One

It all began with a dare, a reckless challenge from my friends to kiss a stranger at the party. I should have said no, but I had just broken up with my boyfriend, and the alcohol with the music had lowered my inhibitions to a dangerous level.

“You can do it Sophia, don't be shy." My friends cheered, their voices buoyed by the party atmosphere.

I scanned the room, my eyes finally locking on a mysterious figure standing in the corner. He was older, maybe in his forties, but still strikingly handsome with an air of mystery that drew me in. It felt as if he were waiting for me, and in that moment, I felt a thrill of excitement mixed with a hint of fear as I made my way towards him, my heart pounding.

As I approached him, he smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. I felt a flutter in my chest, and my heart raced with anticipation. We didn't exchange words; we didn't need to. The music and the moment said it all. He pulled me close, and our lips met in a passionate kiss. Time seemed to stand still, as the world around us melted away, leaving only the two of us, lost in the thrill of the unknown. I could feel his boner through his trousers on my abdomen. He was turned on just as much as I was.

But as the kiss deepened, reality began to seep in like a cold breeze on a summer night. I realized I was making out with a stranger, in a room full of people, with my friends cheering me on like I was some kind of prize. The music and laughter receded, replaced by a creeping sense of shame and regret. I pushed him away, my heart racing, and my face burning with embarrassment.

I turned and fled, pushing through the crowd of partygoers, my friends' calls and laughter fading into the distance. I didn't stop running until I was outside, gasping for air, my heart still racing. I couldn't believe what I had just done. I had let a dare and a stranger's charming smile cloud my judgment, and now I felt sick with regret. I pulled out my phone and called for a ride, eager to escape the party and my shame. As I waited, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had made a grave mistake, one that would haunt me for a long time to come.

The memory of that night lingered, refusing to be forgotten. I couldn't concentrate in class, and my usual routines felt empty and meaningless. My mind kept wandering back to the stranger, replaying our kiss, his lips tantalizingly close yet agonizingly out of reach. His infectious smile, and the way he made me feel.

I thought about my mom, and how she had raised me on her own, for eighteen good years. She had always been my rock, my confidante. But I couldn't talk to her about this. I felt like I had let her down, like I had failed somehow.

My mom had always taught me to be strong, to be independent. She had worked tirelessly to provide for me, to give me a better life.

But now, I felt lost, like I was drifting away from everything I knew. I didn't know how to anchor myself, how to find my way back to solid ground.

I wished I could talk to my mom about it. But I knew she had her struggles, her worries. I didn't want to add to her burden.

So I kept it inside, locked it away in a corner of my heart. I turned to my friends, hoping they could offer some perspective. But they just laughed it off and told me to forget about it. "It was just a kiss, Sophia, no big deal," they'd say with a laugh. But it wasn't just a kiss. It was something more, something that had awakened a part of me I didn't know existed.

And I tried to move on, tried to focus on my studies, my friends, and my life. But the memory of that kiss lingered, a constant reminder of the desires I couldn't ignore.

Days turned into weeks, and the dreams persisted. Vivid, intense dreams that left me breathless and yearning, and most times moist between my legs. I'd wake up, feeling guilty and ashamed, wondering why my subconscious was torturing me with visions of a man I hardly knew.

One afternoon, as I was walking across campus, I saw him. The stranger. He was sitting alone on a bench, staring at me with an intensity that made my heart race. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me.

He stood up, his eyes never leaving mine, and began walking towards me with purposeful strides. I froze in place, unsure what to do. Part of me wanted to run, to escape the embarrassment and shame. But another part, a bigger part, wanted to confront him, to ask him why he had haunted my dreams.

Just as he drew near, my phone rang, shattering the charged atmosphere between us. I blinked in confusion, momentarily distracted, and when I looked up again, the stranger was gone. Had I imagined his presence once more, or was he truly there?

The persistent ringing of my phone brought me back to reality, and I finally answered. It was my mother.

"Hey baby," she said, her tone soft and comforting. "When will you be home? We need to talk."

My heart skipped a beat at her words. "Mom, is everything okay?" I asked, a tinge of worry creeping into my voice.

"I have a surprise for you," she replied subtly.

"Okay, I'll be home soon," I assured her, the anticipation and anxiety swirling inside me.

As I walked home, my mind raced with questions. What did my mom want to talk about? And why did I keep seeing the stranger everywhere?