JENNIE

Having the noise and the chaos of the bar shut off from me calmed me down some. It really wasn't my friends' fault. I shouldn't be angry or upset with them. Lisa either. She'd been looking for something. Unknowingly, she'd been looking for a genuine, loving connection with someone. She'd just gone about it all wrong. Jumping into the physical aspect of a relationship without building up the emotional part of it. No wonder the feeling had never lasted long after the sex for her. No wonder she'd flitted from person to person, desperate and unhappy.

And besides, her past was her past, and just like we'd talked about today, it was all behind her. She'd found what she'd been missing. The only person she was being overtly sexual with was me…and that was the way it should be.

Laughing lightly as I organized stock shelves that didn't need organizing, I tried to imagine the funnier stories the girls had told about the group. I could just picture them all drinking stale coffee at some middle-of-nowhere rest stop, complaining about Jackson's crappy car.

Smiling at the image of Lisa in wet board shorts at a water park, I re-folded the stack of Pete's shirts for the third time. Eventually I'd need to go back out there. Maybe after I filled all of the extra salt shakers. Vaguely, I heard the sound of the door opening and closing, the noise of the bar increasing and decreasing. Sighing that an employee was messing with my chi, probably about to bite my head off for hiding out during the busiest night we'd ever had, I kept my back turned, trying to appear horribly busy in my quest for…something.

But then, I felt a body come up right behind me, way too far into my personal space. Alarm washing through me, I started to twist around. Strong hands rested against the shelves on either side of me with a firm, hard body pressed into my back. While my heart raced, a mouth hovered near my ear.

"Don't turn around."

My heart surged, racing through my veins and thudding in my ears. A list of horrible, life changing events passed through my mind. Was I being attacked? Was I about to be raped? Would anyone hear me scream back here? Would anyone rush to my rescue? Where was Lisa?

Panicked and scared out of my mind, I instantly turned around. Or I tried to anyway. The strong hands jerked my head straight. The body behind me pressed me up against the shelves, the arousal of the person evident against my low back. Oh God, so this was going to be rape then? I started shivering as the voice growled in my ear, "I said, don't turn around."

Just as I was debating which part of my body to hit the person first, my attacker started laughing. The ice and fear leeched from me as I instantly recognized the amused chuckle. Rolling my eyes, heat taking over fear, I twisted to face her.

"Lisa! You scared the shit out of me!" I smacked her in the chest, then did it again for good measure.

She backed away a step, then pulled my body flush to hers. Still chuckling, she shook her head. "You're disobeying me…" Grinning devilishly, she leaned her face against mine and backed me up into the shelves. I could smell the wave of alcohol on her breath. "I may just have to punish you tonight," she whispered.

It was so erotic, I instantly wanted her, then hated my treacherous body for submitting so fast. It was hard to think, though, with her evident pleasure now pressing right where I needed it. Grabbing my leg, she hitched it up her hip a little, and pressed that marvelous hardness against me even more. I groaned softly, closing my eyes and wrapping my arms around her.

"Don't…I'm mad at you," I muttered.

A low rumble came up her throat as her mouth attached to my neck. "It makes me hot when you're angry," she murmured, dragging the tip of her tongue from my neck to my ear. I sucked in a breath, my head dropping back to the shelf behind me while her ready body rubbed against me.

Oh, damn.

Her fingers deftly untucked my Pete's shirt, one hand dipping underneath to cup my breast. Her teeth lightly tugged on an earlobe before her hot lips closed around it. She groaned low and seductive as she pressed against me, and before I knew it, I was nearly panting, silently begging her to take me.

Hissing through her teeth, she murmured, "God, I want you…do you want me?"

The hand not engaged in fondling me, slinked inside of my jeans and darted inside my underwear. I exhaled in a rush, my eyes flying open. "No, Lisa, don't." I grabbed her hand right before her fingers could reach me. God, if she actually touched me…we'd be undressed and all over each other a second later. And I knew from experience that this room wasn't exactly secure.

Frowning, she pulled back to look at me. Or she tried to look at me. Her eyes focused and unfocused. "Why'd you stop me?" she said, slurring a little and blinking slowly.

Sighing, I tried to get her hand out of my pants; somehow she managed to inch it down a little more. "Are you drunk?" I whispered, bringing my other hand down to try and yank her up.

