I wake up with the blinding lights in my eyes as I roll back in the bed that definitely doesn't feel like mine. I bump into another body and immediately realise that I'm in a stranger's bed. My head starts to spin as I sit up, taking the covers with me because I can feel my naked skin underneath the bedsheet.

"Oh, you're up." I hear an oddly familiar voice and my mind finally recollects the memory from last night.

I didn't. Oh my god. I didn't.

"Great, you're freaking out."

I purse my lips at the comment, my eyes searching the floor for my clothes and I look at my bra hanging on the corner of the dressing mirror. A blush immediately takes over my features as I let out a very audible groan.

"Emily?" Myra calls from my left and I hold up my hand. "Shit, please tell me you consented last night. We were both pretty much out of it after we left the bar."

"I do, I consented," I tell them, it's just my head wouldn't stop spinning and it's been a year since I woke up in a bed that felt so strange.

My eyes roam around the room and notice that it's a small bedroom and very much cluttered, more than mine. I sigh, looking at them as I bite on my lip, pointing towards my jeans and blouse on the floor.

"Yes, right." They laugh, obviously amused as they stand up to leave the room. "I'll be out."

I try to avoid but can't help noticing how low the boxer is hanging off their hips as I get up from the bed and start putting on my clothes. My eyes move to the clock and if I wasn't freaking out before, I start panicking now. It's a work-day. I'm supposed to be in office right now.

My hand goes into my jeans pocket for my phone and I notice that it was on silent but there are two missed calls from Blake. The last one was just five minutes ago. Shit.

"Myra!" I holler down the hallway as I get out and they pop out their head from the kitchen. "I'm late for work."

Their eyes shoot up, "Hell, I completely forgot. I would've woken you up earlier. C'mon, I will drive you."

I pause as they go inside and come out with sweatpants and tying their short pink hair into a low-bun. I look down at my clothes and realise that I really can't show up in this.

"I don't have work clothes." I look at them helplessly. "Please tell me you have something I can borrow."

Even if they do, they won't fit. Myra is skinnier than me. They must read my expressions so they quickly reassure me.

"My roommate probably does. Go take a shower because I'm sorry but you reek." They comment and I scowl but then I smell myself and realise that they're right.

I find the bathroom and a fresh pair of towels. I hate taking shower at someone else's place. It's one thing that makes me so uncomfortable but right now comfort really isn't on my priority list. Once I step out of the bathroom, I get inside Myra's room and notice that they have laid out a pair of blue formal shirt and a black pencil skirt.

I'm actually surprised that I could find something so formal at all. I just hope it fits. I quickly change into it and look at myself in the mirror. The shirt and skirt are a little tight, clinging to my body but it will have to do for the day.

After grabbing my stuff, I go out in the living room and Myra's standing there with a cup of coffee and toast in hand.

"I don't have time for this." I decline, rushing out of the apartment and see them rolling their eyes. "Really?"

"You can eat and drink it on the way. I'll drive."

I take the cup and toast from their hand as we make our way down. Once we're in the car, I let out a huge breath of relief as I sip on the coffee and look at them.

"Thank you." I smile, because I don't think I would've done something like this for someone I had one night stand with.

After my talk with Genesis yesterday, she wanted to have sex but I told her that I was tired so she left. When the night came in and my thoughts were clawing at me, I found myself at the usual club bar where Myra was working. I wasn't surprised to see them, I was just surprised when they hit on me again.

I consciously made a choice last night because I thought I couldn't do it. It's a little shocking that I'm not drowning in guilt right now but I think that's what yesterday's introspection was about.

I'm not in a committed relationship with Genesis. As long as I fool myself to believe otherwise, I will end up getting hurt. It was a much needed pep talk.

Myra glances at me as I continue to tell them the way to my work. "I don't suppose I'll be seeing you again?"

I falter at the statement, before offering them a smile. "I don't know, honestly. Last night was fun, but I'm not looking for anything. I'm also kind of in an open-relationship."

"With that woman from the bar last time?" They ask and I'm surprised that they remember.

I nod, "I know it didn't look good."

They laugh, shaking their head. "No, everyone has complicated shit in their lives, I understand. But I'm not looking for anything serious either, if you want to hang out or just want a repetition of last night, you know where to find me."

"Give me your phone?" I make a momentarily decision as they point towards the middle console and I pick it up. "I'm giving myself a call so to have your number saved."

A huge grin takes over their face. "Sounds good."

"Just stop on the left. That's me." I point to the street and they nod, bringing the car to a halt. "Thanks, really. I'll bring back the clothes. Tell your roommate I said thanks."

