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“What the fuuuuck” she whispered to herself, chewing on a nail while staring at her reflection in the full length mirror.
She had decided to wear a little royal blue skater dress to the party, but is now starting to think it would look better on anyone else. Catching her reflection in the mirror she started to wonder if the dress even looked good on her, focusing on the small mounds of her chest. Are my boobs too small for the cut of this dress? I have a bruise on my left knee from my recent semi-public tryst with Ben. Is it just the light or the dress or have I gained weight? God, my hair looks ridiculous.
She knows the same old insecurities in her mind right now are just imposter syndrome but she still has days where she can’t help but let the thoughts in. Yeah well, growing up in an abusive foster home while attending public school will do that , she thinks. So will working in a male dominated field alongside men who say things like "Why don't you take a seat and let the men handle this machine."
She sighs in frustration, going to a party on a poor mental health day was going to be interesting. She knew she needed to put her happy and supportive girlfriend face on, this was in celebration of Ben, after all. Her boyfriend had just been head-hunted by a very prestigious engineering company and had accepted the position of Lead Engineer on a new project which included a sizeable pay rise. Normal people wouldn’t consider this an occasion to throw a house party, a night out for drinks, maybe, but their friends Poe and Finn loved any reason to celebrate.
She had been friends with Finn since the 6th grade. They were in a foster home together, and while separated for a few years, they found their way back to each other and have been inseparable since. Eventually meeting Rose in college, who was Rey's freshman dorm mate. All three together had met Poe when he was a TA for a class they took together and who would eventually go on to introduce them to Ben and Hux, setting Ben and Rey up on a blind date. Rey and Ben had ended up being the Maid of Honor and Best Man at Finn and Poe's wedding not long after. Rey smiles to herself remembering how quickly they became enamored with one another, sneaking off during the reception not just once but twice .
“Hey Sunshine?” Ben’s deep baritone voice came, slightly elevated, from the bathroom, shaking her from her thoughts. “Can you pick out a watch for me? Also, have you seen my glasses?”
Rey chuckled to herself. Ben was always losing his glasses, which were always in the most obvious of places. She grabbed them from her bedside table ( who knows why they were there ) and went to the dresser, to rifle through his watch collection. Rose loves to make fun of him for having a watch obsession and not “just wearing an iWatch like everyone else”. She picked out a watch with a dark blue face and brown leather band with small dots that make the watch face look like the night sky, thinking it was fitting for his new job.
“Are you ready? I’ll call an Uber in-…. Oh! Wow” He was staring at her. She blushed, wondering what he was thinking when he says “You look…..” Horrible? Like I’ve gained weight? Like I need to re-do my hair and rethink my entire life and wardrobe choices?
“Amazing. I really… really.. like that color on you.” Oh! She looks up at him in shock, not entirely sure why she’s so surprised at his praise and the look on his face that promises a multitude of lustful thoughts. He compliments her appearance regularly but her own mental image of herself is currently too negative to believe him. She blushes furiously and says a small ‘thank you’ while handing him his things. “What? What is the look on your face for?” Ben asks, one eyebrow raised.
I think I look like I’m not good enough for you but somehow I’ve kept you around for two years and I’m starting to wonder when the fog is going to lift from your brain and you will leave me for a real woman with nicer tits, a better job and no mental health issues, but whatever. “ It’s nothing! Just thought this dress was a little too low cut." He laughs heartily, wiggling his eyebrows and says “That’s why I like it.” These words and his facial expression and the fact that he moves to high five her cause her to giggle and return the high five. “Alright alright let’s go, Fabio. I know that look on your face and if we don’t leave right now you are going to cause us to be very la- BEN!!”
He pounces on her during her sentence, lifting her onto the countertop and sliding a hand up her thigh while his mouth is on her throat. Okay.. Maybe we can be a LITTLE late…
“-so IM having this wild dream about being chased by aliens in Hawaiian shirts, don’t even get my started on THAT, when I get RUDELY woken up by BEN, rolling over and SNEEZING on my FACE, then LAUGHING hysterically and falling back to sleep! I mean,. WHAT! First, the dog is sleeping on my hair then-.. What? Why do you have that look on your face? Are you about to sneeze?” The party is in full swing and Rey and Rose are outside on the balcony giggling together, Rey halfway through a story when she notices Rose staring at her with an expression on her face that looks like she could either sneeze or cry, she isn’t entirely sure.
“Huh? OH! Nothing, nothing. Yes, my nose just felt a little tickle, that’s all.” Rose supplies, a little too quickly.
They are acting really weird tonight.. Rey thinks. Earlier she had seen a text on Ben’s phone from Hux saying “Good luck”. Good luck for what? He already got the awesome job. Eh, don’t think too much about it, they are a strange couple.
Rey turns to her right and can see her boyfriend through the open window of Poe and Finn’s condo, talking to the couple animatedly. He is so handsome.. She thinks to herself. He’s wearing a flattering yet casual light blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and black denim jeans that are tight in all the right places. He’s running a hand through his wavy black hair and she thinks He looks deliciously edible, as always. Her and Rose move a bit closer to the window to get away from some people that are vaping by the balcony edge, rolling their eyes at each other with smirks on their faces when she realizes she can hear Ben’s voice and his conversation with Poe and Finn.
