CHAPTER 240: HE IS NOT WEIRD!

I stood outside Sonny’s sleek row house, waiting for him to pull his car out of the garage. The sky stretched wide and gray, a few clouds drifting lazily, mirroring the swirl of thoughts in my head.

I kicked a small pebble across the cracked sidewalk, watching it skitter into the grass, my breath puffing out in a cold, visible cloud. My tight off-shoulder sweater and white mini skirt felt too thin against the wind, my long dark hair fluttering around my flushed cheeks. Ezra’s silence—his lack of calls or messages—pressed harder now, a knot of guilt tightening in my chest as I thought about what I’d say when I saw him.

"Was that a good idea to sleep with Sonny just after rejecting Ezra?" I muttered to myself, my voice barely audible, my eyes fixed on the sky as if it held answers. My mind replayed the night at the club—the way one drink had loosened my restraint, the way Sonny’s hands on the dance floor had pulled me into a haze of desire I couldn’t resist. I’d been so caught up, so reckless, letting myself get intimate in the open, losing myself in the heat of it all. Even waking up this morning, my body still buzzed with that lingering thrill, the memory of Sonny’s touch, his dominance, his teasing smirk.

But Ezra... my heart ached thinking of him. *He’s the one who’s always been there,* I thought, *holding me through my ups and downs, loving me even when I pushed him away.* Maybe I owed him the truth—an apology, an honest confession about the night, no matter how messy it would be.

"Arghh... what am I even thinking?" I said out loud, shaking my head fast like a confused kid, my hair whipping around my face. "If I go to him after rejecting him and tell him about all this, it’ll just hurt him more. It makes no sense." I sighed heavily, my shoulders slumping as I kicked another pebble, the guilt settling deeper.

"I’ve failed as an adult," I muttered, my voice tinged with frustration and self-doubt, the cold air biting at my bare legs as I stood there, lost in my thoughts.

*Beep, beep.* The sharp sound of a car horn snapped me out of my spiral, and I looked up to see a dark blue sedan pulling up in front of the gate, its polished surface gleaming in the morning light. The window rolled down, and Sonny leaned out, confident as ever.

"Come in," he called, his voice loud and warm, waving a hand to beckon me over.

"Coming," I said, forcing a small smile as I adjusted my bag and walked toward the car, my shoes clicking softly on the pavement.

I opened the passenger door and slid inside, the warmth of the car enveloping me, a welcome relief from the chilly wind. The interior was clean, polished, with a faint scent of leather and cologne, the dashboard gleaming under the soft glow of the morning light filtering through the windshield.

I straightened my skirt, smoothing it over my thighs, and set my bag on my lap, the groceries rustling faintly as I settled in.

"Nice car," I said, glancing at Sonny, my voice light but genuine, trying to push away the weight of my thoughts.

"Thanks, Shall we go?" Sonny asked, turning to me with a warm smile, his hand resting casually on the gearshift, his grin as confident as ever.

"Yes," I replied, smiling back, my voice light but my heart racing as I adjusted my bag, the groceries rustling softly. I settled into the seat, the leather warm against my thighs, and tried to push away the swirl of thoughts about Ezra and what I’d say when I saw him.

Sonny started the car, the engine purring smoothly, a soothing sound that wasn’t too loud, the ride so smooth I barely felt the bumps of the road. The shock absorbers glided over the pavement, making the drive feel almost luxurious, a stark contrast to the gritty chaos of the club we’d just left. We pulled onto the highway, the city waking up around us, a few early commuters zipping by in their cars, the morning light casting long shadows across the road.

"So, what were you slumping about back there?" Sonny asked, his voice casual but curious as he turned right, his eyes flicking to me before focusing back on the road. "Looked like you were lost in some deep thoughts."

I laughed softly, my cheeks flushing as I glanced out the window, my fingers fidgeting with the strap of my bag. "Nothing much," I said, trying to keep it light. "Just random house stuff. You know, like what should I cook today? How’s Ezra doing? What am I gonna say when he asks where I was all night?" I forced a smile, my voice tinged with nervous humor, a sweat breaking out as I thought about facing Ezra’s questions.

Sonny nodded, his grin fading slightly as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Ohh," he said, his tone neutral, but after a brief pause, he added, "His stepmom’s single, right? Is he gonna cry about you being out?" His voice was teasing, but there was a sharp edge to it, like he was probing, testing the waters.

I shifted in my seat, my smile faltering, my heart skipping a beat. "Umm... not like that," I said, stammering slightly, my fingers tightening on my bag. "But yeah, obviously he won’t be thrilled about me going to a club and... all that." My voice trailed off, my cheeks burning as I avoided Sonny’s gaze, the memory of our night—dancing, touching, losing myself—flashing through my mind.

*Why does he keep bringing up Ezra?* I thought, a flicker of irritation rising. I didn’t want to talk about Ezra with him, not when my guilt was already clawing at me, but Sonny’s questions kept pushing, pulling me into a conversation I wasn’t ready for.

"I see," Sonny said, his voice low, almost thoughtful, as he glanced at me again, his smirk returning.

"Weird kid." His tone was light, but the words hit me like a spark, igniting something instinctive I couldn’t control.

"He’s not weird!" I snapped, my voice louder and firmer than I meant, cutting through the quiet hum of the car.

My heart racing as I looked at Sonny, my eyes wide with a mix of defensiveness and surprise at my own outburst.

Ezra’s face flashed in my mind—his quiet smile, his steady presence—and the guilt surged stronger, mixing with a fierce need to protect him, even from Sonny’s casual jab.