Coffee & (Clean Version)

~Coffee & Payback~

That afternoon, Paul headed to Beanie's, per the usual. He got his usual black coffee and sat at a table to check his phone.
@CupofZoey: Hey, I'm hosting a little get-together this Saturday if you wanted to come. It's at 5:30.
@MattPaul: I can come. Is there anything you want me to bring?
@CupofZoey: Don't worry about bringing anything. Just don't bring Ted.
@MattPaul: That won't happen
Saturday came pretty quickly. Despite Zoey telling him not to bring anything, Paul had brought a bottle of wine. He hoped it wouldn't come across as rude. After locking his car, Paul knocked on Zoey's door and stepped back.
"Paul! So glad you could come!" Zoey exclaimed, hugging him with one hand while the other one held the door open.
"Good to see you, too, Zoey," Paul said. He held out the bottle of wine. "I brought wine."
"That's so sweet of you," Zoey said, taking it from Paul. She led him to the main gathering area. "Um, there are a few people you might know. Give me like fifteen seconds and I'll introduce you."
Paul ended up looking at the room. He saw a few familiar faces, but couldn't place them with a name. Zoey approached him. "So, over there we have Emma, Nora, and Kelly," Zoey said, gesturing to a small trio, "We also have Miss Holloway and Duke here. She's very 80s you can't miss her. Also, Becky Barnes and Tom. It's not that many people, so don't be afraid to mingle."
"Um, uh, okay," Paul said.
"Actually, let me take you to Emma. I think you guys could really get along," Zoey said, expertly weaving through the room and grabbing Emma's attention.
"Yeah, Zoey?" Emma asked.
"So, um, this is Paul. Why don't you talk to him? You guys are really similar," Zoey said, leaving the two alone.
"You come into Beanie's every morning, don't you?" Emma asked. Embarrassed, Paul nodded.
"I can't resist," he said.
"Ah. Well, have you gotten anything to drink?" She asked him.
"No, I just got here," he said.
"Come on, let's go get one. What do you generally drink? Well, besides plain black coffee like a monster," Emma said as they approached a table with drinks.
"Black coffee is the best. Really helps to wake you up," Paul said, "I drink like a single beer. I'm what you'd call lightweight."
"The more I learn about you, the more I'm convinced you're crazy," Emma said, handing Paul a beer. He used the bottle opener and heard the satisfying hiss.
"Well, you strike me as a lightweight," Paul said.
"Ah, you'd be surprised. I've learned to layer things so I can drink more and not get completely wasted," she responded, leading Paul to a corner that was shockingly quiet.
"So Zoey told me you hate musicals. Not to my degree, but definitely to a high one," Paul said.
"She's right. More specifically, I can't really stand show tunes. And she blasts them at Beanie's all the time," Emma said, groaning. The two kept talking for an hour and then the excessive drinking started.
And it kept going. And going. And going. It's unhealthy at this point. Someone make it stop.
"So, I said to him, BS! No one likes you, Ted!" Paul exclaimed. Emma tapped her beer bottle against Paul's.
"I'll drink to that, coffee man," Emma said, her speech slightly slurred. Zoey approached them.
"Hi, Paul. Hi, Emma. It's getting really late and I was wondering if any of you needed a ride home," she said, "Also you two are completely wasted."
"Eh, I don't know," Emma said. She shrugged.
"I live like two blocks down. I'll walk," Paul said.
"I know this is a lot to ask, but can you take Emma with you? I have the morning shift at Beanie's for tomorrow," Zoey whispered to Paul.
"Of course yeah," Paul said, walking to Emma. "Let's go home."
"Yessir," Emma said, taking Paul's arm. As she and Paul walked towards the exit, she waved to their hostess. "Bye, Zoey!"
"Bye, guys!" Zoey exclaimed, watching them leave before shutting the door to a silent house.
The walk to Paul's residence wasn't that bad. For being completely wasted, they could still walk decently well. When they arrived at Paul's house, Emma went to wash her hands. Paul did the same after locking the door. For the twenty seconds they had to wash their hands for, Paul looked down at Emma. She was pretty cute. To his total shock, when Paul bent down to grab a towel, Emma kissed him quickly.
"What was that for?" Paul asked, drying his hands and then throwing the towel to Emma. She laughed.
"Why wouldn't I do it?" Emma asked innocently as Paul gestured to the couch in a symbol that was roughly translated to come here.
"I don't know," Paul said, bringing two extra beers to them. One for him and one for Emma.
"Ah, let's continue the party," Emma said, clinking her bottle with his.
"Sure," Paul agreed as they curled up on the couch together. Without any warning, Paul gave Emma a quick kiss.
