•- Laine Bennett -•
I was anxiously sitting at our usual table with Austin by my side. Thea agreed to come as well, but she was stuck in traffic as the city the never sleep became alive once more.
"Baby, calm down. You're making me nervous," Austin nudges me gently with a soft smile playing at his lips as he brings up a glass of whiskey.
I groan and fall into his shoulder for comfortability. I knew that Brent and Hails had their ideas, of course they both knew at different times, but the privacy of Austin and I's relationship was kept hidden from everyone but our families. Naturally I wanted it to remain discreet but as my luck managed to dwindle to nothing, the secret was out to my small and exclusive group of friends.
"I'm sorry. I know you're their boss but I want them to like you as a person. Not the estranged man who broods in his office daily in an attempt to seem unobtainable."
"I'll drink to that," he laughs before downing the remainder of his drink.
Unlike him, I wasn't replying on alcohol to help me through this situation. Austin and I had taken a cab from his apartment seeing as we both planned on drinking tonight and I couldn't be bothered to drive especially at night. But my drink remained untouched and I had no intentions of drinking my worries away. At least not right now.
I hear the door open and keep my head faced forward in fear that it was them. We had all agreed to change before making our way here, and so I managed to squeeze into a pair of jeans and a semi-decent shirt for the occasion.
Despite spending Hawaii and many other days with Austin, normal clothing on him was still an alarming sight. He looked relaxed, approachable, the type of guy who'd buy you a drink before sneaking you into the bathroom for a quickie in a disgusting stall. But of course, Austin Wood was extra and would probably take you to a secluded hotel that is way out of any commoner's price range. I digress.
"She's tense. It's not like he's meeting our father, Laines. Because that would both be extremely weird and also only meet him to knock his fucking teeth in," I glare at Thea, making her shrug before turning her body to face the drinks showed on the shall hoard above the bar, "Austin's buying right? Because I want to get shit faced on the expensive shit that I'd never be able to afford."
Austin shakes his head humorously before tilting his glass in the direction. "At least allow me to know what you're getting while I refill," he smiles as I slide out of the booth we were seated at.
Thea nods and gladly leads the way to the alcohol, whereas I slouch back into the booth in hopes I could hide myself from anyone else who steps through the threshold.
Unluckily for me, I feel the presence of two new bodies, which could only be told by Mahalia's signature vanilla scent.
"So before they come back, I want details. All the nitty gritty details. When did it happen? Where did it happen? How did it happen? How does he treat you? How is the sex? Is he worthy for our girl?" Mahalia quickly says in a hushed tone so Thea and Austin couldn't hear.
I managed to explain everything in thorough detail before Austin and Thea returns with a pitcher for everyone.
Austin pushes me to the side gently and I slide in against the wall. His arm freely drapes around the back of the cushioned seat and around my shoulders perfectly.
I was nervous, seeing as this was the first real introduction of Austin Wood as a human, not some hierarchy who took over Manhattan with his dashing good luck.
I clear my throat awkwardly as everyone stares Austin and I down, and knowing my sister, I expected her to say the first words, but shockingly enough, Brent begins.
"Alright, do we have to call you Mr. Wood still or can we drop the formality because quite honestly you're not just our boss anymore if you intend on sticking with our girl," Brent crosses his arms over his chest affirmatively before falling back into the booth positioned across from us.
Austin leans forward slightly and looks at me with an unreadable expression. He turns his head back to my friends and he lets out a sigh.
"I don't typically allow people I don't know to call me Austin. It's very rare I drop the formal communications but I'll tell you what, by the end of the night, I'll decide."
Brent lets out a jumbled huff before looking to Hails. "I suppose that's fair."
Austin nods assuringly before Mahalia downs her first drink of the night in one giant gulp.
"I say we play never have a ever but drunk edition. That way we get to know each other. Will that help the cause?" Mahalia asks, raising her eyebrow in curiosity.
Austin sighs and leans into me with ease. "As childish as it sounds, I'm game."
Thea lifts a shot in the air, "Then everyone take a fucking drink to start out," she states before turning to Mahalia quickly, "Except for you. You'll be stuttering in no time."
Mahalia pouts as we all down our first shot of the night before Thea begins.
"I got a good one," she begins, "Never have I ever had a good dad," she winks in my direction as a scowl forms on my lips.
Post dad news, Thea and I never spoke about our father. But as the reality hit us once more, she began making inappropriate dad jokes at every second she could. Some were funny, others were downright crude. But if it helped her, I wasn't one to shame.