She laughed lightly, her stronger hand not budging, even with all of my efforts. God, I hoped no one walked in on us like this. "Probably," she giggled a little, "and I want that sex now."

Shaking my head, I set my mouth into a firm line. "No, I'm not having sex with you in the back room."

Frowning, she brought her lips to mine. I resisted, but she teased me with light flicks of her tongue against my skin and I had no choice but to let her in. My grip on her hand relaxed just a fraction, too. "Why not?" she murmured. "I had Pete fix the door…it's locked, if that's what you're worried about." Her hand slid down a half inch lower, and I let it. "Besides, it is my big night."

Summoning all of my will power, I pulled back from her mouth. "Why would you have Pete fix the door?"

She shrugged, heading back towards my lips. "I like it back here. This room holds…happy memories for me."

Avoiding her, I raised an eyebrow. "Happy? Us screaming at each other is a happy memory for you?" I cringed at the night we'd finally blown up at each other. It had been the worst verbal fight I'd ever been in, and hoped to ever be in again.

She grinned lazily, the alcohol flowing through her veins apparent in her features. "Remember what I said about your being angry making me hot?" The tip of her finger brushed over a curl below and I hissed in a breath, yanking her hand up a smidge. She grinned wider, then exhaled softly. "I told you I loved you in this room." Her voice wistful, she shook her head. "I should have said it earlier."

Seeing the love in her drunken haze, I smiled and released one of my hands from her arm to stroke her cheek. "Yes, you should have." Sighing, I shook my head. "And I should have said it back."

Her expression turned serious for a second and she lowered her head against mine, closing her perfectly deep eyes. "Yes, yes you should have." Giggling, she added, "You always were stubborn as shit, though. It took you forever to admit you even had feelings for me."

Pulling back from her, I frowned as deeply as I could with her hand still down my pants. She giggled more and leaned over to kiss me. "What? You know I'm right." Her tongue brushed against mine and I moaned. I considered letting her do whatever she wanted with me. She did get the door fixed after all…

Maybe sensing where my head was, or maybe too drunk to care, her hand slid down to cup my body. I groaned, aching with the need for her to lift a finger and touch me. She didn't, though, just held her hand there and passionately kissed me. Her breath was harder, and as my fingers reached down to tentatively touch her arousal, I could feel that it was harder too.

Wanting to scream, "Okay, okay, just take me!" I suddenly remembered the chaos we'd left in the bar. Releasing my hand from her, I pushed her shoulder back. "You have to go play, Lisa." Narrowing my eyes, ignoring the throbbing in my body, I looked over her slightly glazed face. "Can you even do that?"

Laughing, she nodded. "There's a lot I can do when I'm drunk." She laughed again and I frowned, also remembering the earlier revelations that had been made to me by my coworkers.

"Yeah, I hear you make out with Pete's waitresses on New Year's Eve when you're wasted."

She looked at me blankly, a dopey, satisfied smile on this face, then she frowned. "What?"

Rolling my eyes, I yanked on her hand still happy and content on my privates. "Kate, you ass. You never told me you almost had sex with her…Somi too."

She rolled her eyes and slurred, "I never got anywhere near sex with Somi. She said no. And Kate….doesn't count."

I narrowed my eyes, leaning into her face. She blinked as she readjusted her vision to look at me. "What do you mean she doesn't count?"

She shrugged slowly. "Almost doesn't count."

Grunting, I successfully yanked her hand free from my jeans. She openly pouted at me as I handed her hand back to her; she even gave me puppy dog eyes. Smiling, in spite of my objections to her comment, I shook my head. "What am I going to do with you?"

Her smile turned lascivious as her eyes locked onto my pants. "I could think of a few things."

Chuckling, I physically turned her around. Hopefully her…situation…wouldn't be too apparent to the patrons when I stormed her back out to the bar. That could be a little embarrassing for her. Then again, probably not. Lisa didn't get embarrassed by things that would have most people mortified. She'd probably just shrug and drink another beer.

She sighed morosely while I pushed her forward. I chuckled again, realizing something. She looked back at me once we got to the door. Frowning, she muttered, "What's so funny?"

Smiling at the look of insolence on her face, I grinned and laughed a little more. "Well…Casanova…since you are obviously living it up on your night, guess what I get to do later?"

