Vodka and school bells don't mix. Momming and vodka don't mix. Alcohol, once the elixir of her life, turned enemy this morning.

Jaycee felt 40 instead of 17, despite drinking very little, but three years of complete sobriety would do that to anyone. She'd only drank one glass by the time Spinner dropped off her car but her vision doubled at his sight; four annoying Gavin Mason's in her doorway instead of one. She crashed shortly after, seven hours of sleep feeling like seven minutes.

She'd dozed through her first few classes and expected math to go about the same.

Her eyes fluttered closed while she let her chin rest in the palm of her hand. A string of drool webbed itself at the heel of her hand as Liberty sat in the neighboring desk. Her body jerked at her arrival, bringing her back to attention.

"What did you do last night? You've barely been here all day."

Jaycee rubbed a hand over her eyes, "Girl, don't get me started. My friggin' Jeep broke down after school. I tried to fix it myself but my knowledge of cars is nonexistent. Spinner was there, absolutely insisted on being my saving grace, had my car towed and fixed up by some guy named Jay, and chauffeured me every where. It was annoying. He was annoying."

Liberty tapped the eraser end of her pencil on the desk, contemplating her next words carefully. They were never close but she knew he didn't deserve to be iced out by Jaycee over two simple meetings. She also understood why Jaycee was so guarded, too. She identified traits of her own in her, her behavior towards Spinner was similar to how she treated JT at times. "You need to cut him some slack. I say this because we are alike in so many ways; blunt, guarded, independent," she drew in a deep breath before continuing, "Last year, he inadvertently got his best friend shot. You know Jimmy Brooks? He confessed, got expelled, lost all his friends. This is first year back since and he's just looking for a place to fit in. This means nothing to you, but he went so far as to join Friendship Club. Can you imagine being so lonely you voluntarily join a group of Christians? Be nice, that's all I'm suggesting."

Guilt seeped into her self righteous bones, stinging to the marrow. She was once told she had a fierceness in her eyes that scared people away. Yet Gavin Mason has not been scared. Maybe that meant something. She couldn't imagine being exiled the way he had, he thrived on friendship the way she did loneliness.

"Fine. FINE, I'll play nice. There's not a soul on this planet that can make me feel inferior," she placed her hand on Liberty's and gave it a squeeze, "But damn if I'm not delighted to have you put me in my place."

Liberty eye'd her lingering hand. She liked that she was able to humble Jaycee, if only for a moment. The fact she took her lecture as a compliment only proved further how likely a pair the two were. Call it cheesy but this moment would forever mark the beginning of their friendship. "I'm always happy to throw around some harsh truths, should you need it in the future. You wanna come over after school?"

"I can't today, gotta start the job hunt today. His hero act didn't end at fixing my car and driving me around, he also paid for half my groceries when I was short on cash. Settle for lunch, though?"

...

Somehow, Spinner managed his way back into Marco's good graces. It was a start.

The two were mid conversation when Liberty and Jaycee bounced by, discussing off campus lunch options. He waved at them, earning a small smile from Jaycee.

Marco's eyes followed them, waiting until they were out of ear shot to speak, "Someone told me that new girl has a kid."

Spinner nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, that's Jaycee. She has a two year old."

Marco's brows furrowed together, wondering how Spinner knew that to be fact. He slapped Spinner's chest, urging him to continue. "It's impossible to keep up with you, man. One second you're crazy committed to Friendship Club, saving yourself for marriage, the next you're trying to get with a single mom? Indecisive, much?"

"It's not even like that, Marco. Her car broke down yesterday, I helped her fix it and took her to run a few errands. Not a big deal. I mean, she's kind of a dick but I'm seriously lacking in the 'friend' department."

Marco looked down at his feet, pointing his toes together, "Spin, I know you've been busting your ass to redeem yourself, he'll see that on his own time. It's awesome that you're trying to help her, I'm proud of you for that. Let's go get some lunch."

...

"Ready to get Mom a job?" Jaycee's eyes flicked to the rear view mirror to her son's smiling reflection.

