Chapter 5 Another Kiss

[Narrator]

Agatha hadn't gone out that night to find a casual distraction. She had left purely to outrun the temptation waiting for her inside the apartment.

She knew that if she stayed confined within those walls with Lexie for too long, the friction of her hidden feelings might finally shatter her composure, costing her both the friendship and the only woman she had ever truly loved.

[Agatha POV]

I took a slow, heavy breath, knocking back another drink. I couldn't help but wonder how I had let myself get tangled up in this scenario, and more importantly, how I was supposed to escape it.

Why couldn't she just navigate this breakup on her own? Why did she need me right beside her for every single step? It was impossible for her to consider what this proximity was doing to me, because she didn't have the slightest clue how I actually felt. Fuck.

"Bartender! Another one, please," I called out, my voice rough.

I lit a cigarette, watching the smoke curl into the dim air of the bar. With each exhale, it felt like a fraction of the weight crushing my chest lifted, if only for a second.

Countless women sought my attention, yet I remained entirely consumed by Lexie—a woman who was completely straight and far too oblivious to ever see me the way I saw her.

I didn't care about her ex-boyfriends; I cared about the reality that she could never be mine.

[Lexie POV]

I lost count of how many times I tossed and turned in bed.

Was she really not planning to come home tonight? I checked the time again, a sharp wave of annoyance hitting me.

It felt like Agatha had only brought her bags over to appease me, with absolutely no intention of actually staying.

Should I pour another drink just to force myself to sleep? Should I call her and demand she come home? I hesitated, pulling my hand back from my phone. I didn't want to act like a possessive girlfriend.

[Narrator]

The first pale light of morning was filtering through the windows when Agatha finally unlocked the front door, only to find Lexie sitting in the living room with a half-empty bottle.

"Hey! Why are you drinking at this hour?" Agatha asked, stopping in her tracks.

"Why?!" Lexie challenged, her voice thick with alcohol. "Because I want to. Is that a crime? I asked you to stay here to help me through this, but it feels like you can't stand being around me."

"What? What are you even talking about?"

"Are you avoiding me, Agatha?!" Lexie demanded, her balance swaying slightly.

Agatha froze, caught completely off guard. Needing to regain control of the conversation, she tried to turn the focus back on her. "Why on earth would I be avoiding you?"

"From now on... partying is completely prohibited while you're living here," Lexie muttered, a small hiccup interrupting her words.

"What? That's ridiculous, Lexie. You know people expect me to show up."

"So what? Are they more important than me?" Lexie countered, looking up at her.

Agatha frowned, a heavy silence settling between them as she wondered if something had happened during the night that she didn't know about.

[Agatha POV]

Standing in the quiet apartment, I looked down at her. She was completely wasted, yet she still looked absolutely breathtaking.

I forced myself to stay calm, trying to decipher where this sudden hostility was coming from. Lexie was far too intoxicated to realize how chaotic her words sounded.

"You're mine, okay?!" she insisted suddenly.

The words sent a sharp jolt through my chest. Even knowing it was just the alcohol speaking, the sheer possessiveness of it felt incredibly sweet. Her words had an intoxicating pull, but I forced myself to remember the reality: she was drunk, and tomorrow this would mean nothing to her.

"Look, you're just drunk, best," I said softly, reaching out to steady her. "Let's get you to bed. Come on."

I took her hand, trying to guide her toward the bedroom, but she pulled away instantly. She was always incredibly stubborn when she had too much to drink.

"I'm not drunk, Agatha. If anything, you are!" She exhaled, the heavy scent of alcohol rolling off her. I looked past her toward the kitchen counter, noticing the empty bottles scattered around.

"You know what? Just go back to your own place if you're just going to spend every night partying somewhere else," she muttered, her tone turning sullen as she realized I wasn't backing down.

"Hey, come on. That's enough," I sighed, softening my approach. "I promise I won't go out like that again. At least, not nearly as often. Okay?"

[Lexie POV]

The room was spinning in slow, heavy circles. I stared up at Agatha, her features blurring slightly under the dim lights.

Shit, what is wrong with me? My gaze drifted down, anchoring entirely on her lips. They looked incredibly soft, almost inviting. A sudden, reckless urge flared up inside me—I wanted to know what they tasted like.