She grinned again, bringing her still ready body around so she could press it into mine. Unfortunately, I was still ready too, and it felt, really, really amazing when we pressed together. I started to close my eyes but opened them when she mumbled, "Me?"

Pushing her back, I raised a finger in warning. "No…" Smiling innocently, I reached behind her to open the door. "I finally get to drive the Chevelle again."

She frowned and instantly started protesting, but I shoved her drunken ass through the door. There was no way I was letting her drive to the after party.

Just as she was back out into the hallway, adorably sputtering that she was fine and of course she could drive, she started ringing. Well, the cell phone in her front pocket started ringing, but since Lisa wasn't used to wearing one on her, she looked around herself like she had no idea why she was making noise. She started patting her body, looking for the source of the sound. Laughing, I stopped her hands and put one of them on the slight bulge that was her cell phone.

Giggling to herself as the people walking past looked at her oddly, she muttered, "Oh thank God, it's the phone. I thought my cock was ringing."

As my cheeks flamed bright red and my hand slapped over my mouth, Lisa dug her phone out of her pocket and answered it. Upon hearing her greeting, I instantly wondered if Lisa should be speaking on the phone in her condition. I also wondered who could be calling her…most of us were already here, or on our way here.

"Yo, talk to me," she spouted merrily, sitting back on a hip. Shaking my head at her, I rolled my eyes. Lord help whoever she was talking to. I figured out who that was a moment later. Her face dropping in complete surprise, Lisa loudly exclaimed, "Dude! Taehyung, man! You have, like, fuck-tastic timing. Tonight's my last show and Jennie and I were just—"

My eyes widened and I immediately tried to take the phone from her. Of all the people for Lisa to talk to drunk, Taehyung was the worst one. There were way too many delicate topics she could accidentally start talking about.

Glaring at me, Lisa twisted out of my reach, stumbling back a step. "Relax, Jennie, I wasn't going to tell him that you just blew me off." My mouth dropped open; she'd just said that directly into the phone and it sounded really, really bad. Her hazy mind registering what she'd done, Lisa blinked and quickly covered with, "Oh, Taehyung, not that she actually blew me or anything, she didn't, she doesn't really hang out down there, if you know what I mean," she paused to giggle, "and I guess you do, huh?"

Reattempting to snatch the phone away before the idiot told Taehyung everything that he didn't need to hear, I watched Lisa frown as she batted me away. "Sorry, man, you probably don't want to hear shit like that." There was a pause from Lisa as Taehyung spoke, then Lisa laughed. "Yeah, well, at least I didn't say you caught us in the middle of doing it… that would have been awkward."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. Idiot. Joking or not, Taehyung really didn't need to picture Lisa and I together. I heard silence and peeked an eye open at Lisa; she was frowning. "Taehyung? You still there?" After another second her frown lifted to a medicated smile. "No, the tour starts tomorrow, we're livin' it up for our last night in Seattle."

Sighing, I grimaced. I hadn't realized that Lisa had told Taehyung that she was leaving for a few months. I could just imagine what Taehyung thought about that. Taehyung probably wouldn't say anything directly, but I was sure, in his head, he was making some comparisons to when he'd left me.

Wondering how to get Lisa out of saying something stupid to her friend, potentially ruining the tenuous relationship that they had, I tried for the phone again. Lisa held me back at arm's length as she blabbered on. "Yeah, I know. Six months, Taehyung. On a bus, man! An actual tour bus, can you believe that shit?" Lisa paused, then tilted her head. "Yeah, I'm seriously buzzin'…why?"

Taking advantage of Lisa's brief moment of confusion, I snatched the phone out of her hand. Taehyung was laughing when I put the cell up to my ear. "Hey, Taehyung, it's me. Sorry about that, she's been…celebrating."

Still chuckling, Taehyung murmured, "I can tell. Hey, how are you?"

I knew he was asking about Lisa's upcoming departure, but I answered like I didn't know he was asking that. "Oh, I'm doing great. Work's busy and school's crazy, but I'm getting by."

There was a pause and I studied Lisa. She'd crossed her arms over her chest and was tapping her foot like a petulant teenage girl. I bit my lip to not laugh. After the silence, Taehyung seriously said, "No, Jennie, I meant with Lisa leaving."

