The party was only getting funnier and funnier as the hours passed by, but not with the help of few drinks for Adena who needed a little boost. Not to the point of losing control of herself like Jacob would do, or even Jade and Eugenia, just moderate drinking. She mostly stayed with Isaac, who was a moderate drinker as well, talking and laughing together, watching the others having their own fun.

"Look who's coming," said Isaac, pointing behind the girl. She turned around and smiled brightly at the sight.

"That's my lover!" exclaimed the girl spontaneously. Alcohol made her so much more spontaneous than she usually was. 

"Welcome my lover," she said when Regulus reached their side. She then stood up and didn't hesitate to cup his cheeks before placing a delicate kiss on his lips.

His eyes widened a little as he asked, "Have you been drinking?"

"A few drinks maybe," replied the girl as she let go of him and went to sit back down. "How do you know?"

"You taste like Firewhisky and you just kissed me in front of fifty people," stated the boy, joining her side.

"Hi Black," said Isaac.

"Greenwood," replied Regulus with a polite nod. He then grabbed the glass he assumed was his girlfriend's and gulped down the remaining content.

"Hey stealer."

"You can have another."

"And you can have your own," said the brunette with a pout.

"Alright, I'll grab us two other drinks," sighed the boy while getting up and Adena smiled, satisfied.

"I still have a hard time believing this guy can be so whipped after knowing him for seven years and only discovering this side of him few months ago," stated Isaac, sounding almost shocked.

"I've got used to that side. I can't imagine him being something else. He's just Regulus for me."

"Of course, it's normal for you but for others it's like you've changed him. Well he has kinda changed you as well."

"I know. I know he has changed me," she told him, a small but happy grin taking place on her lips.

"I'm here. Take this," said the voice of the Slytherin boy behind them. He handed Adena her glass as he sit again.

Suddenly, Jacob emerged from the dancing crowd with one of the other chasers.

"Here's my best mate!" yelled the blonde boy, throwing himself into the raven-haired male arms, surprising everyone including Regulus himself.

"Congrats for winning. I expected your victory," said the boy as Jacob got off him and sat between him and the brunette. "Here, take that as gift," he added, offering him a cigarette of the same sort he was smoking, mint-flavored cigarettes. He threw the cigarettes packet at Isaac, knowing Adena didn't smoke.

"What are you doing? He's a Slytherin you know, why a Slytherin's here?" asked the other chaser in disbelief, just standing next to them.

"Because that's my buddy!" exclaimed harshly Jacob. The other boy caught Adena's glare and then left their side. Most of the older students knew about them dating but the girl realized they still didn't appreciate this relationship because he was a Slytherin.

"You guys will invite me at your wedding right," said the blonde boy, talking with his cigarette between his lips and throwing his arms over both of their shoulders. The girl looked up at Isaac facing them who was laughing, and she smiled. "Black. I don't think you'd like to have any of those Slytherin scums as your best man, so just know I'm here. Okay, I know y'all are still at school, but you two love each other so much, there can't not be a wedding in the following years. And a wedding without me isn't even conceivable."

Adena couldn't help but smile at his words, and her smile widened when she heard her boyfriend's answer. "You'll be the first to receive an invitation and if it pleases you, you'll be my best man. And I can do the same for you, you know," rejoined the boy, with a knowing smile. 

She watched the exchange with a fond look in her eyes. She could guess that there were things between them she didn't know about. Some months ago, Regulus used to hate everything about Jacob and Jacob used to hate everything about Regulus. But things had changed and it seemed like they had managed to build up a friendship. 

"Ah, yes it does please me a lot. See Adena, you can't forbid me to attend your wedding, my presence is settled," said Jacob smugly, while turning his head towards the girl.

"Wait, what. Adena, darling, what did you intend to do? Let me remind you that this will also be my wedding and I want Brett to be there," said Regulus acting offended as he turned his head to look at his girlfriend.

