CHAPTER 31
"Zhao! The MOST most important question of the night is: Where IS your wine opener?" Alicia inquired, placing the cabernet sauvignon she held her in hands down on Gen's kitchen island.
"Rough week?" Gen asked back, raising an eyebrow. "It's right here." Gen pulled the wine opener out of a drawer attached to the island before handing it over to Alicia.
"You could say that again," Alicia sighed out. Collapsing onto the barstool. Gen grabbed three wine glasses out of the cabinets as she listened to her friend vent. "Between the wedding and The Falcons officially being out of the running for the League Cup… it's just not been my bloody week."
"Well no need to take it out on the wine bottle," Gen joked, seeing her friend turning the corkscrew with all of her might.
"Oh, sorry," Alicia said.
"No, no it's not a problem. I'm just teasing you. If it helps at all, we lost to the Harpies as well," Gen consoled.
"Yes, but Puddlemere still has a chance to go up against them again," Alicia pointed out.
"IF we make it to the finals," Gen added.
"Yes, but you're going to. The Wanderers don't stand a damn chance against Puddlemere. I just hoped the season would be a bit longer but… I guess I can't complain. No way that I could be here in Dorset for a girls' night with you a Cress if we weren't out of the running," Alicia shrugged, pulling the cork out of the wine bottle with a loud pop.
"Well, at least you've found a silver lining," Gen chuckled, taking the bottle of wine and pouring one full pour in each glass. "It's alright to be disappointed, you know?" She handed the glass to her friend, sitting down next to her.
"Thank you. Yes, I know. And I am," Alicia answered, then took a generous sip of the wine. Gen nodded, holding space for her friend.
"How's the wedding planning going and why is it so damn stressful for you?" Gen asked.
"Because my brother is an idiot who's absolutely incapable of doing anything in an organized way when it comes to things like this… He can barely pick out a tie without second guessing himself so I'm playing double agent between being a bridesmaid AND my brother's bloody keeper. Besides, Piper is great she's just ehm… well, she's the kind of a girl that's been waiting for her wedding day since she was a little girl so it's all just a lot," Alicia vented.
Gen nodded, "Yeah, I got that from the engagement party."
"SO many commitments. So many outings and brunches, and meeting all of her bridesmaids, and shopping trips, and-," Alicia began.
"Okay, I'm stressed out from hearing about it," Gen interrupted with a laugh. "Totally don't get the whole wedding thing and don't want to have one myself."
"Ha!" Alicia exclaimed. "Yeah, you and Wood are headed straight for the chapel anyways!"
"Oh shut it," Gen said, rolling her eyes playfully.
"They're all nice girls - the other bridesmaids. They're just not… well, my kind of people, you know? And now that the season is over for us I'll have no excuse to get out of it," Alicia sighed out. "
"Is Adrian going to the wedding with you?" Gen asked, curiously.
Immediately, Alicia's face lit up with glee, "I think so. We're planning on it. I think you and him may be the only things that gets me through it."
"That'll be nice. How are you and Adrian doing anyways? It's been-, what, three months?!" Gen said, in surprise. She had only been slightly surprised that the couple had been doing long distance since December, when they had made it official, and were still together. Suddenly, there was a loud popping sound outside followed by a knock at the door. "That must be Cress." Gen sat up, wine glass in hand, then headed to the door to open it.
"Hi, sorry I'm late!" Cress exclaimed, hurrying. "And I brought more wine!"
Gen chuckled, "It's quite alright, Cress. Besides, I've gotten to know that when it comes to anything outside of quidditch, you're always running a bit behind anyways."
"Yeah, it's not the best trait," Cress sighed, stepping into the home. "Good to see you, Spinnet."
"You as well, Calvert," Alicia answered.
"Well, you're here just in time," Gen started, pouring another glass of wine for Cress. "We were JUST getting into Alicia's FAVORITE topic: boys."
"Oh I do love some good gossip," Cress smiled, taking the wine glass that Gen was offering to her.
"We wanna move this to the couch or-?" Gen asked.
"Sure," Cress replied.
"As long as you and Ollie haven't shagged on it lately," Alicia shot back, causing Gen to let out a loud laugh.
"I'm not an animal, Liss! I've got the goddamn sense to clean it after," Gen said, rolling her eyes playfully.
"Well, alright then," Alicia said, as they all situated themselves down on the big couch. Gen curled up in the left corner, while Alicia sat in the middle, closer to Gen with Cress on the end of it.