Sighing, I closed my eyes and concentrated on the phone. "Yeah, I know that's what you meant. I'm fine…really." Opening my eyes, I smiled at Lisa; she smiled back, wobbling a bit on her feet. "This is a big moment for her. I'm not going to ruin it by…" I bit my lip, not wanting to say it to Taehyung.

Sighing, I heard him fill in the blanks. "By breaking up with her so she gives up everything to rush back to you…even though it's too late."

Swallowing, I turned away from Lisa. "Taehyung…"

Clearing his throat, Taehyung sniffed into the phone. "Hey, sorry. I didn't mean to go there. I really didn't, Jennie." Sounding uncomfortable, he cleared his throat again. "Look, I'll call back later when she's sober. I just wanted to wish her good luck on her tour." He laughed softly. "Not that she'll need it."

I smiled a little, looking back at Lisa who was leaning against the far wall, staring at the exit sign at the end of the hallway. "Yeah…I'll tell her later." Tilting my head, I shook it. "Thanks for calling, Taehyung. I know it means a lot to Lisa."

A brief silence, then, "Yeah…goodnight, Jennie."

"Goodnight, Taehyung."

Shutting the phone, I held it in my hand a moment before turning back to Lisa. She was staring at me again, blinking slowly. When I walked over and held the phone out to her, she numbly took it, still expressionless. Shoving it in her pocket, she finally grimaced. "I'm hungry…do you want to split some fries with me?"

Exhaling in a long, relieved breath, glad that she wasn't going to start a drunken fight with me for chatting with my ex, I nodded. "Sounds great. I'll get some cooked up for you."

She nodded, smiled brilliantly, then gave me a swift kiss on the cheek. Then she tipsily swaggered down the hall, getting distracted by every person that spoke to her along the way. Slowly shaking my head, I prayed she didn't get sick before the night was through.

About an hour later she paraded up onto the stage. The sound was deafening as the guys took their places for their last official performance here; ten times louder than I'd ever heard it. Lisa had an adorable expression on her face. It was a mixture of joy, contentment and excitement, with a touch of wistfulness and a good dollop of alcohol. She'd sobered up some after I'd made her down a plate of food, but I was pretty sure she was still feeling no pain.

Slinging her guitar over her body and grabbing her mic, she held her hand up to the massive crowd that had turned out; there were people still outside, the bar too packed to let them in. As the other boys adjusted their instruments, Lisa's eyes swept over her well-wishers. I swear the brown depths were a little misty as she started shaking her head, her face disbelieving.

"Wow…there's a lot of you here." She smiled gorgeously after speaking and a shrill scream of approval went through the crowd. I flinched at the sound, Lisa grinned wider.

Popping the mic off the stand, Lisa stepped to the edge of the stage; I prayed she didn't fall off of it. "I want to thank you all for coming, for supporting us for so long." She paused, waiting for the sudden noise to die down. The wistfulness in her expression took over as she locked gazes with some of the fans directly in front of her. Sighing, she shook her head. "I'm gonna miss this…"

She lifted her eyes and found mine. It took her a second to focus on me, but when she did, her entire face lit back up. Giggling, she muttered, "I'm so wasted right now."

The crowd cheered, screaming again, and I rolled my eyes. God, I hoped she could still play, I'd hate for her last show to suck. The melancholy of it being her last performance tried to sneak up on me but I pushed it back. There'd be time to dwell on it later. For now, while it was happening, I wanted to enjoy it. Smiling at her, I shook my head and went back to my duties. I heard her laugh again, then Evan started his intro.

They played their new song first, and I listened intently for any indication that Lisa was off. She wasn't. She was pitch-perfect, even her playing was right on. You'd never, ever know by listening to her that she couldn't walk in a straight line anymore. Muscle memory…truly one of the marvels of the universe.

After their new song, the band rocked the bar with all of their greatest hits. I watched them whenever I could. Lisa smiled and flirted, looking right at home up on that small stage. There was nothing more natural to me than seeing Lisa singing with her friends, the black wall behind her, decorated with various styles of guitars, as her backdrop. While I was thrilled at what the future could potentially hold for her, I was going to miss this, too.

About halfway through the set, Lisa played my song. I stopped working, taking my break so I could listen. It was the song she'd been singing the night we got back together. It was the song she'd written about us, after I'd broken her heart. I hated it…I loved it.

