Elegantly Wasted | ✓

𝐕.

He ordered two glasses of Hennessy today, waiting for Vivian's arrival. She promised Demetrius that she wasn't doing very much that day, that she was certain she would make it. Maybe she was going to arrive late.

He kept sipping his glass of Hennessy. It was when he reached his fourth glass that he began to wonder. Was she actually going to show? It was like last time, the suspension that had sat with him when he fretted about never seeing her again after their first meeting. It was stupid, he knew that.

But he liked her. He liked her presence and her company. It was something that was revered by him, to say the least of it. She was just a lot better than other people he had met, something that he wanted to stay around for a while.

He sipped her drink after he finished his own. He sighed, lonely at the bar at this late hour. He had been waiting for a while and was beginning to feel stupid.

What was the point of putting all his faith in this woman, someone he didn't even know the surname of? She wouldn't have seemed much of a difference to his ex who always wanted something to do with him but never kept up with her word. If these were first signs from Vivian, he should've already been considering running for the hills.

Franklin walked over to wipe the table. "Who's got you cooped here at this time?" That made Demetrius check his watch, the time was quarter to eleven. He grunted.

"Nobody. I wasted my time and my hopes." he answered, ready to get up.

"Was it that woman you've been here with?" He leaned forward, flapping the towel towards the seat that Vivian usually sat in. Demetrius nodded and pulled on his jacket.

"Yeah. She was..." he sighed. His drunken self didn't have the energy to explain himself. "Frank, it don't bloody matter. I'll see you later, bruv, I need some sleep." he groaned. Franklin nodded in agreement and picked up the half-finished glass.

Demetrius instantly stopped him, snatching it and gulping the last of the Hennessy. "Add that to the tab."

"Might double it too." Franklin answered under his breath. Demetrius gave him a look and he chuckled. "I'm kidding, man, go home. You look like some next mess."

In the dim haze of the pub, Demetrius walked through, barely able to keep his shoulders up. He hated himself for giving up his time for Vivian, she hadn't even stuck to her promise. It was enough for Demetrius to call it quits.

But his determined plan was ripped to shreds.

"Shit, sorry." Vivian apologised as she sped through the door. "Better late than never" was her train of thought as she had rushed to the pub. It was definitely time for her and Demetrius to exchange numbers, at this rate, she thought to herself.

The look of shock didn't seem to leave his face. "I was just about to leave," he started slowly. Vivian was ready to explode with more apologies. "I was convinced you weren't going to show."

"I had the biggest news and tried my best to rush over here before you left. I'm so sorry." she sighed. She had so much to say but didn't even know how to start. She was convinced that her life was hitting a wall and halting completely, but it seemed that everything had changed.

"It's calm." was all he said.

"Uh, should we get something to drink?" Vivian started. Demetrius seemed out of himself. The cold, English air that was hitting him from the ajar door that Vivian was still in the way of was sobering him up hastily. He just wanted to get out and lay in his bed, have his dog sit beside him for the little comfort and sleep the soon-coming hangover into oblivion.

But Vivian persisted. She felt bad. She had made a promise and she left him disappointed; and it was extremely readable in his symmetrical features.

"I think I'd better just go, Vivian." he said. She couldn't help the frown that weighed on her glossed lips.

"How about I drive you home? You seem pretty drunk." Demetrius finally met her dark eyes, wide with pleas. Going against all that he had mustered in his head, and the courage he had just gained to tell Vivian firmly that he would just prefer not to, he heaved.

"Okay." she sighed with relief and nodded, as though she almost didn't know what to do with herself.

As they both stepped out into the cold, Vivian wrapped her strapped trench coat tighter around her petite body, tying it on the side. Demetrius inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh air and letting the oxygen fill his lungs. He exhaled.

They walked in silence to Vivian's Mercedes. They climbed in and she immediately handed him a cold water bottle that she had stashed on her backseats. He kindly accepted it, knowing she was going to wait until he took it.

She drove in silence, following the directions that her navigator on her phone told her towards Demetrius's house. But she couldn't resist. "I'm sorry again, things started happening and I don't have your phone number so I couldn't tell you I was going to be late. Then again, I broke my promise,"

"It's calm, Vivian, really." He knew he was getting upset over nothing. Either way, he would want to continue to speak to her. He liked her, of course. She was just a lot better than other people he had met, something that he wanted to stay around for a while.

So when she quickly glanced at him with an appreciative smile, he couldn't stop his drunken self from stupidly smiling back.