Have Hope

Our First Fight (edited)

From an outside perspective, a couple is usually perceived as absolutely perfect together or completely terrible. There's rarely that in-between.

Andrew and I have one of those relationships that everyone just assumes is perfect; however, like every couple out there, we have our fair share of arguments.

Halloween is on a Friday this year, and the students of Saint Shield are thrilled about it. Most of them, anyway.

"You're really going to this party?" I cross my arms over my chest, sitting at the end of Drew's bed.

He's standing in front of his closet with a pair of navy-blue slacks on and no shirt. His back is to me while he searches his closet for the specific shirt he wants to wear tonight. All of the muscles in his back ripple every time he pushes hangers to the side.

"Yeah," he says, sassily. "I'm not being stupid. Kaden and I are going to stay at Gage's, so I won't be driving." I know he isn't stupid enough to drive drunk. That's not why I'm bothered. I'm bothered that he's drinking at all.

"Are you coming?" He finally finds his shirt in his messy closet – a navy-blue button up. He shrugs it on as he faces me, then starts to button it up. I have to tear my gaze away from his toned body and remember I'm annoyed with him.

"I will for a little."

Drew is a better person when he's around me, but that doesn't mean he isn't still Andrew Matters: the asshole that looks for trouble. That's usually what happens at these things. He's an asshole and solicits a fight.

"How are you getting home?"

"Brennan." I make the hostility present in my tone.

"Lainey," he sighs in a way that makes me crumble. He picks my hands up off my lap and squeezes them with his. "I won't be stupid. I just want to go have a little fun."

I glance down at our adjoined hands, then look him in his eyes. His beautiful eyes. "Just stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Of course," he promises. He pulls me up into his arms and kisses me softly. "Go put your costume on, hot stuff." Drew smacks my butt and winks at me. I bite back my smile, only because I don't want him to know he can so easily crack me.

He has been very insistent that I dress up as a cop with him, so he can say we are "partners in crime." I have tried telling him the term means we are committing a crime together, not preventing it, but he wasn't changing his mind.

My costume consists of a navy-blue skintight jumpsuit with several plastic weapons on a belt and a hat. Simple, but hot. Not too much so though, because I didn't want Brennan to see and throw a fit.

"Damn," Drew whistles when I emerge from the bathroom in my closet.

"I hate you," I laugh, pushing his face away before he can kiss me.

He accepts his loss there and plucks his keys off his dresser, then motions for me to follow him out the door.

"Drew," I say after I buckle up.

"Yeah?"

"Please, be safe."

Alcohol can do crazy things to people. I just want him to make sure he's taking care of himself and watching his consumption. I don't want anything to happen to him. Or him to be responsible for something that happens to someone else.