Edging my way through the fans, I squeezed into the front row. Someone threw their arms around me and I blinked at seeing my sister there. She'd stopped in after her shift at Hooters and melded into the crowd. I smiled at her, then focused all of my attention up at my girlfriend. She'd watched my progression through the pack of people and her eyes were burning holes through me as she sang her melancholy ode to heartache. It still brought tears to my eyes.

Tilting her head at me, she stepped up to the edge of the stage. The fans went nuts at how close she was, their hands shooting out to touch her. Ignoring them for a moment, she dropped down to a knee right in front of me. Shutting out the world, shutting out the fans stroking the edge of her jeans, she locked her eyes on me and sang her heart out. The tears were streaming down my cheeks by the time she was finished with her song.

Smiling, still dropped down on her knee, she crooked her finger at me and leaned forward. Forgetting that she was in the middle of a show, I swiped the tears away and leaned up to kiss her. The shrieks and hollers as our lips brushed together reminded me that we weren't alone in the back room anymore. I instantly wanted to pull away, embarrassed, but her hand reached out to grab my head. Chuckling in my mouth, she held me against her, deepening our kiss.

I flushed red hot everywhere, feeling every eye in the place on me. When she finally broke away, her grin was devilish. She knew how much stuff like that bothered me. I'd rather slink in the back unnoticed than have every woman gaping at me. Smacking her on the arm, I gave her my best, We'll talk about this later, look. Laughing, she stood back up.

As fans jostled against me, some asking questions, the rest trying to take my place and lean up to attach their lips to her somehow, I wiggled past my sister and past the mob of people now studying my every move. Even mortified though, my lips burned in the absolute best possible way from where she'd touched me.

When the band's long set finally ended, the crowd erupted into applause and cat calls. Lisa grinned as she took it all in, looking a little more sober after her couple of hours onstage. Evan beamed as he clicked her sticks together. Lucas looked down at the floor as he unstrung his guitar from around his neck, and Jackson raised his chin up and surveyed his Kingdom with the air of someone who felt entitled to it.

Grabbing the neck of her guitar, Lisa raised her hand for quiet. The bar hushed almost instantly, the opening and shutting front doors the only sound for a moment. Smiling warmly, Lisa said, "The band and I would like to thank you all again. You're the best fans that we ever could have asked for and we're going to miss playing for you every weekend…"

She paused, absorbing the sight of everyone enraptured by her, then, grinning wickedly, she pointed over to Lucas. "Now let's all go over to Lucas's place and get royally fucked up!"

There was an earsplitting noise of agreeance by the crowd as Lucas frowned over at Lisa. Jackson patted him on the back as the group hopped off the stage. Lisa put her guitar back in its case and slung it over her shoulder; she was the only one that didn't just leave her instrument at the bar. I thought that maybe Lucas and Jackson might grab their instruments this time, too, since they weren't coming back, at least, not for a really long time. But then I remembered what the girls and I were doing tomorrow afternoon once the guys had left town. We were packing up their stuff, Evan's drums, the guitars, and all of the sound equipment that was theirs. We were closing up shop for them, so the guys didn't have to do it after the bar closed tonight, so they could relax and enjoy their last night in Seattle.

As I was dwelling on that, Lisa pushed her way through the people to get to me. It was a process; she was stopped and fondled at every step. She even had to brush past I've-slept-with-you-girl that we'd run into at school earlier. Her and her friends had taken her invitation and come out to see the show. Glancing up at me, Lisa quickly disengaged herself from her. I couldn't stop the small grin on my face at the disappointment in the girls face.

When she finally made it to me, she threw her arm around my shoulders. Sighing in my ear as she hugged me, she muttered, "I can't believe that was our last show here." Pulling back, she shrugged. "This place is home to me."

Shaking my head, I ran my knuckle over her cheek. "You'll be back." I said it matter-of-factly and Lisa raised an edge of her lip. We really didn't know if and when the band would be back. Touring could lead to all sorts of possibilities, and all of them were bigger than playing at the same small bar every weekend.

Not wanting to think about it, I pointed to her guitar. "Why don't you go put that in the car and go with Lucas to his place?" Sighing, I shook my head. "I'm sure you're eager to get to your after party." Noticing my sister behind her, I briefly waved at her as she darted out of the doors with Jackson.

