The next day Peyton and Riley really didn't have much time to talk. Peyton told her daughter Lucas's plans, and that they had a lunch date with him next weekend. Riley wasn't thrilled, and refused to go, but Peyton told her that wasn't an option. The rest of the day was filled with unpacking, cleaning, and rearranging. By four, most of the work was done, and both needed to get ready to go over to the Scott's.

"Riley! Are you ready?" Peyton called up the stairs.

"Why do I even have to go?" Riley suddenly appeared.

"Because, you were invited, and they are two of my oldest friends, and your aunt and uncle and cousins." Riley stared at her mother. "It'll be fun, now come on. Let's go."

"Hi!" Katie answered the door.

"Hello." Peyton greeted. "How are you tonight?"

"I'm good. Mom and Dad are in the kitchen. Riley do you want to see my room?"

"Not really." Riley murmured under her breath.

"She would love to." Peyton said giving her daughter a look. "Go on, Riley." Peyton walked around the corner and into the kitchen. "Nathan." She smiled at the sight of her once high school sweetheart. "How are ya?"

"I'm great." He hugged her. "How are you? Where's Ri?"

"I'm good. She went with Katie to see her room." Through the sliding glass window Peyton could see Jamey and his brother Eric playing basketball. "Just like their daddy." She said smiling.

"Boys come in, and say hello to Peyton." Hailey called through the open door.

"Hold on the game is almost over." Jamey yelled back. "Just let me make this" he tosses the ball towards the hoop effortlessly and watches as it goes in, "last shot." The two headed in.

"Hey Peyton." Jamey said walking over. He was tall, but looked more like his Uncle than his father. His hair was blonde, and his eyes piercing blue.

"I swear you get taller every time I see you."

"And you," she turned to the younger Scott brother, "you get more and more handsomer every time I see you." Eric who had just turned 12 was the spitting image of his father.

"Thanks." He said sheepishly, "Where's Riley?"

"Upstairs with your sister." The two boys headed off to find their cousin.

--



"And, this is Bell. She's my favorite." Katie was showing Riley all her dolls.

"She doesn't care." Eric said as he entered his sister's room.

Thank God. Katie thought at the site of her older cousins. "Hey guys."

"Hey. We've come to rescue you." Jamie walked in. "Come on, let's go out back." The three left, but were followed by the fourth.

"Where are you guys going?" Hailey asked as the three headed to the back door.

"Just out back." Eric answered as they walked through the door.

"Hey." They stopped at the sound of Nathan's voice. "Stay away from the pool." Nathan stared at the two boys. "I mean it." He wanted to make sure the message was clear.

"We will, Daddy." Katie assured him.

"I wasn't talking about you." He smiled at his little girl, "But thank you."

"We will." Jamie told his father and they headed outside.

"So what do you want to do?" They were sitting at the patio table staring at the pool.

"Eric, why don't you go away so me and Riley can talk?"

"No I don't have to," the younger brother argued.

"You're such a pest. Now leave." Riley laughed. It was like this all the time. There was four years between the brothers and the rivalry was thick. They loved each other, there was no doubt about that, but they couldn't get along to save their lives.

"No."

"Yes, or else I'll throw you in the pool."

"Do it. I dare you. Dad'll be so mad."

"I will." Jamie stood up, and his brother ran inside. "He's such a dork sometimes." Jamie laughed.

"He's cute though." Riley smiled as Jamie sat back down. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, there's a party tonight, and I was wondering if you would want to come?"

"I don't know."

"Awe, come on. It'll be lots of fun. A buddy of mine is throwing it down at his beach house; lots of free alcohol and good music. It'll give you a chance to meet some people too." Her cousin flashed her a smile that she couldn't refuse.



"Okay, but I better not get into any trouble." She warned.

"You won't. We basically run this town."

Riley laughed, "I'm sure you do."

--

Dinner was over. The adults were sitting on the patio laughing over a bottle of wine. "You probably need to go home and change first?" Jamie asked as he walked down the stairs.

"Yeah."

"Okay, let's just tell the parentals we're leaving, and then we'll swing by." They walked onto the patio. "Mom we're going to go now."

"Remember the rules. No drinking or drugs, and be home by 12. "

He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "I know. I know."

"I just wanted to be sure."

"Same goes for you." Peyton looked at her daughter. "Make sure she gets home safe." She told Jamie.

"Of course." And the two were off.

The party was not at all what Riley expected. She thought it was going to be some lame excuse for a party, but it was actually pretty cool. The second they walked in Jamie was offered a beer, but he declined because he had to drive. "You don't drink?" Riley questioned.

"No, I do, but I have to make sure I get you home safe and sound. Mother's orders remember?" He teased her.

"Whatever." She said taking a beer for herself. Jamie introduced her to some people, and she quickly joined a group of people playing a drinking game. Jamie went off after some girl leaving Riley to fend for herself. She met a few more people, and drank a few more beers. She was beginning to feel pretty tipsy. She didn't really drink much back home, but she was nervous tonight, and alcohol made her feel more comfortable.

"Hey!" A girl from across the room called. "Hey you!" Riley turned to see a girl walking towards her. "I'm supposed to tell you that he" she pointed at a cute boy in the corner "wants to talk to you."

"Okay." Riley smiled. She was drunk, and would have followed any one. "Hi!" She said happily as she neared the boy. "I'm Riley. What's your name?"

"Tyler." He had dark mysterious eyes. "You just moved here, right?"

"Yep. My drinks all gone." Riley said turning the cup upside down to prove it to him.



"Don't worry. I have a whole tray of shots here." He showed her the tray filled with different colored shots."

"I'll have that one." She pointed to a random one, and down it quickly after he handed it to here. Then she did another one.

"Want to go upstairs? Somewhere quieter." He asked her.

She knew that it wasn't a good idea, but at the moment she didn't care. She was drunker than she had ever been. She followed him towards that staircase, but it was almost 12, and Jamie was walking downstairs to find her. "Where are you going?" Jamie asked seeing his cousin with some guy he didn't recognize.

"I'm going with um, uh… What's your name again?"

"Tyler." He laughed.

"No, no you're not. You're coming with me." Jamie grabbed her arm.

"Man, leave her alone." Tyler pushed Jamie.

"She's my cousin, and I'm taking her home. Now. So back off." Jamie warned.

"And if I don't?" Riley was watching the two of them as though she was watching a tennis match. Back and forth, back and forth.

"Then I'll have to make you." Tyler was right in Jamie's face.

"You don't want to do that man." Jamie said staring him down. "Now, I'm about to get really pissed off. So I advise you to walk away." In the meantime, half of the guys standing in the room were walking up behind Jamie; showing Tyler exactly whose side they would be in if anything started.

"Whatever." Tyler walked off, and Riley tried to follow, but she fell. Jamie caught her, and basically carried her to the car.

"Why'd you do that?" Riley slurred as they left the house. "He was my friend!"

"Shut up Riley. You're drunk, and we're going to be late." He forced into the car, and put her seat belt home. She whined the whole way home, but he ignored her. He had dealt with drunk girls before. He pulled up to her house, but Peyton's car wasn't in the driveway. "Shit, she must still be at my house. You got your keys right?"

"No. I must have left them. Oh well, guess we have to go back." She smiled.

"I'm not taking you back there." He looked down at the clock. It was already 5 till 12. "Look, we're going to go back to my house, and get the keys from your mom, and then I'll bring you home. Okay." He told her. "You stay in the car."



"Stop telling me what to do." She yelled at him.

"Fine, do whatever you want." He drove back to his house. He got out of the car, and Riley followed. "I really think you should stay in the car." He told her, but she didn't care.