"Job, job, job. I want a job, too." Bentley babbled, bouncing up and down in the car seat. She shook her head as she swung around to the backseat and pulled him from the car seat. His job was to stay two forever.

Moral compass pointing in the wrong direction, she placed Bentley on her hip and walked into The Dot. She sneered at the sight of it, knowing she'd be exposing herself to more time with Spinner Mason. Money was money, though.

"Can I speak to a manager, please? Thanks."

The guy at the counter nodded, giving her bedroom eyes before walking into the back room. Creepy.

Karma would surely come back to bite her in the ass for using her son as a human application but she welcomed it, so long as it had a fat stack of cash in hand.

"Aw, you came to visit me at work. How sweet." Spinner's voice penetrated her thoughts. He had a rag in one hand and a smug grin on his face.

Oh, good Lord. "Don't flatter yourself, Gavin. I need a job." She served him an eye roll and put her back to him as the manager came up.

"Hi," Her lips turned upward into a manipulative smile and she offered a handshake to the hardened man, "I'm Jaycee, this is my son Bentley. I couldn't help but notice you're in need of a server, I happen to be in need of a job."

The manager, Rueben, eyed her. "You got an application, kid?"

"No but why would you need one? I'm here so let's get to interviewin'."

Spinner's head perked up behind the counter and he began to wipe at an imaginary spot on the counter, ready to watch her go toe to toe with Rueben. Although he knew Rueben would pretend to mull it around, put on a tough but firm boss image before finally conceding, he was interested in watching her guilt her way into a job.

The two bantered back and forth, he heard bits of their conversation: Rueben trying to get a word in edge wise while Jaycee gave a rather compelling speech about the bullshit of an interview process and how compared to being a mom, waitressing would be a calk walk.

"C'mon, you really aren't going to turn down a teen mom are you?" Guilt card officially pulled.

"Just give her the job, man. We go one more night shorthanded, you'll have a euphemism then we'll all be screwed." Spinner interjected, shaking the damp rag at him. "Save yourself a hospital trip, you hire damn near everyone to walk through that door. You hired me, she's a friend, consider me a reference.

Rueben's hand reached out and gripped the back of Spinner's neck firmly, "And I regret that decision every damn day, Mason. Tell you h'what: fill out an application, dump the kid and come back. You hold your own out there and the job's yours."

Success! "Your generosity is unmatched, sir. Oh and Gavin? The word your looking for is aneurysm, buddy."

Spinner winked, pointing fingers guns at her with the click of his teeth.

...

"Not bad for a kid learning the ropes," Rueben commented, counting through a stack of bills to divide tips for the night, "Congrats, kid, you got yourself a job. Take out the trash and you're free to go."

Jaycee nodded, spreading the money out in her hand. $80 for a five hour shift.

She threw the black sack of trash into the dumpster and sat on the curb, pulling out a cigarette and her phone. They way her body ached with swollen feet and back spasms brought her back to her to pregnancy days, when her belly was sheltering an eight pour baby, curving her back in unspeakably uncomfortable ways. A nice walk down memory lane. She brought the cigarette to her lips and lit it, inhaling its sweet carcinogens.

"Those things will kill ya."

She turned her head at Spinner, lugging three trashbags himself. He chucked them into the dumpster and sat next to her.

Jaycee cocked an eyebrow, "So will I, if you don't stop talking to me."

"You ever let your guard down? Must suck playing mean girl all the time." He knocked his knees gently against hers as he spoke.

"God, do you ever give up?"

"Hell, no. I'm going to annoy you with my friendship, your tough girl act doesn't scare me."

Jaycee tried her best to look aggravated, though his confidence had shaken her. He wasn't kidding. "Last I heard, you got your friends shot." She spoke against Liberty's lecture reeling in her head, looking him directly into his stupidly handsome face.

Her words didn't give the satisfaction she thrived off of, and when his expression changed from light to smoldering angry, face turning a nice shade of vermilion, she wished she could take them back as quickly as she said them.

Why do I say the things I say?

"Screw you, Jaycee." He spat, propelling himself off the curb side. She heard the metal trashcan land with a metallic clank after Spinner had sent his foot flying into it.

Fuck her.