Smiling, Lisa moved her arm around my shoulder down to my waist. "No, I thought I'd help you clean up here before we headed out…together."

Inwardly touched, I frowned. "It's your party…don't you want to go?" I looked around at the mass of people leaving the bar and the mess they'd left behind. "I might be stuck here another hour?"

Chuckling, Lisa darted back into my vision. "Not if I stay to help." Smiling, she shook her head. "Besides, I want to spend my evening with you…not a bunch of drunk people I barely know."

Grinning, I leaned up to kiss her. "Okay, good. Then come back here after you put that away." She nodded against my lips and laughing a little, I added, "And don't forget to give me your keys."

Pulling back, she raised an eyebrow at me. "I sobered up on stage. I'm completely fine to drive."

Furrowing my brow, I narrowed my eyes. "You remember telling Taehyung earlier tonight that I don't hang out 'down there'?"

Lisa's eyes widened as she remembered that horribly embarrassing conversation that she'd drunkenly had earlier. Biting her lip as she backed away from me, looking for all the world that she was worried that I'd slap her again, she mumbled, "Oh, right…yeah, I'll get those keys to you."

I smiled knowingly and nodded. Yes, letting me drive her buzzed butt was the least she could do for me after that little comment.

Lisa ended up chatting with some of the longtime regulars instead of actually helping me, but that was all right; she was still with me, throwing me smiles whenever she looked my way. That was preferable to her at a party with a bunch of women who'd love to give her a farewell present, a very intimate farewell present. And they'd probably have no qualms about hanging out "down there."

When every customer had finally gone and the place was clean enough that the day crew wouldn't cuss us out too bad, Lisa and I finally headed out to her car. Kate, Somi and even Rita, all followed us as I led the way to Lucas and Jackson's place. Sulking the entire time I drove, Lisa told me to head to the outskirts of the city. Oddly enough, Lucas and Jackson shared a townhouse in suburbia. It was an odd thought in conjunction with Jackson. Honestly, I'd always pictured him living above a brothel or something. I suppose he would, if they were legal here.

Parking about a half mile away from the house, our group walked up to the bustling home. As Kate and Somi relayed funnier memories to Rita, making her laugh, I looked around the cramped neighborhood and wondered how much longer it was going to be before one of the homeowners called the cops on the noisy rock stars in their midst.

Lisa opened the front door and walked through when we approached it; another home-away-from-home for her. The noise of the stereo hit me first, the bass deep and thumping, then the rustle and hiss of dozens and dozens of bodies filled my ears. The sound only amplified when Rita shut the door behind her. Lisa smiled back at me and nodded her head in a direction she wanted us to go. Taking a second to put my bag and jacket in the already crammed full coat closet, I grabbed her hand.

She started leading us directly through the mass of people in the living room. Lucas and Jackson's place was much bigger than Lisa's, the living room being a wide-open design that left ample space for dancing in the center of it. A group of clearly drunk partygoers were already doing that. Some big, beer-belly man was even doing some sort of supposed-to-be-seductive shimmy, shaking his belly fat to a group of giggling girls. Lisa chuckled at him as we passed, patting his shoulder to give us space. The girls instantly locked onto Lisa, ignoring the dancing joker in their midst.

Clutching Lisa's hand tight, we finally made it through the gyrating swarm to the dining room, where a group of people were set up at a six-foot-long dining table. The table had seen much better days, the hard wood scraped and dented everywhere, but the sloppily drunk people playing drinking games didn't seem to care. Lisa paused at the table, watching the chaos for a few seconds with an amused grin on her face.

As some perky blonde pouted that she had to finish her nearly full beer, Lucas came up to our side and clapped Lisa's shoulder. "Hey, you made it. People have been asking for you."

I smiled over at Lucas's cutely flushed face. His eyes were slightly unfocused. I figured he'd been indulging at his going away party. Rachel behind him placed her chin on his shoulder and smiled over at me. Her eyes were clear and bright. If Lucas was caving in, she was not. I smiled and waved at her, instantly grateful that at least one person at this party was being sober and responsible.

Smiling over at me, Lucas raised his eyebrows. "Hey, Jennie. We got everything…what's your poison?"