Thea and I down a sip of our drinks and everyone else sits uncomfortably.
Mahalia clears her throat before scanning her drink of choice curiously. "Never have I ever kissed a Bennett girl," she laughs.
"How the hell is that fair? That's incest, Hails. Disgusting," I scoff at my now need to down alcohol. Thea and Mahalia take sips of their drinks immediately and I hesitate. Being shitfaced was never a good thing. Especially when it comes to me. God knows what I'm capable of doing.
I glance to Brent after realizing he hadn't downed anything. My eyes grow wide and I turn to Thea who was looking away with a tint to her cheeks that surely wasn't just the alcohol.
"You sure as hell didn't kiss me, Brent. Thea, how could you kiss my best friend and not tell me? Don't get me wrong, I'm on board for this, but I expected more from you," I fake scoff dramatically. Thea turns her attention back to the group as Mahalia, Austin and I stare at her in amazement.
"It wasn't anything, really. You were in Hawaii and I got bored. Mahalia was busy and I don't have friends. We got drunk, and then got sober, then kissed a little."
Brent leans past Mahalia with a sly smirk, "Thees, we did more than a little."
I widen my eyes before downing the remainder of my drink for my sanity. Yes, I want to know every damn detail as a concerned sister, but not here.
"Moving on," I announce before stealing Austin's drink from in front of him. I'm too lazy to get my own and he can get out faster than me anyways.
Brent returns to his position and hums. "Never have I ever had a dick in my mouth."
Mahalia, Thea and I groan and take our drinks like champions. Or rather Austin's drink. I turn to Austin as he reaches for the pint to pour himself a drink.
"No shit," Thea says as she falls back into the booth, "Mr. Ladies Man was with a guy. Damn."
Austin rolls his eyes playfully before downing his alcohol. "My uncles are gay as all hell, and I was curious. I got nothing out of it. Intoxication helps you forget. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not me, no Sir."
I snort, drawing attention to us as I mumble just above a whisper, "That's my line."
Austin nudges me before pressing his lips to my ear, "Later, baby," he laughs huskily as his breath vibrates on my ear.
Mahalia quickly raises her glass in our direction, "Ya'll are kinky as shit," she announces, making me laugh as Austin shrugs.
"You don't even know the half of it, Mahalia," he laugh as he tilts his glass towards her.
I jerk my head in his direction, "I don't think I even know the half of it, the fuck?"
Austin shrugs his shoulders as he sips her beer. "You have to build up to that, baby. Besides, you're stuck with me for a long time. We have time."
Some how, this game had taken a cruel, cruel turn, and my interest in all things party related had become little to nothing.
As it was my turn to pick something, I draw a blank and simply shrug in disinterest for this short lived moment in time.
"Too much has happened in the last 15 minutes I don't think I could do any better," I sigh and fall into Austin's side.
"I second that. You guys hit hard and I'm supposed be the professional here. Neither of you are from HR, right?" Austin chuckles hoarsely as the alcohol soaks into his system.
I felt comfortable and at ease to be surrounded by love and engulfed in mutual appreciation for one another. I was with a group who accepted my flaws and helped me grow into the woman I aspire to become.
"I feel like you should know our positions, but no. I run the social media account, and she's all building models and shit," Brent seats his hand and lifts his glass to his lips.
Austin nods along and we fall to a comfortable, but minimal moment of silence.
I wanted to know what everyone was thinking and what they thought of one another. I never minded my past boyfriends liking my friends and family because I had no real intent on being with them in the long run, but with Austin, that was all I wanted. I wanted to be with him even if it meant the cost of my career and reputation. I was his assistant, and he was my boss, but I couldn't imagine being in love with anyone more compatible with me.
"Oh, I forgot to ask," Mahalia speaks up as she downs the final drops of her drink, "I got the invitation to your party and the whole RSVP thing confuses me. Do I actually send the thing back? Or pin it in a cork board and just show up unannounced?"
I feel Austin tense up beside me. I was sure he didn't care for hosting a party, and I wouldn't either especially if it was to be a high profile event.
"Don't worry about it. I'll just mark you down as attending," he speaks professionally once more, causing me to lean into him with ease.
"Then put me down too. Someone has to watch where you put those damn hands and I don't trust these two," Brent snorts as he simultaneously points between Thea and Mahalia.
The mood shifted once conversation of Austin's party had dropped and we were in a comfortable topic with absolutely no theme to correspond.
