I woke up from the loud noises that were coming from the living area. Confused, I made my way to the stairs and peeked a little to see what was happening. My eyes widen at my brother's state and instantly ran down the stairs.

"Alec!" I shouted, quite horrified at seeing him drunk and wasted. I quickly pushed his face up to see if he got in a fight while he was out. I was relieved to see that his face was free from any bruising or blood or wound of some kind. "What happened?" I asked the two men holding my brother up.

"Boys night out." Dustyn said, grimacing as he did so. "I'm just dropping Alec off. Then I need to drop the other asshole at his place."

"Hey. I'm right here." Eros said whose looking a little better than Alec. Much better, considering he can still stand on his own two feet and help carry Alec up here. Still, the smell of alcohol reeking from a three of them is bad. I'm surprised they didn't get pulled to the side of the road by a police officer.

"I think it'll be best if you stayed the night over." I said, already turning to Emil who is standing by the kitchen counter, waiting to assists if needed. "Emil, would you please get the extra room beside Alec's ready?"

"Of course." Emil said dutifully, already disappearing up to the second floor.

"We don't want to impose."Dustyn said, as Alec has started slipping to the floor. I can definitely say he's asleep now.

I looked at him weirdly." You're not imposing. Come on. Let's get Alec to bed so we can all have the rest that we need."

I walked ahead of them, ensuring that they won't trip on anything that might have been left on the floor. We safely made it to Alec's bedroom. "Just lay him there." I said as I went inside the bathroom to get a wet towel to wipe off the sweat from his face and his arms.

"The room's ready, Miss Mara." Emil announced from the door.

"Thank you." I said, smiling at him. "Good night."

Emil nods before disappearing again. I hope this time, he'll go to bed.

"Does that mean I have to share a bed with you?" Eros teased Dustyn.

Dustyn rolled his eyes at Eros as he pulled a pair of pajamas and a white shirt from Alec's drawers. "No man. Fuck off."

I finished wiping the dirt off of him as much as I could. I removed his watch and his cufflinks placing them on his bedside table. "Can you change his clothes? I'll just get a glass of water for when he wakes up."

Dustyn nodded as he tells Eros to sit down and wait. "Something for the headaches too?"

"Yeah." I agreed before leaving the room, closing the door softly behind me. I went downstairs and decided to get three glasses of water and some medicine for the coming headache they'll be experiencing in the morning. I got a tray from one of the kitchen drawers and waked back up to the room.

"...think he'll tell?" I heard Eros asked from outside the door. I didn't hesitate to go inside. Both of them looked startled as they looked at me with wide eyes. "H-hey."

I raised my eyebrow at Eros, wondering why he suddenly is acting awkward out of nowhere. I place the glass of water and Alec's share of medicine on the other bedside table. I made sure to tuck him in and to close the curtains so the sunlight wouldn't get inside his room.

I motioned for the two men to follow me. They did so and I opened the door to the other room thy would be using for the night. I placed the tray on top of the bedside table. "Emil pulled out an extra mattress. There are some clothes in the closet. Alec's old stuff, actually. Help yourselves. Good night." I said, leaving them on their own.

I opened my eyes and saw Alec looking down at me as he stroke my hair, with a distant look on his face. He immediately smiled as soon as he realized that I was now awake.

"Nice bed hair." He said, snickering at my messy hair.

I smiled up at him. "I know, thanks." I told him sarcastically. "I didn't think you'd be awake so early." I said, sitting up.

"Early?" He asked. He showed the time on his phone to me. " I think you meant late. It's one in the afternoon, baby girl."

I looked at him horrified and stumbled to get my own phone on my bedside table. And true enough, it's one in the afternoon. "Holy cow. I've never slept this long!" I exclaimed in surprise and horror.

Alec laughed at my reaction. "It's okay. You've been studying so hard for your finals these past few days. It must've caught on to you just now."

I grinned. "I think I did well too!" I said. Yesterday was the last day of exams. It wasn't the last day of classes as we were told we have to come in for the release of our final projects. Mostly, I'm just thankful I don't have to be stuck with Noah in a room after what I have learned.

"Without a doubt." Alec said with a smile. "Should we celebrate the fact that you came out of your first year in college alive?" He teased.

"Why I thought you'd never ask!" I said, going along with his teasing.

"I'll make arrangements then." He said with a smile on his face.

I shook my head with a smile of my own, knowing that he's already formed a plan on that head of his. "You're quick."

He chuckles on his way out of my room. "I got to be if you're my sister."

"Hey what's that suppose to mean?" I asked after him but he just continues on his way out. Not giving a care to what I just asked him.