They wave at me as I get out of the car and rush to the HR department. I'm an hour late. I have never been late to work, and one time that I am, I'm an hour late. When I reach upstairs, I'm glad no one points out anything but the biometric system will have the details anyway.

I reach the table only to find Blake sitting there with his laptop. He's doing the work that was left incomplete on Friday. When he notices my presence, he looks a little surprised.

"What?" I snap, mentally scolding myself to calm down. I have got to work on my communication skills with Blake.

"I'm just surprised you came. I thought you were on a leave or something."

I shake my head, taking a seat as my eyes go to Genesis's office and she seems to be in a meeting. "No, just running late."

"Those aren't your clothes, are they?" He points towards my shirt with an amused look.

I frown at him but when I look down, I understand why it's so obvious. The buttons are tight against my bust. Fuck. It's worse now that I'm sitting down.

"Keep your eyes up." I admonish him and he bites down on his lip to stop himself from smiling.

"Yes, ma'am."

I shake my head at him, switching on the laptop but he continues to study my face. I'm used to it, I really am but today, my patience is running low.

"What is it, Blake?" I ask, exasperated.

He clicks his tongue, leaning forward on the table. "You slept with someone else."

My eyes widen at him. "What?"

"C'mon, Genesis has been here since an hour. You obviously didn't come with her, and yesterday you both were fighting. You're more annoyed than usual, so you're obviously hungover. And, you're not wearing your own clothes."

Shit. Am I really that easy to read? No one has ever been able to tell so much just by looking at me. Blake and his detective skills are... ugh.

"And I couldn't be wearing Olivia's clothes?" I retort back, trying to cover up.

"Her clothes would fit you perfectly." He grins, pointing towards my cleavage. "Also, you have a nail mark right here."

"Shit." I curse, looking down and realising that he's right. Myra and her acrylic nails! I give him a deathly glare. "It's not a big deal."

"If you say so, Emma." He nods at me mockingly and I resist the urge to snap at him.

He doesn't say a word to me as he stands up and disappears amongst everyone else. I keep my head in my palms as I curse myself. I don't regret sleeping with Myra, I just regret that I have a hangover on a work-day. I need to get my shit together, really.

Things have been slipping out of hand since I've come back and this is crossing limits now. I need to work on myself and get things straight in life. I'm almost broke, and I have no idea why did I spend more money on alcohol last night. This is it, though. No more drinks at least for a month.

Blake comes back with a glass in his hand and offers it to me. "Drink."

"What is it?" I ask, taking it from his hand.

"Lime soda. You can have coffee in a couple of hours. Have you even eaten anything?"

I shake my head, feeling guilty for snapping at him earlier. I know we're stuck with each other in this office and outside it for life. That's another thing I need to work on in my life, I have to learn to be on civil terms with Blake.

"You can go for brunch in a while, have some good food. If you want anything before that, I can sneak you a sandwich."

I pass him a grateful smile. "Thank you, and I'm sorry that I'm a bitch to you almost always. I'll work on it."

He looks surprised by my apology because I have never really done that before either. It's progress.

"You don't have to, really. Trust me, I'm used to it."

His words make me scowl at him. Am I really that bad with him? I sigh, gulping down the drink which does wonders to my inside because of how cold it is. We work in silence until it hits the brunch hour and my stomach's whaling for food.

I think about going back home and changing into my own clothes but I'm sure then I won't get time to eat. I wish I had a roommate who could help me out in such situations. I check my online ad to see that there are two responses on it and both are offering a much cheaper negotiation than is possible.

"Do you want to come along?" I ask Blake, standing up and he gives me a questioning look. "Brunch."

He doesn't hide his surprise at my offer but eagerly nods. Baby steps. I just need to let my rationality work when I'm with him. He might be younger than me and practically a part of my family, but I shouldn't treat him like... sometimes I treat Caiden.

Blake doesn't try to engage in small talk as we walk side by side to the diner which is one block over, near S&M Publishing. Now that I think about it, my office isn't very far away from my mother's, but we hardly ever meet over for lunch.

"Have you been here before?" Blake asks me as we enter the place and I nod, trying to hide my smile.

"If I'm not wrong, my parents had their first brunch date here." I recall as we take a seat and he holds up the menu.

"Wow, and you remember that?"

I shrug, "When they reminded me as a kid every-time we crossed this place, it kind of settled in."

"Pancakes for you?" He asks and I nod, it's the obvious hangover food. "Eggs?"

"Anything works, order whatever you're ordering for yourself."

He nods, looking back at the waiter who takes our order and Blake smiles at him before turning to me.

