my cheeks. If it had been anyone but Jared, I would have called the police immediately. But it was Jared, and perplexingly, I found myself reluctant to pull away. Still, I knew I needed to snap out of it immediately. After all, we weren't alone. I couldn't even recall how I had ended up next to Jared. Despite this, it seemed Jared was completely absorbed in the moment. My body responded to the kiss, softening, yet I gathered my strength and managed to push him away. I then attempted to clamber over the other two to escape the bed, but as I did, Jared grabbed my arm. I lost my balance and tumbled back, falling into his arms. My hand, in a fluster, landed inadvertently on his thigh. 'God help me!' I grumbled to myself. Afraid of waking the others, I could only press down on his thigh, striving to remain silent. Then, Jared leaned in and whispered in my ear, "I'm sorry, Yvette. I will take responsibility for this." His words sent a deeper flush across my face. Without much thought, I nodded, then swiftly jumped off the bed and darted into the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind me. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I was so mortified that I wished the floor would swallow me whole. A realization then struck me—I might have seemed too provocative last night, which could have made Jared lose control. Despite his younger age, he likely had as much experience as I did. With this thought, I splashed my face with cold water, trying to calm down. The thought of Rachel finding out about this was unbearable. Feeling a bit steadier after cooling my face, I was startled by a sudden rattling at the bathroom doorknob. My mind blanked for a moment as I watched the doorknob turn, and a figure slowly entered, cornering me against the sink. "You were the same height as me, Yvette. Why do you suddenly seem so small?" Chapter 3 Jealousy Despite the charm of his actions, Jared still carried a youthful innocence in every move he made. I found myself caught in a dilemma. Gathering my courage, I looked him in the eyes and said, "Jared, I don't know what you think you're doing, but I hope you understand the implications. If this was just a moment of impulse, I'm willing to pretend it never happened." A shadow passed over his eyes when he heard that. He looked away and withdrew his hand, seeming suddenly lost. "Also, I can't afford to take care of you right now," I added. His once imposing presence seemed to shrink. "Go and wash up, Yvette. I'm sorry about this," he murmured. After Jared left, I was calmer, but I couldn't help but wonder if what I said was too harsh. Truthfully, I didn't want to hurt him. By 8:30AM, Rachel and I were on our way to work. We shared everything, and part of me felt I should confess the entire incident to her. But before doing so, there was something I needed to know. On the bus, I asked Rachel, "What did you do last night?" She laughed in response, and in that instant, I realized she had orchestrated the whole thing. "Didn't you say Jared is handsome? I thought this would give you a chance to get close to him," Rachel said. "Come on, you must have been too hot at night and pushed me into the middle. I know you well enough." "I knew it. I knew you would understand me." I gave her a pointed look. However, I knew she would probably send Jared home immediately if she knew what had just happened. "I'm sorry. If it bothers you, I can have them go home right away." We were on the same wavelength, but I hadn't seen enough of him yet. There was no way I would let them go home this early. "It's fine. I don't mind. But tell me, are there really a lot of girls crazy about Jared? Is he really that handsome?" I asked, feigning nonchalance. "I can't deny it. Last semester, a new music teacher came to their class, and she's about our age. He always told me how good she looked. Such a little brat," Rachel shared. She was right. At my age, I could be his teacher. "That's just how kids are. They easily crush on younger teachers," I replied, trying to keep the conversation light, but inside, I felt a storm of emotions. After years of waiting, I finally met someone who made my heart race. However, he was someone I shouldn't have feelings for. Despite this, I couldn't help but hope he felt the same way about me, too. Chapter 4 First Meeting With Jared Having four people crammed into one room was definitely crowded. After work, Rachel and I decided to take them for a stroll around town. Then, Rachel suggested they head back home by tomorrow morning. Jared seemed indifferent to the morning's incident; he hardly spoke to me and just stood quietly behind me. Perhaps it was our group's dynamic, with me feeling like the odd one out, but our combined height and looks drew quite a bit of attention as we walked. As passersby glanced our way, I noticed that the girls we passed seemed unable to take their eyes off Jared. Even after we moved on, they continued chatting excitedly, their gazes fixed on him. It was frustrating. We eventually stopped at a dessert shop and settled down. The girls at the next table kept glancing over, which only added to my discomfort. I had to remind myself that it was just because Jared was exceptionally attractive. I knew I was being irrational. After all, there couldn't be anything between Jared and me, but still, I felt an inexplicable unease. Needing a break, I excused myself to the restroom, and Rachel came along. "Did you see that just now?" she whispered. I knew exactly what she was referring to and responded with a gossipy tone, "Jared really is something else. He caught everyone's eye wherever we went. It's unbelievable." "Want to bet? Now that we've left, they'll probably ask for his number." And sure enough, from where I stood, out of Jared's line of sight, I saw two girls strike up a conversation with him. Moments later, he pulled out his phone, and the girls walked away with satisfied smiles. A wave of disappointment swept over me. Despite this, I relayed the scene to Rachel with feigned excitement. Sometimes, I couldn't fathom why I kept pretending, making things harder on myself. At that moment, I didn't feel like engaging with Jared anymore, so I made up an excuse and told Rachel to go ahead while I touched up my makeup. I began to feel like a fool. The sting of tears threatened me as I thought about the whole situation. As I lingered in front of the mirror, I suddenly saw a man in the mirror. At first, I assumed he just needed to wash his hands, so I moved aside to give him space. But the next moment, his hand landed on my waist. Startled, my first instinct was to scream, but a buzzing in my head drowned out all sounds except for a muffled countdown. Before I knew what was happening, I was dragged into a small space while the door closed behind us. The last thing I remember was the sound of a heavy door slam. Then, everything that happened after that was a blur. It felt like I was caught in a long dream. I dreamt of the first time I met Jared, back when he was still the same height as me. It was my first visit to Rachel's house. Unexpectedly, she had to rush out to meet her ex-boyfriend. With her parents often away and her brother usually out late, I found myself alone in her room. Just as I was about to fall asleep, a loud knocking jolted me awake. "Rachel, help me!" The sound terrified me, but the knocking gradually softened. I called Rachel, and she guessed it was probably her brother at the door. When I opened the door, I found Jared curled up on the ground. It shocked me because he was the most handsome boy I had ever seen. Though he looked a little confused when he saw me, he seemed very weak as he clutched his stomach and groaned for help. In the end, I took him to a nearby clinic. The journey was exhausting, but I persevered for his sake. At the hospital, the doctor diagnosed Jared with acute gastroenteritis, likely caused by something he ate. Yet, after receiving an IV drip, he felt significantly better.