David Nolan doesn't regret being the sober friend.
Especially because it's for his very best friend, Mary Margaret. Although it's New Year's Eve, and he has more fun celebrating and drinking with his friends, he really didn't mind watching from the sidelines. He sat on a stool, sipping a glass of water, watching as Mary Margaret and her girlfriends danced the night away (but hey, at least his water came with a lemon wedge).
While he doesn't regret being the sober friend, he was beginning to feel a little bored, but then David remembered Mary Margaret's lip pout. Suddenly, being the sober friend seemed worth it, especially when he finally caved and she jumped with the biggest smile on her face and threw her arms around him. Nothing made David happier than seeing his best friend happy.
At thirty years old, Mary Margaret and David were best friends for as long as either of them could remember. David doesn't even remember how exactly they became friends; however, he's pretty sure that when their moms attended Lamaze classes together. So, they were practically a packaged deal before they even knew each other.
Mary Margaret tripped her way over to the bar, giggling as she went. "Another shot, please," She asked the bartender, her green eyes twinkling.
David grinned, amused by his drunken best friend. "Enjoying yourself over there, Mary Margaret?"
She nodded. "Thank you David for being here, you're the best." Then, she smacked a kiss on his cheek.
"Anything for my girl," He responded. "The others seem to be enjoying themselves as well."
David motioned to her other friends, which included Ruby, Ashley, and Ariel, who were all grinding to the music. Mary Margaret looked back at them, her vision blurring from the several shots of tequila she downed already.
She turned to the bartender just as he set down her shot. She gulped it within a few seconds, and then smirked at David. "Well buddy, I'm hitting the dance floor once again. Thanks for coming," she said, slapping him on his back. "And Happy New Year!"
David watched as Mary Margaret bounced back to their friends, immediately getting back into the groove of the upbeat music. He was so engaged with watching Mary Margaret that he almost didn't notice the sleazy stranger walking to her. The stranger began to grind against Mary Margaret's back, and she was doing nothing to stop it. However, David watched closely, knowing that she was past the point of being able to give consent.
He continued to observe them, but before he knew it, the sixty-second countdown to midnight was happening, and it was 2017. The entire club chanted in unison "Happy New Year!" as everyone kissed one another. David even got a kiss from a pretty stranger who tasted like mint and rum. When they drew apart, he noticed that Mary Margaret and the man had shared a kiss. Not only that, but they were still embraced in each other's arms.
Finally, they pulled away and he whispered something in her ear. She laughed, and David's posture became rigid because he knew where this was going. Alarm bells began to go off in his head when the stranger took Mary Margaret's hand and led her outside, probably back to her place.
David stood up and followed them. As soon as he caught up to them right outside the bar, he lightly touched Mary Margaret's shoulder. "Come on M, I think it's time to go home."
The man swirled around and glared at David. "She is going home. With me."
David stepped closer. "I don't think so. She can't even walk straight."
"David… I'm fine… do you have a chill pill? Maybe you should take it, and then give me one too," Mary Margaret tittered.
"This is exactly why you should be going home alone," David insisted, pulling her away from the sleazebag.
"Listen man, it's none of your business, so why don't you just leave her alone and I'll take care of her," The stranger replied.
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I don't need you to take advantage of my best friend when she's incapable of giving consent," David said, pushing Mary Margaret behind him.
"You don't really want to do this, because I can kick your ass," He responded with a taunting smirk on his face.
David stepped real close to him, determined to protect Mary Margaret at any cost. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, so just hand over the girl and we'll be on our—"
He was interrupted by David whacking him in the jaw. The man stumbled back a little and touched his bleeding lip. He stepped back, and then walked inside, throwing David and Mary Margaret one last look as if they were insane.
David turned back to Mary Margaret, relief washing over him, and noticed that she was stumbling over the sidewalk. "Let's get you home."
He called a taxi and rode with her all the way to her building. They went inside and he helped her up the stairs to her apartment. He made sure she got into her bathroom safely and let her shower while he filled up a glass of water. When she got out, they sat down together in her living room. David handed her the water, hoping she'd sober up a little.
"You're going to have a massive hangover tomorrow, M," He said, ruffling her stringy wet hair.
Mary Margaret looked up at her best friend, her green eyes slightly dulled because of how drunk she was. "Oh Davie, you know I don't get hangs. Or overs."
David smiled, appreciating how Mary Margaret could be funny despite the fact that she was intoxicated. "Okay, whatever you say. I'm just glad you made it home safe."
