Pessimist

40 - Us 𖤓 [Dual POV]

"Are you drinking tonight, Sophia?"

I shook my head, trying to vanish my day dream and turned to look up at the voice that asked me the question. Vanessa was standing there with a sweet smile on her face, and I cleared my throat, tucking back a piece of my hair.

"Sorry, what?"

"I know you rarely drink, I was just asking if you were going to do it tonight. You know, since it is your celebratory graduation party after all." She had a glass in her hand, one that was skinny from the bottom and pooled out from the top. Margaritas, if I remember correctly, the liquid a pretty red shade.

"Oh, I..." I trailed off, shooting a gaze across the room to Dean who was busy laughing and talking with Alyan, Brandon, and Alex. He must have sensed me since his eyes caught mine, a knowing smirk replacing the smile causing me to flush red. "No," I said finally, answering her question. "I won't be drinking tonight."

"Pretty necklace," I heard from behind me, and I turned around with Vanessa to face Ayesha who was sitting beside Zayn. His head was bent down, hands busy with shuffling the deck of cards I assumed they were getting ready to play. "Is it new?"

"Oh!" I seemed to blush brighter, nervously twisting it around my finger feeling shy. "Um, not really. Dean gave it to me a while back. I wear it everyday but it's usually under my clothes so I see why you wouldn't have noticed it."

"I noticed something," Vanessa teased in her honey voice, playing with the straw in her drink. "That ring seems awfully familiar. Is it Dean's perhaps?"

"What?" That had Zayn's attention now, his eyes zeroing in on the ring attached to the chain around my neck. "Dean proposed? Aw, man! I have to start my best man duties early then!"

"He didn't propose." I quickly intercede, not wanting to spread anything false.

"Yeah, Zayn. It's just a promise ring." Ayesha added, rolling her eyes with a smile when Zayn showed her a fancy shuffle. "And who said you'd be the best man? It's obviously Alyan, they've been best friends since forever."

"Being friends with me is a treasure he should honour."

"After that stunt you pulled with me? No way."

"Guys," Vanessa interrupted, gesturing at me with her head. "No more marriage talk or Sophia will turn redder than me in the sun. Come on, honey." She said, grabbing my arm to steer me away. "Let's get away from those crazies and have some fun."

- - -

—Sophia—

"So..." I hear from behind me, and my eyes immediately go up in the mirror to see a freshly showered Dean leaning against the door frame. "I assume you're the one who let these kids in our home?"

"Am I?" I feign ignorance, tilting my head and pulling the claw clip out of my hair to let my bun loose. The pressure on my head is instantly relieved, and I grab a bottle of argan oil to scrunch into my hair now that it's dry. "I don't recall doing anything of the sorts. Maybe you left the door unlocked?" I shrugged nonchalantly, setting the bottle of oil back down on the bathroom sink.

It's almost midnight, everyone leaving an hour earlier after helping clean up and I finished my night routine of taking a shower, washing my face, brushing my teeth and now finishing up with my hair. I usually do it last since my hair becomes almost fully dry where I can add in my hair products with ease.

"Is that so?"

"Mhm."

I stay still, eyes trained on Dean's body through the reflection as he pulls away from the door, coming up to stand right behind me. My entire back is pressed up against his chest, and I make the decision to turn my body around so he's caging me against the sink instead.