la belle dame sans merci | carlisle cullen

70

Minerva was having a really good time and it may have had everything to do with the vampire in her company... and perhaps a little to do with the volume of alcohol in her system. She'd never admit to either of those things, though.

Personal space between the pair was dwindling and every time Dana or Cora came to drag her back out for a dance, she found herself pelted with questions and accusations. The just friends excuse wasn't working like the charm it used to, not when they'd found her with Carlisle's arm around her waist. (To be fair, she had lost her balance.) (To be extra fair, he didn't have to leave it there and they both knew that.)

Fortunately, Minerva was probably too drunk for any reading; otherwise she'd have been reading reams into all of it. Hell, three months ago, she'd have been out of her mind. Now, frankly, she was just enjoying it and doing her best not to think too hard. And fuck, was she ever enjoying it.

A girl's trip to the bathroom had led to the real fifth degree. Minerva was fixing her hair, touching up her lipstick while Dana yelled from the closed stall.

"Just friends my ASS, Minerva!"

Her face fell to her hands, an involuntary giggle slipping out, "We are!"

"You're sticking to the disagreement story, then?" Cora pressed as she fluffed her hair, making Minerva shy away from the side eye. "That wasn't a top secret break up?"

"No!" Minerva exclaimed, "God, no. I was just being a bitch." It earned a laugh from every stall in the room, "We're not dating— we weren't dating— we're not going to be dating."

"Does he know that?" Dana challenged making Minerva frown to herself as the bride emerged, "Cause he hasn't been able to keep his eyes off you."

"Or his hands." Cora added.

"He knows that!" Minerva laughed, "Guys, seriously. It's not like that." Her face was flushed a deep red, barely concealed under her foundation.

"You had to have hooked up."

"No!"

"Minerva, he's like the most eligible, least accessible bachelor in Forks. Think of the children." Dana clasped her hands dramatically, "It's us. We're the children."

"I am thinking of the children." Minerva said brushing a bit of stray red from the edge of her mouth, "He's got FIVE." It got an uproar of laughter from the girls.

"For my sanity, I just need you to admit you think he's hot." Cora stated decidedly, "I just need to know that you're not insane."

"Are you a teenager?" She accused with a laugh that was just met with two expectant glances. There's no good way to tell two nosy nellies that she thought hot was the most redundant term she could think of to describe Carlisle. "Alright, he's a beautiful, beautiful man." It was met with shrill squeals that she had to yell over, "He's also vegan, okay? I'm not doing that! That's all your getting from me!"

"It's my wedding day, I will pry all I want." Dana assured, slinging an arm around her shoulder and placing a lipsticky kiss to Minerva's cheek as they passed through the door, "Oh shit."

"No, leave it!" Minerva complained leaning her face away from the attempts to wipe it off. In the attempt of escape, her face collided with the doorframe. "Owww." Her hand pressed to her forehead, a round of cackles resounded from the group.

"I'll get a doctor!" Cora suggested, sending them into a new round of laughter. Had she been sober, Cora proceeding to holler "CARLISLE" over the music would have been mortifying. Instead, Minerva couldn't get a breath for the laughter.

Like an angel in strobe lights, an extremely confused looking Carlisle Cullen was making his way toward them. Unfortunately, none of them could get a coherent word out to explain for a strong thirty seconds.