THE WRONG ONE.

EVANGELINE MILLER.

"Fuck!" I cussed out loud as I remembered what led me into this situation of indescribable terror. Somehow, I still couldn't remember the details of it. My mind went completely blank after accepting Harper's dare to get the stranger's phone number.

My mouth was still hung open in awe. "So you....you mean I was all over you? How would I know you're n-not lying?" I questioned, embarrassment flushing my face while I managed to look him in the eye.

What kind of girl doesn't remember having sex with a stranger?!

A smirk planted on his face as he took a few steps away from me. A glint of mischievousness in his eyes that he didn't bother hiding. I released a breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"Well," he shrugged, his rich accent breezing into my ears. "More or less. You even picked out this hotel and said we should be 'quick' about it."

I was beyond appalled, and I knew my traitor face showed it to him well. He chuckled as if he had just remembered something.

"What?" I quizzed, absolutely terrified and confused. I could vocally express the turmoil that went on inside of me.

"It's just funny that you don't remember. You did a lot of crazy things." He bit on the word, making me feel like I'd been drained of all the blood within. "And that body…damn." He eyed me.

I shoved him out of the way and slid past him trying to find my dress.

First, I needed to get out of here to flay Harper; but before I flay her. I needed full details on what had happened the night before. I wouldn't believe this... uncomfortably handsome stranger whose eyes seemed to study my every step.

"Check the bed." He said, like he knew what I was searching for. I glared at him before pulling the blanket off the bed to continue my search.

"I meant under...you flung it there when you showed me your Shakira waist dance."

My face fell, and my mouth hung open once more. That move was my go-to whenever I got drunk. Harper had multiple videos of me slithering out of my dress to show her the supposed waist dance. And most of the time, I ended up looking epileptic. Shakira would be appalled if she saw one of those.

And I showed that to a stranger!?

This jerk was enjoying every bit of it. He didn't try to hide the happiness on his face while I died slowly from utmost embarrassment. I closed my eyes and exhaled.

At least I won't be seeing him again after this time. That was all that mattered.

As he said, I found my dress and its punching stench of whiskey under the huge bed. God forbid I asked him where my underwear was. I would drop dead if he talked about another ridiculous thing I had done.

"Your purse is on the table, uh...Jerry? That was what you called it. I didn't know people had purses as pets. Said he liked to sleep on the cold, tiled floor." Amusement was the only evident expression on his face.

KILL. ME. ALREADY.

If I didn't get out soon, I would crawl out of my skin and walk into the streets of New York with a bleeding skeleton and falling organs. I WILL create a scene to express my misfortune and also share it with the world!

"Turn around," I ordered but with an apologetic tone. He did, wearing an 'I have seen all there is to see' smile. I immediately slipped into my dress.

"You'd be back for more!" He said as I closed the door behind me.

I ran out of the hotel room. I didn't bother voicing an apology or an explanation. It was fine as long as I was sure we would never cross paths.

Ever again.

It was until I was out of the gigantic building I realized it was HOTEL WHITE. One of the most—

No, the most expensive hotel in the whole of New York. How could I have chosen that?

I found a taxi and headed home quickly, a little too eager to squeeze every drop of life out of Harper, then throw myself off a building afterward because the embarrassment drained me of my will to live.

#

Home felt like home because the first thing I saw was Harper's pink bra by the door handle. I heaved a sigh of relief. She was fast asleep, with too much hair inside her mouth and enough saliva to make the playground slippery.

How could she sleep so soundly when my life was partially ruined!?"

"Harper Seo-Jin Choi, wake the fuck up!"

Our neighbors probably already had our full names registered in their heads involuntarily. I shook her roughly before her tiny eyes slowly began to part, and she looked at me like she'd just seen the grim reaper.

"Get your ass out of bed 'cause you are going back to Busan right now! And I'm returning to Philadelphia to work at Uncle Joe's bookstore!"

She yawned, gradually collecting herself. "Is it that bad?" Her gentle morning voice is normally the opposite of her raging lion personality.

I fell tiredly on my bed. "Yes, it is!" I groaned, "I fucked a stranger yesterday! And— and, I don't hate it! Why did you leave me with him yesterday? So yes, it is that bad!"

The perfect tea equals a wild awake, wild-haired, and wide-eyed Harper. She sprung up abruptly like she had springs in her back.