She rolled her eyes and replied, "During the last party we did he was even drunker, and he started talking about weddings as well that's how I told him I wouldn't let him go if he planned on getting hammered."

"Black, why is your girlfriend such a meanie!" said Jacob, fake crying.

"I don't know why either. Adena you should apologize," replied Regulus.

The girl just snorted and got up to sit with Isaac on the opposite sofa.

"You keep rejecting me, I prefer staying with a nice person."

Eventually, Jacob went back to dance with the others after chatting, smoking and drinking for a while with Regulus. Jade joined them before leaving with Isaac to chat with his girlfriend Camelia they got to meet recently. Adena ended up sitting back down next to Regulus when she started getting frustrated for not being by his side when he was so close.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked quietly as she cuddled up to his side.

"Yeah. I even got some drinks, thanks bloody Jacob Brett..."

"Really? It doesn't look like it though," chuckled the girl when she realized he didn't look the slightest bit tipsy.

"I rarely drink but I still manage to control myself. Except with you, I can't," he said, whispering the last part before leaning forward to gently kiss Adena, not bothering to check if people were close or not.

When he parted ways, Adena looked into his glossy eyes. Eyes are the mirror of the soul, and every time she would stare into his irises, she would see something his actions or words couldn't say, nothing was hidden in them. At the moment they reflected the effects of alcohol on him, barely noticeable but still present. And she smiled. He was actually enjoying himself, he was acting like a teenage boy of his age and he was changing in the most subtle ways.

"Adena, do you even realize what you're doing to me..." he said with a frustrated sigh, but his lips were forming a smile. He let his head fall on her shoulder and she brought her hand up to run her fingers through his locks in a comforting manner.

"I'm not sure..." she replied honestly.

"You mean the world to me. I swear you could say anything, and I'd run away with you..." he whispered, placing little pecks on the skin of her neck.

His words were so sincere, and it was the first time Adena was hearing them, she could feel her heart thump in her chest.

"You would really do that? Or do you say this because you drank?" she asked softly, a hint of sadness in her voice he probably couldn't guess.

"I say this because I drank but I really think it. This thought is on my mind every day. Every day all think about is you, you and our future."

"Our future..." she whispered, getting lost in her thoughts. It seemed like a dark path to take, which she would obviously choose. There was no other way for her than following this dark path with Regulus that was settled for them, at least until things got better, but hope was more difficult to keep in those times.

"Stay with me in the future too..." suddenly spoke again the boy.

"I promise you, I'll stay with you." This wasn't something they would explicitly talk about for the simple reason that they knew it. He asked her multiple times to stay, she promised him just as much, and their fate was now settled. Side by side, the two lovers would follow the path set for them.

author's note: hi!! i needed to post something on this fabulous day aka international women's day. as someone who's a woman and who has somehow a platform other than my twitter where i rant 24/7, i think it's important to use it to voice out important things. i tried my best to create great female characters in this story with adena who's independent, candace who's ambitious and not afraid to be herself as a queer person, jade who's smart, millie who's creative and eugenia who's confident and can be very expressive. this is what women should be and unfortunately this is not the case in a majority of places. i want to mention women in palestine who don't have access to basic needs such as sanitary products, but also women in afghanistan who don't get to be educated, women in india who just live in one of most dangerous place for women, and even women in the usa whose right to abort is being taken away in some states or trans women who can't receive medical help anymore in some states too (because yes trans women are women no matter what says jk r*wl*ng, terfs are not really feminists)

reminder that this is a safe place here so don't hesitate to tell me your own women's stories, in your country or somewhere else, it could also be something personnal, i'll be glad to hear it

i hope you're not afraid to be yourself, no matter what you're strong, never stop fighting for yourself<333

and again, to come back on the story, your support through reads, votes or comments (i read them ALL i swear), you make me grow as a person and as a woman, i can have some pride and confidence, as we all should<333