Ripping through the contents of Jay's lucky silver flask, the strange pair found themselves a shade drunk within the hour as they watched an episode of the OC. Holly J's tear-stained cheeks were filled with color as she marinated it the warm buzz, feeling liberated from the hours of despair she'd felt all day. She watched Jay with intense amusement, as his deep love for the OC became less and less disguised with every swig of whiskey.

"Shut up, Marissa," he whined at the television, causing Holly J to chuckle. He looked at her. "Seriously though, she gets on my last fucking nerve. She's only entertaining when she's a lush. Those are the good Marissa episodes."

Holly J smirked as she took the flask from Jay's hand and stole another sip. She was thrilled to learn just how intimate Jay's knowledge of the show really went. Appearances were certainly deceiving. "Like when she was with Volchok."

Jay yanked the flask back and took an enormous gulp. He nodded fervently as he swallowed the burning liquor. "Exactly. Now that shit was hot. The episode where they first hook-up? Cinematic poetry. He sits there smoking a cigarette on her porch, and she's not even surprised at all; she throws open the door without even looking at him, he finishes his cigarette, and then strolls in and nails her." Jay's drunk smile widened. "Sexy stuff, man."

Holly J watched Jay's face with curiosity as he sat in a daze, unable to know what dirty thoughts were running through the greasemonkey's mind. She fidgeted. She remembered the episode, but the details of that particular moment hadn't spoken to her the way it had gotten to Jay. What is sexy, she wondered. She could feel the idea lurking on the edge of her imagination, and for one fleeting second, with the alcohol zipping like electricity through her veins, she wanted to know what a Marissa-Volchok moment felt like.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the melodic chimes of her cell phone. She picked it up off the coffee table in front of her and groaned at the name on the caller ID.

"It's Spinner," she said with a heavy sigh. Her drunk euphoria faded as she remembered the glaring reality that was waiting outside her safe bubble of inebriation. "He's probably pissed."

Jay shrugged. "Bosses tend to get that way when, you know, you don't show up for work." He thought for a moment and then chuckled in amusement. "Man, he would be even more pissed off if he knew I was here with you."

Holly J raised her eyebrows and pursed her pale pink lips in curiosity. "Why would that piss him off?"

"Ah, well, it kind of started the other night when I took you out for cards. He doesn't think you're, well, safe alone with me. You know, like I would take advantage of you or something."

Holly J started laughing, and Jay laughed softly along with her. But Holly J's laughter continued to rise, turning into a throaty cackle, turning her cheeks red until she was bent over, slapping her knee.

Jay furled his brow. "Um, is it really that funny?"

Holly J laughed even harder, and it took her a solid fifteen seconds just to catch her breath before she could speak. "Oh, come on," she said, still laughing. She wiped a tear from her eye. "You? Why would Spinner be worried about me being with you? I've got two eyes and a brain, don't I?"

Jay threw back a swig of whiskey and folded his arms indignantly. "Hey, girlie, I'm trouble. You might not realize it, but my dark and devilish charm could be working its way under your skin as we speak."

"Oh, is that what that is? I knew something around here was giving me hives." She playfully snatched the flask from his hands and stuck her tongue out just before taking another drink.

Jay narrowed his eyes at her carefree face. "I'm serious! You don't know it yet, but soon enough you'll be singing my name in your sleep, dreaming things your virgin mind has never even known." He began to dance his fingers melodramatically in front of her eyes, mimicking his hypnotic power.

"Ah," said Holly J. "But you already promised you wouldn't try to sleep with me."

"Ah-ha!" Jay exclaimed victoriously. He cupped his hand gently around her cheek, looking dramatically into her eyes, leaning closer. His whiskey breath floated placidly over her lips. "Already you've made your first mistake, believing promises from me. Now there's nothing to stop you from falling desperately in love with me."

She paused for a moment, soaking in his intent albeit playful face. Her eyes lit up as she grinned at him. "Nothing but common sense." She delicately moved his hand from her face and bit her lip as her mind jumped onto another train of thought.

"I wonder why Spin would go all protective like that," she mused dreamily, touching the whiskey to her lips once more as she contemplated. She couldn't suppress a smirk when she added, "Maybe he's jealous."

Jay's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Jealous? Jealous of what?"

Holly J blushed. "Nothing. I mean… I was just thinking out loud."

"Holy crap. You have a thing for Spinner!" Now it was Jay's turn to laugh, which he did without reservation, howling and pounding his fist on the coffee table.