It looks like Alec is in a good mood today. I wonder what happened that made him want to get drunk like last night. To the point where he could barely stand. Sometimes, he really worries me.

"Shortcake?" Dustyn's voice from the other side of the door startled me. I thought they already left, since as Alec pointed out, it's already one in the afternoon. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." I said without second thinking it. I stood in front of my closet, browsing through clothes to see what would be a good outfit for tonight's dinner. I have no doubt that Alec picked something fancy and private again. That's just what he does.

"Hey, I was waiting for you to get up." Dustyn said softly, as he sat down at the end of my bed.

I turn to him. "Sorry. I overslept." I said with a guilty smile on my face.

He nodded his head. "Weird thing for you too. I never remembered you to be someone who overslept." He said, walking to stand beside me as I continue to browse for clothes.

I chuckled softly. "There's always a first time for everything, eh?"

"Definitely." He said, smiling down at me. "When exactly did you get a lot of these dresses?"

I scratched the back of my head. "I didn't. Rory has been dropping these dresses left and right. I don't know what's happening with her but she seemed to have too much time in her hands."

"These are a lot of dresses." Dustyn said, stressing the word lot as he does.

By a lot, I think he meant hundreds of dresses. Rory comes up every few days and drops about a hundred of them. Even when I told her I prefer to wear jeans at the moment, the woman won't take no for an answer. Hence, my closet is now packed with barely any room left for new clothes if I ever were to buy one.

"So, you waited to ask me about something?" I asked, turning to him with a blue dress in hand.

"Not exactly." He said, drawling out the words. "I wanted to talk about the honeymoon." He said, barely being able to look me in the eye.

"Oh." I said, my hands falling limp to my side, forgetting that I'm holding a dress.

I completely forgot about that part. I was too invested about the wedding that I forgot about what comes after it. Frankly, it didn't even crossed my mind. What the hell am I going to do? I haven't exactly been that intimate with anyone. Not that it was even possible with Alec practically breathing down my throat for the rest of my high school life. I sat down on the other side of my bed, my back to him. I didn't want him to see how panicked I have become with just the thought of the honeymoon and what that may entail.

"Um.." I started, swallowing my nervousness. "Do you have a plan in mind?" Acting casually is not going to help me right now, but it is the only escape I could think of. I don't exactly know how I should be acting right now. All I know is I feel awkward and unconfident and definitely out of my area.

"Morocco. Maybe the Caribbean seas." He said. I could feel his eyes burning at the back of my head as I still refuse to look at him. I don't think the very visible blush on my face would be very flattering.

"Um sure." I answered, not really processing what he just said.

"Shortcake. Look at me." He said, his hand already resting on my shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, I turn around to look at him. His kind eyes looking at me with so much love, I almost choked on my own saliva. I didn't expect how intense it was until I actually saw it in his eyes.

"Relax. I'm not asking you to have sex with me." He said with a smile. "Not yet anyway." He added, winking playfully at me. Making me laugh how serious and silly he is both at the same time. "I just want us to have a honeymoon, okay? It doesn't entail that we need to have sex when you're clearly not ready."

"That obvious?" I asked, out of breath as I continue to stare at his eyes.

He nodded his head, confirming my thoughts. "I think you stopped breathing for a good minute there."

I smiled awkwardly. "I didn't know what to do when you asked me about it."

He nodded his head, understanding my words without asking for further explanation. "Understandable. After all, you're pretty innocent shortcake."

I shook my head with a soft smile. I guess it really is not a secret of how protective Alec is of me. No one would really be surprised to find out that I barely did anything with a boy. Or even be associated with one. Alec would've flipped and made headlines if that actually ever happened.

"It's not a bad thing, Mara. You don't have to be embarrassed about it." Dustyn added when a minute of silence passed between us. "Can't say I'm proud to say that I'm not as pure as you're going to be. I kind of feel like I'm bringing less to this marriage than you are."

"That's not true. You're amazing!" I said, contradicting his words. Dustyn is older than me. Whatever he did that he though was right in the past, I have no business in butting in.

I'm more concerned with the now. The present. The us that we have now and not the past.

"Why thank you." He said, looking proud of himself.

I laughed at his charm before shoving him away. "Go home. You still stink of alcohol."

HE shrugged his shoulders. "Blame your brother." He said.

I rolled my eyes. "He's your best friend."

"I haven't forgotten one bit, shortcake." He said, dropping a kiss on my cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."

"Wait." I called after him before he got out of the door. "What's tomorrow?"

"Surprise." He said cheekily and left me standing there, gawking at him.