Circling

"I do not know why you two are circling each other like stars."

-V.E. Schwab

Sarah watches Lilly stumble toward Hannah warily. As Sarah's debating whether or not to cut her off, a voice appears next to her.

"Hey, Swike. Long time no see."

Sarah turns to Mamrie with a grin.

"How's it going, Mames?"

Mamrie hands Sarah a bottle rather clumsily. Sarah notes Mamrie's level of inebriation, taking it as she presses her lips together in amusement.

"So, did you talk to Grace or something?" Mamrie asks without preamble. Sarah brings the bottle to her lips as she studies Mamrie.

"No. Not since Tyler's party. Why?"

Mamrie shrugs.

"Saw y'all together then. I'd figured you'd talked to her." Mamrie gives Sarah a significant look. Sarah narrows her eyes suspiciously in return.

"And?" Sarah prompts. Mamrie grins impishly and nudges Sarah.

"Dude, come on. She broke up with him. Make your move, Swike!"

Sarah gazes at Mamrie like she's grown a second head and suspects that Mamrie is less sober than she'd initially thought. She wonders briefly how much Mamrie's had to drink.

"Grace is straight, Mames," Sarah says somewhat slowly, carefully.

"Historically, yes. But you're not," she replies in a sing-song voice.

A lot to drink, Sarah decides as Mamrie throws back the remaining liquid from her bottle.

"Mamrie, I'm not into Grace."

"Please," Mamrie says with a snort of disbelief. "Grace is gorgeous and you adore her."

Sarah leans back in her chair, a marginal attempt to distance herself from admitting what she's never allowed herself to think about since that night. The music thumps around her and it's a nice distraction.

"Grace likes you, dude," Mamrie says in a soft voice, drawing Sarah back in. "It's not complicated. And don't even pretend you don't like her back. Most people can't help themselves." Mamrie adds, with a helpless shrug and a faint smile.

"Grace is a friend of my client. And she's straight," Sarah repeats, keeping her expression perfectly composed. She raises a brow at Mamrie suddenly. "Did she send you here to me?"

Mamrie smiles mysteriously and leans in toward Sarah.

"I'm supposed to be getting her a drink," she whispers conspiratorially. "But I think I'm going to challenge Lilly to a round of beer pong instead."

She winks at Sarah and moves away. "Oh and Grace is out on the patio," Mamrie adds over her shoulder.

"Hart! Lilly better not get alcohol poisoning!" Sarah calls after her.

She glances in the general vicinity of the patio. With a sigh, she grabs a couple of drinks and pushes her way through the crowd. When she steps outside, the music fades away and the wind wakes her easily. Sarah realizes Grace is the only one out here. She can't help but think Mamrie had something to do with that.

"Grace?"

Grace turns and smiles when she sees it's Sarah.

"You came!" she crows, throwing herself into Sarah's arms who catches her just in time.

"You are drunk," Sarah comments, somewhat amused. Grace tilts her head back and Sarah moves her hands more securely around Grace's waist to keep them upright, quickly transferring the bottles onto a nearby table.

"I'm missing you. You're here and I'm missing you because I don't know how long you'll be here."

Sarah looks at Grace and she falls through the memories of that night, of Grace's dark eyes, of Grace's moans, of her soft skin. Other memories from other nights quickly follow. More moments of kind Grace, loyal Grace, witty Grace. Sarah's mind is continuously generating a never-ending list of why resisting her is futile. Honestly, Sarah doesn't want to try to resist her, often forgets why she should.

"Sarah, what are you doing?" Grace murmurs, her voice bringing Sarah back. Sarah finds that she has pinned Grace to the railing of the patio, hands on either side of her waist.

"Sorry," Sarah mutters, stepping away with a red face. She takes tentative steps to go back inside.

"Wait!" Grace grabs Sarah's hand and takes a step in her direction but it's harder to walk in heels when not sober. Grace's ankle gives and Grace falls, tugging Sarah along with her. They're sprawled on the deck and the first thing Sarah hears is Grace's laugh.

"I'm literally falling for you," Grace says breathlessly, grinning down at Sarah. Sarah makes a face.

"Cheesy."

Grace laughs again and Sarah feels the associated movement of Grace's chest against her skin. She's hyper-aware that Grace is effectively on top of her. The moment is short-lived as Grace rolls onto her back and looks sideways at Sarah.

"When are you gonna love me?" she asks with a slight sigh.

Sarah closes her eyes for a moment because Grace doesn't sound wistful or longing. She doesn't even sound drunk. She sounds curious, matter-of-fact. Like she knows that they are only a matter of when. Sarah feels the truth of this. The fact that Grace has stated it aloud makes Sarah believe in fate.

"When are we gonna be together?" Grace continues in the same tone. "I keep imagining these scenarios. And fuck, Swike, I'm so goddamned domestic in all of them." She giggles. "Ever since that Saturday. I can't get you out of my head."

Grace rolls onto her side and brings a hand to Sarah's cheek. Then she leans in and presses a kiss to Sarah's lips. It's slow and deliberate and glorious. Very little time passes before Sarah's thinking wildly about throwing caution to this godforsaken wind and taking Grace home with her. Grace is kissing her and telling her that she wants her in this life. Fuck treading lightly.

Grace pulls away, slightly breathless. It reassures Sarah that she's not the only one affected by the kiss.

"You told me to finalize everything. I did. Everything was being rewritten when I met you and I kept pushing a narrative that wasn't mine." She kisses Sarah's lips again. "This one's mine. Are you with me?"

Sarah can't help the hesitation. But she jumps anyway.

"I'm with you."