"Cheers, ladies!" Cress began, holding her glass.
"Cheers."
"Cheers."
"So you and Adrian?" Gen asked, curiously. Part of her wanted to know as a friend and part of her wanted to know because Adrian was her best friend and she felt a little protective of him.
"Yes, me and Adrian are good. I can't believe that it's lasted this long, especially since we don't even live in the same damn city. Apparating helps. It helps loads," Alicia began, raising her wine glass to her lips and taking another sip. Gen glanced over to her record player, waving her hand to activate it to play.
"I know all about that," Cress groaned, followed up with an exasperated sigh.
"It's fun. We both have such busy lives that it's nice to get away. I'll go to London to when things get a little dull around Falmouth while he comes to Falmouth and it's a bit of a retreat for him I think," Alicia explained. "He's funny. A bit of an arsehole sometimes but what did I expect from a Slytherin? Not to me but… sometimes the things he says about the rest of the world…"
"Yeah, he's a bit jaded from everything he's seen with the war and then being a lawyer, you know," Gen added.
Alicia nodded, "I don't know. I guess I just thought after the war we'd rebuild and build something better but… we often get into little tiffs about what an optimist I am and what a bloody pessimist he is."
Gen chuckled, "Sounds like Ady."
"Well, what about you? I don't think I've seen you since… well since the ball, Cress. You still dating Bennington?" Alicia asked, shifting the attention to the red haired witch.
"No, that didn't last that long," Cress blushed, taking another sip of her wine as well.
"I'm sorry, love," Alicia said.
She shook her head, "Thanks, but it's alright. It just didn't work… with the distance and how hard we both work. It wasn't the right time but, I don't know. If we ever ended up in the same team I'd revisit the idea."
"Don't let her fool you. She was quite upset when they first decided to split ways," Gen pointed out.
"I was! Poor Gen. I came over crying and we had to kick Wood out," Cress chuckled.
"Eh, he was alright," Gen reassured with a laugh.
"Heartbreak sucks, huh?" Alicia asked.
"I'll sure as hell cheers to that!" Gen replied, raising her glass for yet another clink. She lifted her glass to her lips, finishing the pour, then reached for the bottle of wine she had brought to the living room to refill her glass. "Anyone want more?"
"I'm low! I'm low!" Cress cheered, jokingly. "Besides no one will hold a candle to Mr. and Mrs. Wood over here."
"Merlin!" Gen exclaimed, rolling her eyes at the playful teasing.
"I said the exact same thing earlier!" Alicia chimed in.
"We are NOT perfect. I promise you that. We've certainly had our fair share of struggles. Besides, we haven't been together for that long anyways so I think you ladies are jumping the gun here," Gen said.
"A strong six months is pretty damn good, Zhao," Alicia pointed out.
"And he's totally absolutely head over heels for you and you know it!" Cress added, sending a wink to Gen.
"Cress, you think you have enough wine?" Alicia teased, eyeing the heavy pour that Cress had given herself.
"Oh shut it," Cress said back, raising the glass to her lips for a sip. "I'm drinking my sorrows away tonight about Williams and Wood being at the second round of trials instead of me."
"You and me both," Alicia groaned, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, it didn't make any sense to me that they were invited to the trials and you weren't. Weren't you in the running?" Gen asked. Oliver was gone for the weekend again for the second trial that they held in the spring. After this one, they'd make a decision and let the players know who they were recruiting for the World Cup team.
"Yes, but they decided to take a few beaters from the league instead… male players," Cress huffed. "Is it just me or is the League so damn sexist?!"
"SO sexist!" Alicia exclaimed. "If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't asked to the trials either."
"No, it doesn't! You're a brilliant player and Merlin be damned so am I!" Cress cried out. "But they take male players every damn year."
"Agreed," Gen said. "I see it all the time. It's a damn shame."
"Well, I propose we change it. With Gen behind the scenes doing groundbreaking training work and us two as athletes… there's no way we can't push against the damn glass ceiling, Cress declared.
"I'll definitely drink to that!" Alicia exclaimed.
"Count me in!" Gen agreed. She smiled to herself and enjoyed the full feeling of these wonderful friendships she'd been developing. She had grown up mostly with guy friends and it felt nice to be able to have a wine night - no boys allowed. "Ladies, I'm really glad to know you."