"Holy shit, Eva! You finally did it!"

"Ruined my life? Yeah, I finally did! Yay. I'm so glad."

"Come on! This is the USA! You finally had your first one-night stand!" Harper was rather excited, and I was beginning to think she didn't understand what I was complaining about.

"Wait, I don't think you understand...I, as in me—Evangeline, Fucked, as in sexual fucking intercourse! A fucking stranger! As In someone I do not fucking know! And I liked it! Not only that, I showed him the dance!" I whispered.

"Shakira?" She oofed, "Well, that's- I don't know; congratulations, City girl! Do you know that almost 67% of the population in the USA has experienced one-night stands? Look on the bright side. What if he happens to be the rich heir to a particular organization, and you end up marrying him!?" She wrapped her arms across her chest, "The perfect Hollywood story!" Harper cooed.

"I need a new best friend. This one is broken, and a new identity." I sighed frustratedly, my shoulders slumping.

"I'd get you after pills, don't worry. Don't beat yourself up, okay? These things happen, okay?! You are an adult! Also, don't you have to go to work today?"

Work?

Work! I had completely forgotten that I had to work. Why today of all days!?

"Fuck- Mercury would have my head!" I rushed to the bathroom and hurriedly took my bath. There wasn't enough time to brush or style my hair. Harper handed me the nearest shirt and suit trousers from my closet. It was 8:46 am, and I had to resume by 8:00 am.

"You're so done. You can always come work with us if you get fired. I'd tweak your twisted fashion and have you wash your hair daily!"

Harper was now making breakfast, but I couldn't care less, even though my stomach was rumbling like I swallowed stampeding horses.

It was either I lost my job, or Mercury made me an object of ridicule— not like I wasn't used to it. I preferred the latter. Losing my job meant starving and Philadelphia, anything but Philadelphia! A stitch in time saves a miserable American woman, right?

"Order an Uber, Harper. I'm almost done." I yelled as I buttoned down my shirt and tucked it in.

"Done. He's five minutes away. A black Ford sedan? I guess?" She studied the screen and responded. "You should eat something before leaving. The pancakes are burnt black, just like your sense of humor."

I couldn't help but chuckle. Harper and her analogies remained the highlights of my day.

"I'm off!" I grabbed my bag. "If I call you within the next two hours, please buy me ice cream 'cause it means I've been sacked!" I hurried out of the house and even tripped over a plastic bottle.

Today wasn't my day at all! I was held by the urge to yell at the universe. In a quick scan, I sighted the Uber opposite the building. Two words, Black and Ford. I jumped into the vehicle immediately.

The driver had a suit and a face mask on, and the car was very fancy. I wondered if Uber now had an upgrade. It felt like I was being escorted to dinner with Angelina Jolie. Either way, I was late and frantic, too frantic to enjoy the car's comfort.

"PTA square, AULA! Please hurry, or my bus will kill me!" I urged, and he said nothing.

"Can you hear me? Move, please. It's urgent!"

The driver was rather reluctant before finally igniting the car. It was hard resisting the urge to yell that he drives faster.

I was fucked anyway. It was 9:01 am already. A devilish vibration licked my spine when we arrived at my office building. I exited the vehicle, and the strange part was...the Uber driver did too.

Not only did he get off, he followed me in, making me stop in my tracks.

"Excuse me? Have you been paid? I thought my friend handled it already," I questioned as I turned to him.

He halted, his eyes scanning me like he was trying to comprehend what I was talking about. Half his face had been covered by the mask, and his dark, frizzled hair fell over his forehead, doing so much to conceal what he looked like.

Suddenly, the universe had the urge to make my life hell. I woke up on a stranger's bed, and now a serial killer lookalike Uber driver wanted my head.

He said nothing, and I couldn't help but notice how tall he was. He basically hovered over me. The suit complimented his frame. He could pass for an actor or any of the influential celebrities.

Maybe that was why he was being rude and vague; because he knew he looked good.

"Why aren't you respo-" My phone's notification sound caused me to eat up the rest of my sentence, and I brought it out to see before I continued to address the Uber driver.

*HARPER: where r u?? The Uber driver is here waiting! Did you take a taxi instead?*

I grew dizzy. If the Uber driver was still home, whose vehicle did I get into?!