Sean glanced over at Craig.  He had fallen asleep on the couch while they were watching Fight Club.  Sean stood up from the chair he was sitting in and stretched.  He went into the kitchen, opened the pizza box that was still sitting on the counter from hours ago, and helped himself to the last slice of pizza.  He opened the fridge to get a pop to wash it down with, but his eyes fell on the liquor bottle on the bottom shelf.  He glanced back at Craig over his shoulder, and then pulled the bottle out.  He twisted off the top, and took a long swig.

            "Don't hog it all."

            Sean nearly choked.  He turned around to see Craig coming into the kitchen.  "Craig, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

            He grabbed the bottle from Sean.  "Don't be sorry, just share man."

            Sean stared in disbelief as Craig took a long drink from the Vodka bottle.  "What are you doing?"

            "What, I'm not allowed to drink?  Come on Sean.  We've got a house to ourselves.  I think we can find better things to do than fall asleep to movies."  He twisted the cap back on the bottle and put it back in the fridge.  "But we need a different bottle.  Joey will notice if we finish this off."  Sean was still dumbfounded.  Craig laughed.  "What, you think you're the only one who's ever wanted to get drunk?"

            He shook his head.  "Aren't you just full of surprises."

            "Yah, I guess.  Come on, Joey keeps most of his liquor in the basement.  We can steal a few bottles, he won't notice."

            Sean followed Craig into the basement.  In a far corner, there were stacks of bottles.  "Geez, does Joey drink a lot?"

            "No, not really.  Some of it's left over from Snake's bachelor party, but I don't understand why he keeps most of this stuff.  He'll never notice it's gone."

            "Are you sure?"

            "I've done it before."

            "In that case, grab some rum."

            A few minutes later, the boys were back upstairs with a bottle of rum and a few beers.

            "Why didn't you pull this stuff out at the last guys' night?"

            "I don't know.  I didn't think any of you would be interested.  Except maybe Spinner and he can barely handle string cheese."  They both laughed.  Craig ran his fingers through his hair.  "Uh, besides I didn't want to insult you or anything, what with your parents being alcoholics and all."

            Sean could have done without the last comment.  He didn't really want to think about them right now.  "Let's not talk about that okay?  I'm nothing like my parents.  I can have a few drinks and not become an alcoholic."  He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince, Craig or himself.

            "Hey, no problem," he said, while mixing rum and cokes.  He glanced at the clock.  "But, uh, let's move the party upstairs in case Joey gets home early."

*****

            An hour and a half later, the two had finished up the rum and were starting in on the beer.

            Sean was definitely feeling the effects.  "I would be in so much trouble if Tracker knew what I was doing."

            "It's not like he's never been drunk before, right?"

            "I doubt it.  He threatened to call my social worker if I ever drank again.  I'm not even sure that's a bad thing.  Maybe she would send me back to live with my parents where it would be even easier to get my hands on alcohol."

            Craig stared at Sean quizzically.  "You're kidding, right?"

            Sean laughed.  "I think you've had too much.  Yes, of course I'm kidding.  I'm just saying, what would calling my social worker accomplish?  It's not like she's gonna rip me out of Tracker's house."

            "It must be weird to not live with your parents."

            "You don't live with yours."

            "Well, yah, but Joey's the closest thing to a dad I've ever known.  It's different than living with your brother."

            Sean shrugged.  "He's the closest thing I've ever had to a dad."

            A door slammed downstairs, interrupting their conversation.

            Craig looked at his watch.  "Shit, that's Joey."  He grabbed the empty bottles and hurriedly threw them in his closet and hid the full bottles under his bed.  He grabbed a pack of gum from his night stand and threw a piece at Sean as the footsteps started up the stairs.  "Here, chew this."

            They had no sooner shoved the gum in their mouths and resumed playing cards than Joey knocked on the door and walked in.  "Hey Craig, hey Sean."

            "How was the date?" Craig asked, trying to play it cool.

            Joey smiled.  "Not too bad."  He glanced at Sean.  "You spending the night?"  Sean nodded.  "Okay, don't stay up too late."  He left the room, and shut the door behind him.

            Craig breathed a sigh of relief.  "Close one."

            Sean shook his head.  "That was just too easy."  He couldn't believe they had gotten away with it.  He smiled as Craig handed him another beer.  "We should really do this more often."  Sean had already forgotten about the promises he had made to Emma and Tracker.  He was only thinking of himself, only thinking of the next time he could escape reality.