Emmy wakes up. The morning light is coming into the car. Her head feels heavy. Her body still remembers last night, but she also has a bad feeling in her stomach. She opens her eyes and tries to see clearly.
She is in the back of Franklin's car. Franklin is next to her, still sleeping. He breathes calmly, but this makes Emmy feel even more uneasy. She remembers everything from last night quickly how much they liked each other, the kisses, how close she felt to him.
Her heart beats a little faster as she sits up.
Last night... we... we were together. Really, what did I get myself into?…. How did it happen, wait when last did I see my period?…
Several thoughts came to her mind as she looks down at herself. She glanced at the half naked Franklin. She looked around her surroundings. Oh no, she thinks, her face getting red. What just happened?
She suddenly feels panicky and looks for her phone. Her bag and wallet are nearby. She grabs them quickly. She tries to move quietly so she doesn't wake Franklin. But he doesn't move. He just lies there sleeping.
She doesn't know what to do. Her head feels like it's spinning and her mind was all over the place. She grabs his hoodie from the back seat, puts it on, forgetting her bra on the seat she woke up from and gets out of the car. I need space. I need to breathe.
She walks straight to the closest bathroom. She hopes cold water will help her think clearly. She doesn't even realize she left her bra in the car. By the time she is far from the car, she doesn't care.
Franklin wakes up and makes a noise. He opens his eyes in the sunlight. The first thing he feels is that she is not next to him. His body gets tense as he sits up. His heart beats fast. He looks around the car, confused. Where is she?
He quickly sits up all the way and looks around for her. The seat next to him is still warm.
She was here. She has to be here.
But Emmy is not there. He feels panicky. Where did she go?
Someone knocks on the window. A person walking by is standing there. They look worried. Franklin blinks at them, confused. He tries to understand what's happening.
"Hey, are you okay? You were passed out. I thought you might need help."
Franklin's mouth feels dry. He nods, even though his head is spinning. He can't even remember how he got in the back seat. He quickly thanks the stranger. As he sits up, he looks at the empty seat again.
She's gone.
He suddenly feels angry. She left. Just like that?
He stands up, his hands closed in fists. Did last night mean nothing to her? This thought hurts him a lot. His mind races, but it doesn't make sense. How could it mean nothing? Last night felt so real. Or was it just me?
He feels embarrassed, he's not dressed properly, he's confused, and alone. He grabs his shirt from the back seat and enters the driver's seat, driving off. He feels sad and angry at the same time.
So, that's how it is, he thinks angrily. Just another night, another thing that doesn't mean anything. She doesn't care.
Emmy stands in front of the bathroom mirror and splashes cold water on her face from the tap in her front. She looks at herself, trying to calm down. What did I just do?
She remembers every moment from last night how she let go, how she gave in to him. How he made her feel things she hasn't felt in a long time.
But now... now she is standing alone in a public bathroom. No one is here to explain things to her.
She closes her eyes and tries to calm down. You can't let this upset you. You're not stupid. You're not.
But she feels stupid. She let herself get carried away, and now? Now, she is standing here feeling foolish.
When she walks back to the spot where the car was parked, she feels a sinking feeling in her stomach. The spot is empty. The car is gone. Franklin is gone.
She walks slower. She looks around, hoping he is just parked nearby. Maybe he went to get something. Maybe he just….
But no. He is not there.
He's gone.
She suddenly feels angry. So, that's it. Just like that. It was just a one-night stand for him. Nothing special, nothing real. He probably doesn't even care about me. I'm just another girl he'll forget.
Her hands shake as she closes them into fists. She turns away and walks quickly, trying not to cry. What did I expect?
She keeps walking, her thoughts going around and around. He probably thought it meant nothing. That I meant nothing.
Franklin drives through the empty streets. The road ahead seems very long. His hands hold the steering wheel very tightly. He still feels angry and frustrated.
He can't understand. He doesn't understand. Last night felt different, didn't it? They shared something real. But now she is gone.
She left. She just left.
The hurt feels stronger than the anger. He let her in, let himself be open. And now? She is gone. And he is alone, wondering about everything.
He talks to himself angrily. "I'm an idiot. A stupid fool. This is why I don't do this. This is why I don't get close to anyone."
He decides right then. No more. No more love. No more things that distract me. I'm done. He doesn't care if he's lying to himself. He has to believe it.
He drives faster. The things outside the car look blurry.
Emmy sits on the bus going back home. She stares out the window without really seeing anything. Her thoughts jump from one sad thing to another. He left me. I let myself think it meant something, and now... now I'm just here, alone, wondering what just happened.
She can't stop thinking about him how he looked at her, how they connected. But now? He is gone, and so is whatever they had.
I was just a mistake. Just a one-night thing. A stupid mistake.
By the time the bus gets to her stop, she feels like a different person empty and hurt. She barely notices the people around her as she gets off the bus.
That's it. I've ruined everything.
Franklin finally gets back to Los Angeles. He feels sad, and the city feels like it's trapping him. He feels the weight of the day on his shoulders as he parks his car. He doesn't even want to get out.
He leans back in his seat and looks at the city lights. I'm done. Done with love. Done with hope. I don't need anyone. I'll just focus on work.
His chest feels tight when he thinks this, but he ignores it. I'll never let anyone close again.
Emmy is in her small apartment, looking out the window. Her phone is quiet, and she doesn't want to check it. She doesn't want to hear from him. She doesn't want to face the fact that she was just something that didn't last for him.
The pain is sharp. It reminds her that she let herself feel something only for it all to break.
I feel so stupid. So, so stupid.
She puts her head in her hands.
And just like that, both of them are alone, feeling broken, and not sure how to move on from what happened.