"And that was for?" Emma asked, the rest of her question lingering in the air.
"Payback," Paul answered before Emma kissed him again.
"Payback," she whispered as Paul kissed her again.
"Oh, you're on," he responded, "This is payback."
"This is, Matthews," Emma said, kissing him again, "You really think I wouldn't stalk a little?"
"Payback, Perkins," Paul mumbled, his mouth staying close to hers, "I did my own stalking."
"Returning that," Emma muttered. Within a second, Paul responded. Then Emma. It wasn't long before it could be qualified as making out. That's what they both refused to accept.
After a few minutes, Paul reluctantly pulled back and grabbed his beer. "This is too weird to do sober," he said. Emma shrugged and copied.
"That's a good idea," she said. They both finished their beers and went back to what they were doing.
"Payback," Paul whispered, continuing whatever they were doing. After about an hour of drunk flirting, they were both starting to crash.
"Um, there's a guest room second door to the right. Right across the hall is the bathroom," Paul said with a splitting headache. "Do you need to borrow anything?"
"If you have like a t-shirt or something, that'd be nice," Emma said before holding her head and groaning.
"And water," Paul added as they parted ways. He filled up a glass for Emma and set it on the bedside table. He handed her some sweatpants and a shirt of his.
"Thank you," Emma smiled.
Paul closed the door behind himself and locked his room door upon entering. He saw his drunk self in the mirror. Pale face and shrunken eyes. Those eyes meant it would be a rough night. His hair was the next problem. It was a mess. Not just an easy comb-it-out-and-fix-it mess, but an honest to goodness hurricane mess. How did that happen?
"Paul, it's okay, you're okay, everything is okay," he said to himself, "Let's get some water and lay down, let the drinks settle. Then, we can get to sleep. You don't have any work tomorrow."
Paul softly padded to the kitchen where he served himself a glass of water. He returned to his room and lay down on his bed, letting the drinks settle. Per the usual, he scrolled on his phone.
@CupOfZoey: Thanks for coming! I hope you had fun!
It was from about half an hour ago, so Paul decided it was reasonable to respond.
@MattPaul: It was really fun! Thank you so much for inviting me!
After sending that, Paul drank his water and passed out immediately after getting ready.
The next morning, Paul woke up bright and early to a phone call from Bill. "Yeah?"
"Paul, thank goodness. Al said she was with Deb, but I have no idea how. She has to return to Clivesdale today," Bill said.
"Bill, so let me get this straight. You think Alice got off of the bus to Clivesdale and Eleanor is going to kill you if you don't bring her back," Paul said, rubbing his eyes.
"Exactly. So, Paul, I hate asking this, but can you call her? She's not picking up for me," Bill said.
"I'll get right on that. Bill, I can hear you woke up really early and need sleep. I'll come to your house if I need anything," Paul said, hanging up and immediately calling Alice.
"Hi, Uncle Paul, what's up?" She asked.
"Hey, where are you?" He asked.
"I'm in Clivesdale with Deb right now," Alice said.
"You need to clarify that with your dad ASAP so he doesn't have a heart attack," Paul said, stifling the groan from his headache.
"I didn't clarify it with him. I'll do it right now," Alice said, hanging up. At that moment, Paul saw Emma emerge from the guest room.
"Good morning," Paul said.
"Good morning," Emma groaned, "I hate hangovers, but at least I don't have work today."
"That's a plus," Paul said, "Coffee?"
"Sure. Not pure black, like you, but still enough to help me wake up," she said.
"Alright," Paul said, handing a cup of fresh coffee to Emma in addition to some milk and sugar. He watched as she dumped some sugar in it and stirred.
"You make good coffee," Emma said.
"Good to know," he responded, taking a long sip from his mug.
They ate in silence and soon enough, Emma figured out she should leave. "Well, it was nice," Paul said. Emma nodded.
"I have to agree. And thank you for being so generous and letting me stay and stuff," she said.
"It was nothing. Maybe even payback for one of the greatest kisses in my life," he continued, hoping to stall Emma a bit.
"We will never speak of that at Beanie's," Emma said.
"Alright," Paul said. Emma went in to hug him as he held out his arm. "Oh, so we're on hugging terms now. Nice."
"Only here," she said, kissing him.
"And that one?" Paul asked, kissing her again.
"That one?" Emma asked. They both went in for one final kiss, short and sweet, for the very same reason.
"Payback."

Y'all I'm aware I've been absolutely awful and the holidays have been my main focus in addition to the MCAT. Hope y'all are slaying.
— Luna :D