Holly J sighed. It was strange how she found it impossible to lie to Jay, when it came so effortlessly with everyone else. "Okay, yes, fine, I kind of like him. Go ahead and tease me. Get it out of your system."

"No, hey, I think it's a beautiful thing," he drunkenly giggled. "Now, you do know the guy has one nut, right?"

"I do indeed. But… does Spinner know how much you love the OC?"

Jay's laughter came to a screeching halt. "You wouldn't."

"Jay, what wouldn't I do?"

Jay sighed. "Alright, got it. Teasing over. Ooey-gooey crush on Spinner still a secret."

Holly J smiled and pat his head. "Good boy."

…

The inebriated duo barreled on through a marathon of the OC until Jay's flask was empty and it was sometime after midnight. As the credits rolled once more, Holly J turned and saw that Jay had fallen into a deep sleep, curled up in the fetal position on the end of the couch. Drooling on her mother's expensive pillows. She found herself smiling.

She was startled when the doorbell rang, wondering who would possibly drop by at this hour. Still dressed in only a bathrobe, she walked cautiously to the door and slowly cracked it open.

"Anya?" she said in surprise, swinging the door immediately open. Though her emotions were dulled by whiskey, she still remembered the pang of Anya's earlier appearance at her house with Bhandari. "What are you doing here? It's after midnight."

Anya stood on the Sinclairs' front porch, frowning with her arms folded. "I couldn't sleep. I feel really awful about everything that happened today… I was hoping we could talk. Could I come inside?"

Only the alcohol burning in Holly J's veins would make her forgiving enough to let Anya back into her house. The girls retreated quietly to the living room. About to make herself comfortable on the couch, Anya let out a squeal of shock when she realize that there was a warm, living body balled up on the couch.

"Um, Holly J, I think there's a hobo asleep on your couch."

Jay's limp body convulsed suddenly and he muttered in his sleep. Anya squealed again. Holly J snorted.

"That's just Jay," she said, taking a seat in the armchair across from Anya. "Don't mind him."

Anya raised an eyebrow, barely able to tear her eyes away from the strange sight. "That creepy older guy? What's he doing… in your house?"

Holly J's hospitality wore thin at that precise moment. She folded her arms defensively, surprised by how ready she was to stand up for Jay. "We've been doing heroin all night, and tomorrow we're robbing a bank. That should give you something new and juicy to post to my hate group."

A flicker of sadness fell over Anya's face. "Look, Holly J… I'm sorry about what happened at school today."

"Tuh. You're sorry that four hundred people hate me enough to declare it all over the internet? Don't give yourself so much credit. That one's all on me." Her eyes fell. She wished there was more whiskey.

"People get carried away. I don't… I don't really know what to say. I don't know how I can make it better. But I do know that Degrassi wouldn't be the same without you."

"Tough cookies, MacPherson. I'm gone. If you cared so much, why wait until now to tell me?" Holly J could hardly believe the words were coming out of her mouth. She hated to let it show that she had actually missed Anya. That she actually needed someone.

Anya blushed and shrugged. "You can be so… so cold, sometimes. It was easy to think you didn't have any feelings."

Holly J clenched her fists, feeling angry and frustrated. "Yeah, well, you can be so pathetic sometimes."

Anya sighed. It was hard to sort through her conflicting emotions. It was hard to know if she really did hate Holly J, or if she still loved her. She stood up and walked over to where Holly J sat. "Well, look who's the pathetic one now? I just came to say I'm sorry, and I hope you change your mind. The Holly J I know wouldn't give up without a fight."

She reached out and gave Holly J's hand a squeeze. Weakly, Holly J squeezed back.

"See you at school tomorrow?" Anya asked hopefully.

Holly J didn't meet her eyes, but she nodded. Anya gave her a slight smile before walking out the door.

In the next moment, Holly J's mother pranced down the stairs, heaving a great sigh. "I'm going to bed, princess," she said to her daughter, bending over the armchair to place a kiss on her forehead. "In the morning we can wake up and go over to North Shore to start filling out enrollment forms."

Holly J sighed, shaking her head with a slight grin. "I don't think that will be necessary. Sinclairs don't down without a fight."

Mrs. Sinclair smiled. "I'm glad to hear you say that, honey. This will all blow over soon enough. You know, Heather's sophomore year that awful Michalchuk girl started this petition to--" The woman paused, gazing in astonishment across the living room. "Holly, why is there a hobo asleep on our couch?"