"Drake! Dinner!" Audrey called. When Drake, knowing they were ordering Chinese, didn't come running, Josh rolled his eyesand sighed to himself. He knew all too well it meant Drake had snuck off to the party.

Don't cover for him, whatever you d-

"Josh is Drake still upstairs? I don't remember seeing him leave."

Josh turned away and bit his fist. There was no way she would approve of a party thrown by a relative of Trevor's. Or even Trevor alone for that matter.

Don't do it. Don't, "I-I'll go check. Maybe he couldn't hear ya." Way to not cover.

He made his way to their room and shut the door.

Pacing, he tried to come up with a good excuse to get out without mentioning the party.

Craig and Eric were always good for a distraction.

Using the home phone, he called his cell. On the first ring, he tore down the stairs.

"It's mine! I got it!" he cried, flipping it open, "Hey, Craig! How's it goin'?" He asked as he casually made his way back to the room.

All he needed now was an off the wall problem Craig could have that would be urgent enough to call Josh out. Deciding this being Craig, he didn't need to actually give a reason, except to say in passing as he headed out the door, "Drake sleepy. Eat later. Craig and Eric. Trouble. Need me... Bye!" Worked like a charm.

Audrey and Megan simply shrugged and nodded in silent agreement it just meant more for them.

-------------------------

"Drake, dude! You made it!" Trevor greeted, "Have one?" he added, handing Drake a beer.

"Nah, man. I'm just here to get Josh's wad in a knot."

"'Wad in a knot'?"

"Hey, anyone here? Ya know? For me?" He playfully nudged his friend.

"Ah, yeah, well, I thought you'd be here with Josh, but if you're really looking to tie him in a knot, there's that guy over there." He pointed to a brown-eyed brunette with the physique to rival a Greek God.

"Whoa." Drake couldn't believe his eyes. The guy looked as though he had been sculpted into his tight fitting jeans, "Yeah, he's healthy."

"Yeah, he's a surfer. And a big hit with chicks."

"Chicks?! Dude!"

"Nah, man! He's all yours! Chicks just like to look at him. And that girl he's taklin' to is his sister, my cousin's girlfriend."

"Awesome," he breathed to himself, "Hey, anything here I can drink?"

Trevor reached back into a cooler marked 'Goody-Goody Designated Driver Stuffs' - Trevor's attempted jab at Josh - when Drake noticed another cooler.

"Ooh, punch!" He dipped a cup in only to have Trevor smack it away, "Dude! I'm thir-"

"That punch is..."

"Looking good, I'm thirsty!" He dipped in for more and gulped it down before Trevor could stop him, "Wow! Good punch!"

"Uh, yeah, Drake, that's..."

Drake dipped in for more and sucked it down as fast as the last, "Ok. Feeling good. Ganna go round me up a 'God'." He announced as he dipped one more 'for-the-road'.

"Great, but..." Trevor tried once more to warn him, then shrugged and sighed deciding the damage had been done.

He watched Drake stumble toward the 'God', who seemed amused by the little drunk hitting on him.

Be careful, man. He thought, deep down hoping Josh would show.