"On the risk of annoying you further, what's the deal with Genesis and you?"

"What do you mean?"

I don't think anyone has ever gotten an answer to that question. Before yesterday, I had complicated things so much in my head, but it took me time to realise that she was always clear on her end, my hopes were what made our equation complex.

"Like, are you dating or not?" He asks, his eyes swirling with curiosity. "You don't have to answer if you aren't comfortable."

I sigh, looking down at my nails before seeing his face. "We're in an open-relationship."

"Okay..." he frowns. "So, you both can be involved with more than one partner?"

"Pretty much, yes."

"Mm." He reads my face as the waiter brings our food and my stomach grumbles from the smell of it. "But you want more?"

Is Blake really the best person to talk to about this shit? So far he has proven to be a nice person. I mean, I always knew he was kind because I've seen him with his parents and my siblings, especially Odion. But we never had much of a bond.

"Yes, I guess I wanted it but I'm getting around the fact that it's not going to happen."

His gaze is intense as he keeps it focused on mine. "You can't always have what the heart wants, right?"

Truer words have never been spoken. Isn't he the wise one for his age? I shake my head, picking up fries from his plate and his expressions relax a little.

"That's enough about me. What's your dating scene?"

He shrugs at me, "I was in a pretty serious relationship in high school, we broke up more than a year back and since then I haven't gotten around to the idea of dating."

"Nicole?" I ask, recalling her from some of the holidays he brought her along. I never once liked her but he doesn't have to know that.

"Yup." He smiles. "Long distance isn't really my thing."

"Where did she move?" I ask, eating my food as I remember her brunette hair. Yes, I definitely did not like those pigtails and how much obvious it was to others the way she used to cling to Blake.

"Providence."

"Brown?" I ask and he nods. "Makes sense."

He laughs a little to himself. "I know you didn't like her."

"That's not true." I try to hide my smile and he gives me a look. "C'mon, Blake. I know you loved her or still do, but you can do so much better. She was always trying to suck up to Ella."

"For the record, it's in the past." He mumbles but then a second later, he looks at me in shock. "Wait, is that why Mom never liked her, because you didn't?"

"Okay, now, I know Ella loves me but that's a huge accusation."

I try to play innocent but I might have talked to her about Nicole once. It wasn't like I imposed my opinion but when she expressed that she was wary of her, I really didn't reassure her either.

"Damn, Emma. Do you know that girl spent the entire year we were dating trying to figure out why she couldn't impress my mother?"

I shrug, "See, it's a natural instinct of parents. I had nothing to do with it."

"Sure." He narrows his eyes at me and I wonder if I have ever had such a long conversation with him in the past without snapping at him. He's not so bad. I don't want to jinx it, but it's even fun talking to him. "So, who did you sleep with, anyone I know?"

He wiggles his eyebrows. I jinxed it. Damn it. I clear my throat, pushing down the annoyance that comes with the question. It's not a big deal, really. He's just a curious kid.

"No one you know, unless you remember Myra from the bar where you showed up with Gen?" I ask, hoping that he doesn't remember them.

"The one who asked for my ID?" He asks, frowning a little and I nod. "Oh, the one you kissed that day. I got it, didn't think you would see her again."

"Them." I correct him and he gives me a lost look. "They use third person pronouns."

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't know." He looks a little embarrassed but quickly covers it up.

"It's okay, like you said, you didn't know." I offer him a reassuring smile. "Yes, so that's who."

He gives me his curious look again. "Does Gen know about this, that you're finally embracing your open-relationship?"

"What makes you think I wasn't embracing it earlier?" I finish my food and sip on the coffee. He gives me a 'duh' look which makes me look at him baffled.

"It's not just like you."

I take a deep breath, telling myself that I can hold this conversation calmly without snapping at him. I am working on myself, and it's not a difficult thing to do, really. Especially since he's so accepting, open and understanding.

"Listen, Blake. I know we've known each other for a lot of years, like since the day you were born actually. I was in the hospital, I saw you but that doesn't mean we really know about each other. I don't make assumptions about you, and you might have got a thing or two about me correct in the past, but let's just not presume anymore, alright? I'm really trying to make this work, but it wouldn't if you keep judging me for my actions after comparing it to the woman you think you know."

Wow. He looks surprised at my rant, and I don't blame him. I'm pretty proud of how calmly and politely I handled that. He passes me a genuinely apologetic smile, nodding.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'll keep that in mind."

See, that wasn't so difficult. "Thanks."

"Still going to call you Emma, though."

I roll my eyes at him, hiding my smile. Of course, he is. I'm getting used to that name and his presence now.