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Alex walked back into his apartment, a loud cheer erupting as he entered the kitchen. He jumped, seeing his friends around his dining room table. He sighed, dropping his keys on the entrance table, hanging up his coat.
"We thought you died when you didn't come in the first five minutes!" Alex laughed as his friend, William, patted him on the back.
"I was out for a run." William took one look at him and scoffed.
"A run? In that clothing? I believe that you were out somewhere with that flush in your face, but a run?" Alex rolled his eyes, pushing William off him. "I won't tell anyone, now who was the bird."
"There was no bird, I was out clearing my head. Thinking things over." William shrugged, but fortunately for Alex, he didn't push it. They all knew that Alex was easily angered, so they never pushed him. "Anyways, why are you all in my kitchen at this time of night?"
"For the dance!" William passed Alex a bottle of beer before taking a sip from his.
"What?"
"We're celebrating that every one of us has a bird. However," William climbed up on the table, a beer bottle in hand, "since we all have birds this year, we can't all just fuck off and drink when we want. So, we've collectively decided to come to yours and get absolutely hammered the night before." Alex laughed, popping the top from his bottle and taking a sip. "Yours was the obvious choice since it's the closest to the bar if we run out of beer and most of the men are already off training."
"Yeah, well, Mrs. Wayfair is still here so keep somewhat quiet and enjoy your beer. I'm knackered, so I'm going to bed."
"Knackered? You're spending too much time around Grace and the Irish one."
"She has a name, you know? It's Elizabeth." Alex tried to brush it off as a comment, but William caught his undertone.
"Well hey hey, Alex has a soft spot for Grace's friends, lads!"
"No, I don't. Fuck off. I just think if you're going to say stuff like that to me, you may want to know everyone's name."
"Okay then. Alex you're spending too much time around Grace and Elizabeth. Is that better?"
"Yeah. Although, I'm not. I just have shit to do with Grace before the dance and I need a full night's rest if you think that I'm going to be awake at all for the dance. Grace will kill me if I fall asleep in a chair."
"Alright, old man, you can go and rest up. The fun ones will stay down here, won't we boys?" The rest of the boys cheered, holding up their bottles as Alex rolled his eyes and headed towards his room. He collapsed on his bed, running his hand through his hair as he thought of the blonde girl that had stumbled into his life. He thought of her bright blue eyes that showed every emotion in them once you got to know the girl. He thought about how shy she was with him at first, but now she seemed to be the most comfortable when she was at his side, even if Grace was on his other arm. He was stupid to ever think that he deserved either of them, Elizabeth and Grace, but he got them both, Grace just didn't know.
