Elizabeth was a bit confused and amazed at his answer at the same. Was it the truth? Could I believe him? She wondered as she took another sip from her glass.

   "El, you probably don't remember how much we laughed back then. It was certainly more than today."

Of course I remember.

   "Haha, do you remember the time we played as a family? That was really fun."

   She slightly giggled at the memory that came to her from hearing those words.

How could I forget?

   "Or the time we baked burnt cookies together, but still ate it anyway."

   "Yeah, those were super bitter."

   There was none about how they fell apart from that conversation, thinking it would be too much of a sensitive topic to bring up. So the two continued to bring up memories that made them laugh and avoided to mention those that shed tears.

   Elizabeth finally fully loosened up and allowed herself to laugh with Mark the entire night through. Others passed out in the middle of the floor, others drunk danced to the non existing music in the air.

   Mark and Elizabeth finally, maybe, slightly repaired the relationship they had back then. Elizabeth realized it wasn't all that bad reconnecting.

   He crushed her heart by abandoning her. Romance was out of the question, but she couldn't deny the connection they had as friends. Maybe a second chance at friendship was better to give. So she decided on just that.

   So that night she laughed, relaxed her nerves, and drank more bottles than usual. Soon after, the words in her ears seemed to fade. She felt like the laughter helped in her dizziness, slowly canceling out her senses. There, without even knowing, Elizabeth giggled her last before completely passing out.

   Mark laughed to himself, seeing Elizabeth slowly drink herself to sleep. He figured it would be a good night to let go, so he didn't stop her at all. He didn't talk at all during those last few moments she had been conscious, instead he asked if she was alright. Though it was weird that every question that came out of his mouth, she laughed at, thinking it was like some kind of funny memory.

   He was having fun noticing this new side of an old friend. He felt happy seeing her being happy after all these years instead of the clear sadness he saw in her whenever he went to theirs back then.

   Elizabeth now leaned her head on the table, fully asleep. It was good that she was the calm drunk and not one of those who went crazy like some of his teammates.

   Mark took a strand of her soft dark hair from her face and slid it behind her ear slowly. He looked at her like a long lost little sister finally found and couldn't deny that he missed her.

   "Is Elizabeth out? I should take her home." Hayden suddenly asked him as he looked over Elizabeth's sleeping figure.

   Somehow, Mark didn't want to say yes to Hayden taking her home and couldn't trust his intentions. Without thinking, he said,

   "No need. I'll bring her home, you gotta' stay and clean up shop."

   "I can do that tomorr-."

   "Do you even know where she lives?" He quickly retorted.

   With a sigh, Hayden had given up. He figured Mark knew more than he did and he could trust him enough with Elizabeth that night, seeing how they talked to each other the whole time.

   They must be really close, huh...

   What he said was also right. He needed to clean up, since he would open up tomorrow. It would be a pain arriving earlier than usual just to clean up. Mark looked very sober, so he wasn't concerned about that. He also truly didn't know where she lived, so it would be no use. Even Mark knew...

    With a sigh, Hayden nodded and said, "Take care of her for me, man." He then gave a smile before leaving the table and going to the kitchen.

    Hayden stood in there for a while, thinking about everything that happened today. Why does it seem like inviting her to the game was a mistake? He wiped his tired eyes before cleaning up back there.

   Mark stood up and moved over to where Elizabeth sat. He then tried until he could swing her arm over his shoulder and supported her to stand up. Elizabeth then groaned as her arm slipped out of his grasp and sat down again.

   He tried that method again, but it seemed like she didn't want to walk out of her seat. So he opted for the other way to move her. He placed one of his arms under her knees and the other supported her back. Carefully, he lifted her up as if he carried something precious in his arms.

   She was lighter than he thought, so carrying her wasn't a problem at all. As he carried her like this, she snuggled into his chest and smiled. Looking down at her sleeping figure, he blushed at the beauty in his arms. He bid himself to snap out of it and placed her in the front seat of his car, which was outside of the shop.

   He buckled her up as he set her down and again placed the hair covering her eyes behind her ears. Staring at her for a while, mesmerized by her, and again affirmed that she truly was captivating. He stopped himself and made his way to the driver's seat, buckled himself in, and prepared to drive.

   "Shit, I don't know where she lives."

   He face-palmed at the thought. And he confidently asked Hayden the same question as well. He thought of himself a jerk at that moment. Quietly, he laughed at his thoughts and turned towards Elizabeth.

   He tried to slowly shake her and wake her up a bit.

   "El... El, can you say your address? " He shook her again, and she whacked his arm away before she snuggled more into his car seat.

   Cute.

   "El, where do you live?"

   "Where I live?' She subconsciously answered as she smiled.

   "Yes! El, where do you live?"

   "I live..hmm.."

   "El..."

   "Home!" And with that answer, she turned away from him and fell into a deeper sleep.

   He sighed as he heard this answer. He was hoping she would truly answer it, but you truly cannot expect anything from a drunk person.

   He drove to his home instead. Where else could he take her?

   It was roughly about thirty minutes until they arrived at his. Parking his car in the garage, carrying Elizabeth the same way, out of the car.

   As he carried her, he could feel her figure in his hands. All he could conclude was that she grew up... healthy. He didn't forget to notice the curves he felt in his hands and the way it perfectly fit into his. Her form was sturdy, yet she felt soft. He blushed at his own thoughts.

   He then took her into a clean but empty bedroom in the villa. He placed her down and almost immediately she snuggled against the sheets. Wrapping herself in the thick blankets. Mark laughed at the sight and then moved to take off her shoes, hoping it would make her feel more comfortable. He squatted at beside her bed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He mentally scolded himself for the thoughts he had of her as he brought her here.

   Maybe I should be worried about myself right now. I cannot be trusted.

   Pleased with what he had done, he turned off the lights and left her to go to bed. He sighed as he exited the room and immediately erased everything from his mind.

   He moved to the bathroom and washed himself up, using cold water even though he was almost going to sleep. It was instincts; he was still a guy, after all.

   He himself changed his clothes into more comfortable ones. He walked to his own bedroom and immediately bid himself to sleep. Trying to forget about Elizabeth in the bedroom just beside him.