Suddenly, I Am Rich

Things got thrilling so soon for the two.

It must be because of Alcohol that Gray just found himself making out with Mara on the dance floor.

Everything was just sudden.

After dancing for a while, he just found his lips pressed gently against hers. Gray felt the way Mara's body tensed as he kissed her.

Mara's lips were soft. It had a faint taste of cherry, maybe from her lip balm or lipstick. He felt the warmth of her mouth against his.

"Hmm…" Mara let out a quiet hum. Their kiss sent a small shiver down her spine.

Encouraged, Gray deepened the kiss. The two seemed not to mind the crowd dancing around them.

Instead of stopping, Mara's lips moved against Gray, too. She looked like she was savoring the moment. Gray could feel her warmth. Mara also softly pressed her body against his as she leaned into him.

Their kiss deepened naturally. Mara raised her free hand. Her fingers grazed against Gray's jawline. She had been single for so long that she already missed this feeling. She didn't even know when was the last time she kissed someone.

All she knew was that her kiss with Gray felt so good.

Gray's hand also didn't just stay still. He placed his hand on her waist and pulled her in just a little closer.

Gray could feel the curve of her body through the fabric of her fitted white blouse.

"Ahh…" Mara let out a soft sigh, her breath warm against his skin.

Gray wasn't sure how much time passed, but when they finally broke apart, the two of them were already breathless.

They pulled back slowly, both a little dazed from their shared kiss.

Mara blinked at him, then let out a breathless laugh.

"Well… that escalated."

Gray chuckled too, running a hand over the back of his neck.

"Yeah… guess we're too drunk tonight."

The ridiculousness of it hit them both at the same time. For a second, they laughed harder. It made it impossible for them to take the kiss too seriously. Around them, the music kept pounding, the lights still flashing over the moving crowd.

Instead of stepping away, Mara just smirked, looping her arm around his neck again.

"Come on. We're not done dancing."

So they did. The beat picked up, and they fell right back into it. Mara's easy sways returned, and so were Gray's restrained but steady movements. Their bodies brushed together in rhythm.

The kiss didn't make anything awkward. If anything, it felt almost… familiar.

Because it wasn't their first time.

Back in high school, they had kissed more times than they could count. Maybe it was because they were still exploring themselves at that time. You know, the usual puberty stuff.

For them, it was just messing around or just seeing what it's like. Since they were close, they'd always just naturally gravitated toward each other. They were friends who somehow blurred the lines without making it weird and awkward.

And like back then, there was no tension now and no unspoken panic about what it meant. It was just them, laughing, moving, enjoying the night without overthinking it.

The music shifted again, and Mara gave him that tipsy grin, the one that dared him to keep up. Gray just shook his head and followed, knowing they still had hours of dancing left in them.

After a while, they gave their legs a break and returned to the bar, leaning against the counter with flushed cheeks and grins. Drinks appeared in front of them. There were shots, cocktails.

They drank whatever the bartender slid their way, and they didn't say no to any of it.

Then the music would call them back, and they'd be on the dance floor again, swaying, laughing, and stealing another kiss or two before retreating for more drinks. It became a kind of routine.

They danced, kissed, drank, and laughed. They did that over and over until the hours blurred together.

By the time midnight rolled around, both of them were wasted. Mara's hair was already messy, Gray's shirt collar was now slightly undone, and their steps weren't exactly straight anymore.

However, neither of them seemed to care. The night had swallowed them whole, and they were happy to let it.

They drank too much that they didn't even bother trying to figure out the bus routes or walk back. Fortunately, Gray still had a little consciousness that he was able to hail a cab for them.

"G-Gwa…y… h-hckkk… neklfnke."

Gray abruptly shook his head as he held Mara in his arms. The woman was really wasted.

Mara's eyes were already closed. The only reason she could still move now was because she was clinging to him as if her life depended on him.

"Mara, go to sleep."

As they boarded the cab, Mara immediately leaned her head against the window. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Gray sat beside her. From time to time, he would glance at her to see if she was still alive.

The ride felt both too long and too short, and before they knew it, the cab was pulling up in front of Gray's condo building.

Gray had to sober up because the security was tight. After going through a few gates, Gray paid the fare.

He slowly took care of Mara, making sure that she could still walk.

Inside the building, they made their way to the elevator. Mara swayed a little with each step, so Gray had to hold her firmly. When the doors closed, Mara giggled at nothing in particular, and Gray just shook his head.

"Stop laughing, stupid."

"Ohay.. Ray… Gway…"

By the time they reached his unit, they were both gone and all they could think about was getting inside and dropping onto something soft. The lock clicked, and the door swung open.

They stepped into Gray's place. And with Mara still laughing at his arms, Gray had to drag Mara to his room, afraid that they might wake up Lily.