The heavy, suffocating warmth pressing down on me was entirely due to the liquor.

I felt a sudden, restless wave of desire, a strange heat radiating through my skin, and somehow, it felt like Agatha was the one entirely responsible for it.

Needing to cool down, I forced my heavy legs to move, stumbling toward the bathroom. I just needed to shed these sticky clothes and get under the water.

[Agatha POV]

The intensity in her eyes made my pulse race. I stood frozen, completely nervous about whatever thought was spinning through her hazy mind.

The way she was looking at me made it feel like she wanted to consume me entirely.

Before I could react, she began reaching for the hem of her clothes right there in the living room.

"Hey! Lexie, stop," I said quickly, stepping forward and gently tapping her cheek to snap her out of it. "You're not in the bathroom. Hey, wake up."

"I'm taking a bath! Why are you stopping me?" she shouted back, completely convinced she had already made it to the shower. Oh, my god. Not now, Lexie. Please.

"If you want to take a bath, fine. But do it in the actual bathroom, not out here."

"What is your problem? You're being so stubborn, Agatha," she mumbled, leaning in close.

So now I was the one being difficult? Seriously? Oh, shit.

"I'm going to kiss you if you don't shut up," she threatened, her head tilting slightly.

I winced, bracing myself, assuming it was just another empty, drunken threat. But a second later, her lips pressed directly against mine.

The contact was sudden and unyielding, her lips parting as she tried to deepen the pressure.

Shit. I knew that if she kept this up, every single ounce of my self-control would completely evaporate.

I tried to force my logic to take over, but the sheer gravity of my desire was far more potent than my willpower. Yielding entirely, I began to return the kiss. I reached down, pulling her tightly against my waist as my hands finally traveled along her skin, giving in to the touch I had denied myself for years.

[Lexie POV]

Everything felt like a vivid, fragmented dream. I remembered taking a shower, and then suddenly Agatha was there, waiting for me in the quiet of the bedroom.

She had stepped closer, her lips meeting mine with a profound, intoxicating sweetness that I had eagerly returned. I remembered the sudden, sharp sensation of her hands pulling me against her waist, gripping my side with a fierce intensity.

I had wanted her so badly in that moment, but just as quickly as the feeling came, she seemed to vanish into thin air.

Even in my own dreams, it felt like I was destined to be left behind.

When my eyes finally snapped open, the space beside me was completely empty. I sat up, a sharp, blinding pain radiating through my forehead as I tried to piece the night together. Shit.

How much had I actually consumed last night? I couldn't remember a single detail after a certain point.

I stumbled out of bed and went straight to the bathroom, splashing freezing water onto my face before staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"What are you doing, Lexie? You're completely losing your mind. You know you can't handle liquor like that," I muttered to myself.

"Oh, Lexie! You're awake," a familiar voice called out.

I turned around to see Agatha leaning against the doorframe, her expression completely calm. "Let's get some breakfast. Do you want some cold water?"

Seeing her face brought a sudden wave of confusion back to my chest. "Did you... did you actually come home last night?"

"Yeah. But it was already morning by the time I got back."

I hesitated, watching her closely. "Did anything... weird happen last night?"

[Agatha POV]

I knew it. The second I saw the confusion in her eyes, I knew she wouldn't remember a single thing about the night before.

She had absolutely no recollection of the way she had kissed me, or the way my hands had held her. If it had been anyone else standing in this kitchen, they easily could have taken advantage of her vulnerability.

Fortunately, I cared too much to ruin her. Besides, she was the one who had initiated the kiss.

Was she truly just that intoxicated, leaving her with a completely blank canvas this morning? I hated how my own brain worked—even when I was entirely wasted, I retained every single detail of what I did.

A stubborn, foolish part of me was still clinging to a desperate shred of false hope, wishing against logic that she had kissed me because a part of her actually wanted to.

"Nothing weird happened at all," I lied smoothly, keeping my tone perfectly casual.

"You just completely knocked out, Lexie. Next time, don't overdo the drinking."

Lexie quieted down, her brows furrowing as she stared at the floor. "It's just... I feel like I was kissing someone."