There was a private room that led from one banquet hall into an entranceway for the main lobby. Amanda had found it and along with the bottle of champagne she had managed to steal, she found solace on the stairs. She kicked off her heels and ran her fingers through her straight hair. She sighed as the latest events repeated themselves in her head.

Larry Sawyer showing up and ruining the evening's festivities…check. Big check mark actually, although she hadn't counted on Lucas using that opportune moment to bust her out. She hated the guy but she did have to admit he had balls. He was "on to her" and had been for a while as he put it. She knew that and was fine with it but he was getting to close. She was going to have to put the brakes on Lucas Scott and it bothered her that she had no idea how although causing Brooke to get pissed off at him was somewhere on the right track.

But as quickly as the worry ran through her, it stopped. She could handle Lucas Scott. He was an easy mark. Hell, they all were. She had the situation under control. All she had to do was bide her time and keep looking like the good one and everything else would fall into place.

Amanda laughed out loud just thinking about it. It was a thrill. She loved the power and being in control. She hadn't even thought the plan all the way out but it didn't matter. Whatever it was, she would figure things out in the end and it would all work to her advantage.

Popping the cork, she smiled as some of the bubbly spilled out. She was no lightweight and no stranger either to open bottles. Putting her mouth over it, she took the bottle to the head and downed a huge gulp. It felt good burning her throat. She loved to drink. In fact, she cursed herself for not yanking a second bottle as she continued to greedily ingest the liquid.

"Taking it like a champ, huh?" a deep and unfamiliar male voice laughed from the shadows.

Amanda froze. The most important thing was not to blow her cover. How would it look for everyone's angel to be getting drunk in a stairwell.

"Who…who wants to know?" she asked carefully.

A man with brown hair emerged into the light. She had seen him at the party that night but not before that. He was cute, but not overly good looking. He had a great smile and she could see his eyes undressing her body. He was no Nathan Scott but nevertheless a half way decent suitable substitute.

"We haven't met but I saw you earlier. Are you a friend of Jake and Peyton's?"

Amanda raised an eyebrow. A safety net, maybe? Obviously he didn't know who she was.

"You could say that. And you? I take it you're a friend of the happy couple as well?"

"I am. We kind of go way back."

She looked at him. His black jacket was opened and his white shirt, rumpled and halfway unbuttoned. Any previous reservations were blown away when her eyes caught the endings of the six pack exposed on his lower torso. She was a sucker for a hard body.

"Really?" her eyes twinkled. "I guess you could say I'm a new friend."

"You from around here?" he asked.

"Yeah but you ask a lot of questions", Amanda took another swig.

"Only because I'm interested…and because you're beautiful."

She laughed out loud and put the bottle down long enough to put her hands together for him in applause.

"That was a great line, buddy. Really", she giggled sarcastically. "You might want to go back out there and work on your game."

"Okay, okay", he grinned embarrassed. "You're onto my secret. I have no game."

"Obviously…"

"How about we start over? Tell me your name."

He sat on the steps beside her.

"Mandy", she tossed her hair. "And you?"

"What?"

"You have a name, right? I told you mine, it's only fair you tell me yours."

He flashed a smile.

"Tim. Tim Smith…but uh, my friends call me, The Tim."

"Is that right? Well, I'll stick to just Tim and since we're working on stepping up your game, can I just tell you that it isn't too cool to refer to yourself in the third person?"

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good."

"Now tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Who are you here with? And what's a pretty thing like you chugging champagne like you just escaped from the Betty Ford Clinic?"

"You do ask a lot of questions."

"Like I said…I'm interested. And I have all night."

"Not much to tell", she shrugged. "My brother works for the team and that's how I met Jake and Peyton. I'm 22 and I go to school here at the University of Miami…I'm finishing up my last year. School has been kicking my ass this semester and I'm pre med so what's the big deal if a girl has a drink or two for some relaxation? I definitely deserve it."

"Pre med, huh? You have to really be smart for that."

Amanda blushed.

"Well, I hate to toot my own horn but…"

"I could toot it for you", he volunteered.

"Is that a proposition, Mr. Smith?"

"Depends", he said in a low voice.

"On?"

"How my game is doing now?"

She grinned.

"Better. You're definitely improving."

She offered him the bottle and let him polish off the rest of the drink. Tim sat it on an empty step, his hand resting on her bare knee.

"Looks like you're all out of bubbly", he observed.

"Too bad", she whispered. "I wonder where I could get some more that didn't involve me returning to that suck fest in there they're calling a party. Any ideas, Tim?"

He smirked.

"This is a pretty big hotel. I'm sure we could find something."

Amanda nodded.

"Do you have a room here? While you're in town, I mean."

Tim smiled.

"I have a room upstairs", he said pulling out the credit card like key in his pocket for good measure.

Amanda slid on her shoes, not oblivious to the fact that her newfound friend had an eyeful as the dress slid up her shapely leg.

"Here's the deal…I need more alcohol, you owe me and I um…well, I haven't seen much of the hotel. Maybe you could give me the grand tour?"

Her voice was husky and seductive, her eyes locked onto his as se reached out for his hand and he gladly accepted it. He led her out into the main lobby and when the coast was clear, they headed for the elevators.

Tim was so giddy, he could barely contain himself. He hadn't lost his touch. He had managed to score an incredibly hot chick. An incredibly hot college chick at that. He was no fool. He had seen all the Girls Gone Wild DVDs. He knew how rowdy the college girls could get and it was right up his alley.

The elevator arrived at his floor and the doors opened. She stepped out first, leaving his smiling face lingering behind.

"You coming?" she licked her lips as she walked ahead.

Tim rubbed his hands together. It was going to be one hell of a night. College girls. This shit is too easy, he thought to himself as they headed towards his suite.