"Can you stay here with me? You owe me since you kicked out my hook-up," Mary Margaret pleaded.
David sighed. "Is there anything I wouldn't do for you? Come on, I'll take the couch, you get in bed."
David helped Mary Margaret to her room and made sure she was tucked in. He put her glass of water on her nightstand in case she woke up and she needed it. Then, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Have a good night, M."
Mary Margaret looked at him, half asleep, the alcohol just beginning to wear off. "You're so good to me, Davie. No wonder I'm so in love with you."
David froze, not daring to believe what she had said. "…What?"
But Mary Margaret had already fallen asleep. David shut her bedroom door and headed towards the living room. On his way there, he grabbed an extra blanket from the hallway closet and brought it to the couch. His head was spinning; he knew that Mary Margaret might have not meant what she said, but deep down, he knew it wasn't true. She had a tendency to blurt out the truth once she started to sober up.
David didn't know what to think or how to feel. He never thought of Mary Margaret like that; they've been best friends since before they were born and nothing has changed. Sure, there were the mutual friends insisting they should be together, the strangers mistaking them for a couple, and the family members who ask when their wedding would be. But David always laughed it off—just because they were the best of friends, it didn't mean that they had to date.
But then David began to ponder over his actions, especially in later years. No one ever seemed to be good enough for his Mary Margaret—and even if he were sick with a high fever, he would still meet her at the library to help her study for her final grad school exit exams. He wouldn't even do that when they were in high school.
Eventually, he fell asleep thinking about Mary Margaret. Where did they stand? How did they move forward from here? Did he really love her as more than a friend? He honestly did not know. It would have to be something he revisited in the morning.
When David woke up, the sun was streaming through the window. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, forgetting where he was for a few moments. Then he remembered last night. The party. Mary Margaret and the stranger. Bringing her home. Finding out that she was in love with him.
David stretched, tore the blanket off and walked into the kitchen. Mary Margaret was already awake, sitting at the table eating a bowl of Cheerios. When she noticed that he walked into the kitchen, she dropped her spoon into her cereal. "David, you're awake."
Whether it was Mary Margaret's spoon falling into the bowl causing the milk to splash, or her face remembering what she said last night, or just the simple domesticity of the scene, that was when David had his "Eureka!" moment. He realized that he was in love with his best friend, and he always would be. This is what he wanted for the rest of his life—to wake up every morning, wander into the kitchen, and see Mary Margaret lose her shit over her cereal.
David smiled and sat down in the chair across from her. "I am. How are you feeling this morning?"
Mary Margaret picked up her spoon, now drenched in milk, and continued to eat. "Oh, well, you know, trying to get over the giant headache I have. Thanks for staying last night. You're always looking out for me."
"Well, you know it's my favourite job in the world, being there for my best friend."
Mary Margaret blushed and looked down at her half eaten breakfast, suddenly not feeling hungry anymore. "Listen, about what I said last night… before I fell asleep, I… I didn't mean it."
"M, we both know that's not true." David stated, trying to catch her gaze.
However, all she could do was look away. Mary Margaret was too afraid to look at her best friend, knowing that his facial expression would portray how he felt. "I can explain. Well, no really, I can't."
David didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, so he eased her into the conversation. "How long?"
"Since college. Every time we were on different continents, I felt like I couldn't breathe. And it wasn't until we were reunited over Christmas or summer vacation when I felt my heart rate slow down and my body function normally again. But I didn't correlate these feelings with you until you surprised me at my graduation, which, you know, was one of the most important moments for me in my life." Mary Margaret explained, slowly beginning to look at David.
He absorbed her words carefully. He felt the same way during those times—but he didn't realize it was because he was in love with Mary Margaret. He just thought he missed his best friend. It further proved how he knew that she was the one. He couldn't believe he only realized it when they were both thirty. He smiled at her once again. "Well, better late than never, right?"
Mary Margaret returned his smile, and when his words finally registered, her entire face lit up like the lanterns in the movie Tangled. She slowly stood up from her chair, walked over to David, and kissed him the way she always wanted to for the last eight years.
David returned her kiss, and pulled her onto his lap. They both laughed and Mary Margaret adjusted herself, and then kissed him again. Fireworks were going off in David's chest; not daring to believe that here he was, making out with his best friend. But it felt right. Call it fate, destiny, or chance—but David knew that this was how it was supposed to be in the end. David and Mary Margaret, two souls, finding each other through their mothers' Lamaze classes, becoming best friends, and eventually, partners.
After all, isn't your soul mate supposed to be your best friend?