Fireworks 1 and 2

Chapter Ninety-Five

    Drake and Mia stood at the patio door, holding hands. Mia looked down at their joined hands, then up at him. She studied his profile for a moment, before turning her head and glancing over her shoulder. Bri's and Shawn's family, along with Desirae, stood behind her. She and Drake would walk out first. A few minutes later, the family and friends of the happy couple would follow.

    Drake squeezed her hand, drawing her gaze back up to his face. He smiled down at her.

    She stood on her tiptoes and leaned into him.

    He lowered his head, meeting her halfway, and raised a hand to cup her cheek as he kissed her.

    She sighed against his incredibly soft lips and was hesitant to pull back from the kiss.

    "Are you ready?" he asked her.

    She nodded.

    He opened the patio door and stepped out. She followed him, still holding onto his hand. She closed the door behind them and together, they slowly walked towards the pool.

    Bri and Shawn still stood in the center of the pool, hugging and kissing. With her arms around Shawn's neck, Bri turned her head, laughing at something he had whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened when she realized they weren't alone. "You!" she shouted, pointing at Drake and Mia. "You two did this? This is why Shawn has kept disappearing on me?"

    Drake grinned and ducked his head down, scratching his temple. "Guilty."

    Bri kissed Shawn's cheek before pulling away and running towards Drake and Mia. She first threw her arms around her best friend. "I love you to death," she said. "I love you to death. You are the best friend in the world."

    Mia hugged Bri back, both of them crying happy tears. She leaned back and wiped the tears from Bri's cheeks. "Don't ruin your makeup, honey."

    "My makeup is already dead, man," Bri said, laughing through her happy tears. "R.I.P. to my makeup. May it rest in peace. I've been crying my eyes out for the past ten minutes." She turned and wrapped her arms around Drake's waist. "I know at the very least, you paid for all of this. Thank you."

    "It was the least I could do," he said, returning the embrace.

    Bri pulled back from the hug and tilted her head back, fanning away her tears. "Jesus. I don't think I could take any other surprises tonight. I'm done for." 

    Mia and Drake exchanged a knowing look.

    Loud chatter carried over to them from the patio door. Bri's brows furrowed as she glanced behind Drake and Mia. "Who is...?" Her eyes went wide with shock. She turned to Mia. "You didn't." She whirled around to face Shawn.

    Drake leaned down and kissed Mia on the forehead. "I have to round up the boys and talk to Future. I'll be back in a bit."

    She nodded. "Yeah, do what you need to do," she told him.

    He smiled and withdrew his cell phone from the pocket of his dress pants as he walked away.

    Mia turned her focus to Bri, Shawn, and their friends and family, joining in the squealing and the excitement.

                                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The party was live. Drake's boys joined the festivities. OB was hype and goofy, per usual. Ryan was laid-back and flirtatious, until OB riled him up and got him to join in on his silliness. Hush and Mark were chill. Drake was even able to pull Noah out of the studio.