The After of Everything

Night Light

Third Person's P.O.V

"You guys wash the dishes, okay?" Baks announced to the others as everyone was almost done eating.
"Of course. I thought we were all cooking together." a former classmate chuckled, stuffing his mouth with the salad.
"You guys were enchanted by the sea that we took the initiative to cook." Nine answered, sipping a borbon.
"You're drinking early?" Jaden asked, worried that her friend might be overestimating her own drinking capability.
"Let her be. She's not wasting her time sleeping, that's what she said." Laine answered, shaking her head at Nine, but saying otherwise.
"It's our first time in such a beautiful place. Sorry," another classmate was apologetic, but Baks shrugged it off.
"It's alrighty. Those who want to drink with Nine can do so, but remember that tomorrow, we'll be having an activity, okay?" Baks was leading the group effortlessly, and being a good and understanding leader as he is, he didn't want to limit the fun that everyone wanted.

He knew that they were all grown-ups, so he knows that they can handle themselves to be responsible, and even if they weren't, he didn't really have the authority to govern over them in a strict manner.

"Yes, boss!"
"I can finally drink!"
"That fucking finals broke me! No way in hell am I not drinking."

Everyone was raring to drink, but Solemn and Maize were silent on each end of the table. Maize being silent was understandable, but Solemn's group was surprised that Solemn wasn't talking to any of them. She would only respond, but that hardly counts as a conversation.

Drinks were let out and red cups were all over the place. Maize stepped out for a bit to admire the stars and the moon. He sat on the smooth sand, feeling the breeze of the night. He closed his eyes and just let nature hug his bare soul.

He didn't know how long he was sitting there when he heard footsteps approaching him. The steps were sloppy and not totally rhythmic. He looked behind him to see Solemn. She was out of it, but managed to walk by herself. Maize stood up and hurriedly went beside Solemn, so he could assist her.

"Ugh, can we sit here? Nevermind, I'll sit. You do you."

Maize was dumbfounded, unsure of what was happening. Why was Solemn with him? Did she want to talk to him? Did she want to say something to him that her sober self can't seem to? Maize sat down beside Solemn with a puzzled look.

"Are you alright?"

There it was. Solemn looked at Maize fiercely. Her eyes searching for his. That soft tone and soft voice that she fell in love in the first place. The worried look on Maize's face when he asked how she was. Her heart was doing somersaults at this point. She couldn't believe that she was still in love with him even after three years.

And no communication at that.

"I knew I'd find you here. Under the stars."

Familiarity. It was unfair to Maize. As dark as the night was, the moon was giving them light. Just like how Solemn loved the moon, Maize also loved how Solemn was his moon - shining his path when it was pure darkness.

"You remembered?"

The wind blew on them, making a strand of Solemn's hair go estranged from the rest. All barriers were down for both of them. They were so deep into the situation that they finally let their guards down.

Perhaps the stars played a big role in making them drown into their own pool of emotion. Reaching far down to where they buried their true hearts.

"How could I forget?"

Maize tucked the strand of hair behind Solemn's ear, creating a buzz kind of feeling for them both. Maize could tell that Solemn was drunk, but he couldn't help himself but to let Solemn let out what she was feeling. Bewildered, he hoped that it was because she wanted him still.

"You're still as beautiful as ever, my love." Maize whispered under his breath, letting the wind carry the weight of his emotions without getting to Solemn's ears.
"What was that?" Solemn asked, curious what Maize said, but the wind blew too strongly for her to listen clearly, plus she was drunk, so some words were slurred.
"I said, you shouldn't have drank that much."
"Oh, please. I don't really drink that much. Let me be."

Maize was conflicted. Was the reason that she drank heavily at the moment, him? He begged in his mind that it was him. He had wished to cause a disturbance in her peaceful life and to make amends of the past one.

"May I ask why you drank a lot?"

Solemn was subtly shaking, but it didn't go unnoticed. Maize grabbed Solemn's hands and wrapped them with his, warming her hands. She always gets cold easily, and it was always Maize's duty to keep her warm.

Maize loved the cold because he easily gets hot, and since he has a higher body temperature than Solemn, he uses his own body heat to keep her from getting cold. That was their routing before, and out of pure care and instinct, Maize did it.

"I don't know why, but it has something to do with you."

Solemn looked at their hands, and she could feel how warm his hands were. She completely forgot that she was cold. She could close her eyes and sleep right then and there. She felt so secure when she was with Maize - it didn't change.

"I want to know why though."

Solemn shook her head.

"I don't know yet." Maize chuckled, and then nodded, not wanting to force an answer out of Solemn.
"What have you been doing these past few years?"
"Hmm. I focused on studying and went to bars sometimes."

There was no use hiding things and Solemn was always honest about what she does. She finds it taxing to lie.

"Did you have a boyfriend after me?"

The alcohol was finally letting out its final stage of numbness. Solemn was slowly losing consciousness and her body felt heavy. The cool night and the soothing voice and presence of Maize was making her sleepy.

"No one could top off... my Maize.."