Midnight Ramblings
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not Mine. I’m not making money off of this, so please don’t sue me.
Author’s Notes- This is a response to a prompt request. “it’s three in the morning” and “you’re in love with him” as well as Diego/MC friendship and Jake/MC love. My MC is named Stephanie and she’s the blonde female. This is set between Chapters 6 and 7 of Book 1.
Pairing- MC/Diego (platonic), slight MC/Jake
Summary- MC and Diego have a late night conversation about a certain pilot.
Words- 837
Stephanie tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. Finally, after several hours of restless sleep, she got up and stared out the window. She peered down at the ocean and thought about jet-skiing with Jake earlier that day. He had started to open up to her, but something had held him back. She knew it was irrational to be disappointed that he wasn’t ready to confide in her, after all, she had only known him a few days, but…
She shook her head. This whole thing was crazy. Something about this island was bringing out the crazy in all of them. Look at how tempers had exploded earlier and here she was having these intense thoughts about a man she had just met.
She got out of bed and grabbed some clothes. She couldn’t sleep and needed to talk to someone. She exited the room, intending to go to Diego’s room, but hesitated in the hallway, wondering how Jake would react if she knocked on his door instead.
She smirked. There probably wouldn’t be a lot of talking going on. She immediately sobered because, as tempting as the thought was and honestly it was a little all-consuming, she didn’t just want sex with Jake. They had already passed the point where they could pull off a casual hook-up and they hadn’t even kissed yet.
Maybe they never would. Maybe tomorrow they would find a way off the damned island and he’d go back to Costa Rica and she’d go back to the States and he’d become nothing more than a memory. The sexy pilot she had flirted with once upon a time. Except he was already so much more.
She shook her head and kept walking towards Diego’s door. She knocked a few times until he finally answered.
“Wha—” He said sleepily, blinking when he realized it was here. “Oh, hey, Stephanie. What’s wrong?”
“What makes you think something is wrong?” She asked as she entered his room.
“Well, there’s the fact that we’re trapped on the Island of Doom,” he said dryly, “but also, it’s three in the morning and you’re knocking on my door. That means something is wrong. Did something crazy happen?”
“Nothing new,” Stephanie assured him, “I just… I couldn’t sleep. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t bother you.”
“You’re my best friend.” Diego reminded her as they crossed the room towards the bed, “you can bother me anytime.” He collapsed on the bed and she sat down next to him,
“I feel like my whole life has changed since coming here,” she admitted, “I mean, this place is scary, but it’s not just that. It’s like it’s changing me. I’m feeling things deeper, learning more about myself.”
“You are definitely showing true heroine potential.” Diego agreed, “but is that really why you can’t sleep? Because you’ve realized how awesome you are?”
“No,” Stephanie said with a small laugh then sobered, “I didn’t feel so awesome today. I’m sorry I blew off searching the hotel.”
Diego shrugged. “It’s ok. I mean… I might have done the same thing in your shoes. Sean was disappointed though. I think he likes you.”
“I like him too,” Stephanie said quickly.
“But you like Jake more,” Diego said shrewdly. Surprise must have shown on her face because he smiled. “I was there on the hike, remember? I saw the way you were flirting with him. I’ve never seen you look at anyone like that in all the years that I’ve known you.”
“I’ve never felt this,” Stephanie admitted, “he’s all I can think about, which is crazy because we just met and we haven’t actually moved past flirting but..”
“You’re in love with him,” Diego finished for her.
“What? No!” Stephanie denied. “I mean… I can’t be. We just met.”
“So?” He asked with a shrug. “You can accept all the crazy stuff happening on this island, but not the idea of love at first sight?”
Stephanie smiled, acknowledging that he had a point. “It doesn’t matter anyway, I’m sure he doesn’t feel the same.”
Diego snorted. “Yeah right. You’re all he sees, Stephanie. He never takes his eyes off of you. If he hasn’t made a move yet it’s because something is holding him back, not because he doesn’t have feelings for you.”
Even if Diego was right, Stephanie had a feeling that whatever was holding Jake back was pretty significant. She rested her head on Diego’s shoulder. “Thank you,” she said simply.
He smiled at her. “For what?”
“Just being here.”
He wrapped his arm around her. “Any time. It’s what sidekicks do. But it is late and I would like to get some sleep because we have no idea what’s going to try and eat us in the morning.”
Stephanie laughed. “True.” She got off the bed and headed for the door. She was still confused about Jake and her feelings for him, and his for her, but talking to Diego had helped a lot. She was lucky to have a friend like him.
- End