“I mean, did you SEE her tonight? She looks like a tiny little goddess! She’s so beautiful, it’s insane.” He is saying. Then Poe smacks a hand on his bicep,
“Bro, you gotta relax. Honestly both of you do but that’s not the point.” He shares a smirk with his husband. “You are both so stupidly in love with each other it’s honestly gross. Neither of you ever shuts up about how attractive you find the other one and that’s great and all but if you keep going, I’m going to throw up eventually.”
“Alright, alright, I’m sorry! I’m just so excited.” All three of them are laughing now as they move away, farther into the house. Rey is blushing furiously, extremely flattered that she overheard the person she is head over heels in love with, gushing about her to their friends. It’s such a wildly flattering feeling she doesn’t really know what to do with the emotion but she soon realizes that she’s standing up straighter and smiling like a less insane Cheshire Cat.
Rose’s eyes are glittering with mischief as she suggests “Hey, let’s go back inside and take tequila shots!”
“WOOOOH! God it burns so gooood!” Poe is howling after downing his tequila. Hux is banging his fist on the counter while Ben is trying his best to hide his coughs and Finn is bent over with his hands on his knees. Only Rey and Rose, of their friend group, can take tequila shots without any theatrics. “Ugh god, getting older sucks! Why is it so much harder to drink now?” Hux whines while Finn just lets out a small moan and nods in agreement. Ben runs a hand down Rey’s back and tugs lightly on the ends of her hair, just enough to make her scalp tingle and she grins up at him.
The stereo starts playing Propaganda by the Warbly Jets, a song that makes Rey want to get up and move, so she starts dancing, making her way over to the area where everyone else is dancing, Ben’s hungry eyes following her every move. After a minute he makes his way over to join her, their bodies moving in tandem. The song changes to Fever by Saint Slumber, a song on most of Ben’s playlists. She absently wonders if he made the playlist for tonight’s party. “ You give me fever.. fever.. when you kiss me, fever when you hold me tight. Fever in the morning, fever all through the night..” Ben sings along in her ear, his deep voice sounding more like a purr than human voice. “ Yeah I’m all shook up and I’m burning up and now the fever just won't go away” Rey’s cheeks burn and she can feel her chest flushed with color, she loves when he does this. She notices his hands are trembling.
They dance and hold each other close like this until the song ends and she stands on her toes to kiss him solidly on his perfect mouth. His eyes open and he smiles at her before grabbing her hand, stepping back and yelling “HEY EVERYONE! CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW FUCKING GORGEOUS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE IS??!!”
“Ben oh my god shh-“ Rey tries to shush him with a hand over his mouth but everyone has already turned in their direction, whooping and whistling and yelling general comments like “HELL YEAH!!” and “GET IT, REY!” making her blush furiously, hiding her face in her hands while Ben kisses her hair. He grabs her by the hand and says “Come on, Sunshine let's go outside.”
The pair make their way out onto the blessedly empty balcony, which now that Rey thinks about it, looks really cute with the new string lights Finn put up. “Sorry if that was too much. I just love you and I like to say it..” He rumbles softly as he pulls her close to him, swaying a little side to side with his hands on her waist. She grins, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him sweetly and giggling. “That’s alright, it was very sweet of you. Also, I love you a lot too.”
He’s staring at her like she’s the sun and he Icarus, desperate to be closer. “What’s u-“
“Will you marry me?” He cuts her off, his voice just a little shaky, like he’s been holding this in for days.
She blinks, did I hear that right? Is he serious? Am I drunk? “Ar-Are you serious??” she stumbles over her words, terrified that she didn’t hear him correctly, but completely flabbergasted. This was the last thing she expected to come from his mouth tonight, at a party to celebrate his achievement.
“Yes, Rey” Ben says, grinning down at her, “You are my best friend, and the only person I have ever truly loved. Marry me. Please.” His face looks a bit more serious now, his chocolate eyes pleading as he reaches into his pocket, pulling out the stunning engagement ring he had bought six months into their relationship.
Rey blinks again, stunned, then yells out “HELL YEAH I’LL MARRY YOU!”
She doesn’t even wait for his response before pouncing on him, kissing him soundly and wrapping her legs around his waist. He catches her, expecting it, grinning into her kisses, which are progressively getting more heated as the seconds pass. The party erupts in a roar of whoops, whistles and cheers, as they both turn in the direction of the house and see what looks like every single guest with their faces against the window, watching. Rose and Finn even have their phones out, pointed at them, grinning maniacally like they knew it was coming.
Honestly Rey wouldn't be surprised if she was the only one in their group who didn't know this was coming tonight. “BEN, YOU’RE SO ROMANTIC! YOU’RE DREAMY!” Hux screams with his hands cupping his mouth for a louder effect. Everyone starts to laugh and disperse, back to the party, the music and the booze.
Ben and Rey are both still giggling like mad, not breaking eye contact when Ben kisses her chastely and says “I love you.”
“I know.” She replies, thinking that she has to be the luckiest human in the galaxy.