I wanted my friends to love Austin, and I wanted Austin to love my friends. It was simple, and yet so meaningful. I could only hope Austin would introduce me to the socialites he's previously been seen prancing around the city with, but I was well aware that the majority of those he was spotted bar hopping with, were nothing more than a publicity stunt to get his work out there.
By the end of the night, I was sure, with every inch of my body, that Austin and my group of friends had come to a mutual understanding and appreciation. Laughter was shared, and immense amounts of communication had made for a talkative night.
Austin, as he said he would, paid for everything in full and by the time we were all outside waiting for taxis, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Everyone was content with the other, and the secret about our relationship was no longer.
"Well," Brent says with a quick stretching of his body, "It's safe to say, when Laine called me in Hawaii, I knew then and there you would make my little girl happy," Brent drunkenly pats Austin's back, causing Austin to eye him curiously.
"She called you?"
I lean into Austin gently and keep hand tightly clasped around Thea's so she wouldn't bolt like the fucking Flash.
"Yeah. You know that whole, I love him, he doesn't love me, butI knew I was damn right when I told her there is not a man on this damn earth who couldn't love a Bennett girl," Brent points his finger more at Thea but her attention was elsewhere.
"Couldn't argue with that statement," Austin laughs as two taxis pull up to the side of the street. Austin Thea and I clammer into the backseat of the yellow vehicle and bid our final goodbyes to my two best friends for the remainder of the night.
Thea's head drops to my shoulder and Austin and I fall to a comfortable silence as we weave through the nightly traffic of New York City.
After a moment of deep consideration, I glance up to Austin only to find him looking directly back at me.
"You do like my friends, right?" I ask, causing a smile to cross his lips.
Austin leans down to ear and softly whispers, "I love you, Lainey, and I love the choices you make. Your friends are a perfect representation of the woman you've shaped yourself to become. If they encourage you, love you, and want the best for you, which tonight proved that they do, I like them just perfectly."
I press my lips immediately to his own and once we part ways, the driver stops in front of Austin's apartment building.
"Get your sister to bed before she starts drooling," Austin shorts before pressing an angelic kiss to my forehead, "Sleep well."
Austin exits the car with a wave and the taxi pulls back into the traffic of Manhattan.
Overall, tonight was a success and I was happy to have finally let loose and let the secret of Austin and I fly free through a controlled and secluded group of misfits.
•- Austin Wood -•
I woke up with a slight banging in my head, but it was nothing the Wood's secret hangover concoction couldn't handle. I showered, dressed, and made my way to my kitchen where I kept all the ingredients on hand for the days I stayed out with women I didn't know.
As I made the infamous concoction, the sound of a light fist to my front door sounds. I move my body swiftly across the floor of my apartment before I open the large wooden door keeping me from whoever was outside this early morning.
Laine's first was halfway to the door when I pulled it open and she tiredly goes to hit the now open door.
"Baby," she smiles tiredly, "My head hurts and I can't make it to work today."
I laugh gently to keep her headache from worsening.
She steps through the threshold and closes the door behind her with a gentle slam, causing her body to jump automatically.
"You hardly drank last night," I reply, causing her shoulders to shrug.
"My tolerance is just not what it used to be."
The mixture of odd ingredients had finished and I pour two small glasses of the orange liquid.
"I promise you, you'll feel much better after you drink this," I slide the glass in her direction and she graciously downs the entirety of the drink, followed up with a loud gag.
I stifle a laugh before doing the same, but with practice, the disgusting beverage had become tolerable to an extent.
"I'm just going to go lay down in your bed. Wake me up when we need to leave," she sighs before carefully padding her bow bare feet across the wooden panels of my floor.
I stop her by grabbing her wrist, causing her to huff out in irritation that I was stopping her.
"Sleep well, baby. I love you," I press my lips to her forehead before pushing her off into the direction of my bedroom. She mumbled incoherently as I gather myself to shower and wash the rest of last night off of my body.
My overall opinion of Mahalia and Brent was simple, they made Laine a better person, if it was even possible, but she loved them sincerely and for me to ever take that away would be the most rude and unjust behavior that I could possibly enact on. The two brought a smile to her face and I couldn't bare the thought of them not making her happy.
I was absolutely, completely, a hundred and one ways in love with Laine Bennett.
•———•
I have prom tomorrow which is cool. Going with some friends to make sure the one who has a date, doesn't get the nasty peen near her veen. The guys is weird but she had to say yes so am I really being a clock block? No. I'm saving her you're welcome.
I'm currently in my art class, where the tables are enclosed, and I'm hiding away trying not to punch someone. Fuck you, Karen.
• Climax King