30th Kiss

"Hey Arianne! Are you already drunk?" Aries called out, his laughter ringing through the air.

"What? You're the one who's drunk!" I shot back, trying to maintain my composure. The room seemed to sway slightly, but I refused to admit it to him.

"Hahaha! You're definitely drunk! You're a lightweight!" he teased, his laughter infectious.

"Come on, Aries! I'm not drunk! What's so amusing?" I questioned, puzzled by his hysterical laughter when there was nothing particularly funny.

"I have no idea! But hey, I'm laughing! Hahaha!" he exclaimed, passing me a shot glass brimming with alcohol. "Cheers, even though there's nothing to laugh about. Hahaha!"

"Cheers!" I echoed, joining in his laughter before taking a sip. How many shots had I consumed? One? Two? Three? I'd lost count. All I knew was that earlier, I had just wanted to retire home to sleep, but Aries had persisted until he convinced me otherwise. This guy was relentless.

"Why are you laughing?" Aries inquired.