Glancing behind him into the kitchen, I noticed the long counters were filled with just about every beer and liquor on the planet. They seemed better stocked than Pete's. Laughing at Rita, who'd slipped into the room the other way and was now doling out drinks, just like back at the bar, I shook my head at Lucas. "I'm good, really, thanks."

Lucas nodded and let it go. Lisa twisted around and frowned at me. "Uh-uh, you need a drink."

Twisting my lip at her, I raised an eyebrow. "You're going to peer pressure me to drink?"

She smiled and rolled her eyes. Leaning into me, she placed her lips on my ear. I had to stop breathing for a second as her breath washed over my neck, igniting my body. "I don't want you spending the entire evening thinking about me leaving."

Her words washed my brief desire away and I pulled back to look at her. Frowning, she added, "I don't want you spending our last night thinking about it…and you will, right?" Sighing, I reluctantly nodded. Yeah, she's approaching departure was about all I was thinking about. Even the many distractions here couldn't really keep my mind from that path for long.

Sighing herself, she slung her arms around my waist and kissed my forehead. "I want you to loosen up and have a little fun with me." Sinking down to my eye level, she raised a brow. "Can you do that?"

Exhaling, I took a moment to memorize her features. Twisting back to Lucas, who'd spent our brief discussion sucking on Rachel's neck while she tried to get him to stop, I tapped his shoulder. When she blinkingly looked at me, I pointed to the alcohol flowing freely around the room. "I'll take something…sweet."

Lucas brightened and leaned in to hug me. It was way more affection than I was used to from him and I giggled as I patted his back. "I'll hook you up, Jennie!" he exclaimed, leaping to his assignment like I was a royal debutante that he had to please.

Lisa laughed at her friend as she kissed my neck. "Thank you," she murmured in my ear.

I was about to tell her that she'd be thanking me later if I got tipsy and threw up in her car, but just at that moment a scream sounded over the music in the living room. Lisa and I stepped back so we could peek into the large room. I started laughing instantly. Evan had found Somi and had picked the tiny woman up and slung her over his shoulder. Jostling her a little bit, he was playfully smacking her bottom while she squealed.

While Kate tried to help her down, Somi laughed and clung to her teddy bear of a boyfriend. Spotting me, she lifted her hand up. "Jennie, help me!"

Evan twisted around to look at us, also twisting Somi around in the process. She kicked her feet but Evan had her tight. Smiling at Lisa and me, he waved a quick greeting. Lisa waved back and chuckled. Smiling down at me, Lisa got a playful glint in her eye.

Mine widened as I took a step back. "Don't even think about it, Manoban." Putting my finger in her chest as her playful grin turned devilish, I backed up into a dining room chair. The girl sitting there drunkenly stood up and grabbed my shoulders.

"Here, I'm done…you play." She forcefully plopped me down and I sat in a whoosh.

No sooner had I finished my descent to a seat, than Lucas was beside me, handing me a large glass filled with something an orangey-pink color. "Here you are, Jennie. Something sweet," he laughed as he straightened, "like you."

I smiled at Lucas and thanked him just as a pair of dice were placed in front of me. Frowning at the brunette who'd handed them to me, I started shaking my head. I really hadn't intended to play. Rolling her eyes, she put them in my palm and made my palm drop them.

The entire table mockingly groaned as I looked at a pair of ones. They all seemed to know what that meant…I had no clue. Lisa started laughing and I glanced up at her, irritated. As Lucas consolingly patted my shoulder, muttering something that sounded like, "I'll make you another one, Jennie," Lisa pointed to my glass.

"Snake eyes means you have to pound your drink." My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. Rita handed her a beer, her hand resting a little too casually on her shoulder. Lisa raised her beer to me. "Bottom's up, babe."

I smirked and shook my head. "I wasn't really playing…"

The entire table started booing and groaning; someone even threw a bottle cap at me. Lisa laughed and shrugged as I took a hold of my drink. Knowing that she wanted me to loosen up and have a little fun, and figuring this was as good a way as any, I tipped the drink down and forced myself to swallow it as fast as I could.

It freaking burned.

Whatever the hell Lucas had made me was strong. By the end of the glass I was coughing and my eyes were stinging. My belly also had a pleasant warmth to it and my head swam a little. I grinned up at Lisa as the table burst into cheers. God, by the approval level, you'd think drinking was a sport, and I'd just scored the winning point.

As Lucas handed me another beautifully peachy drink, someone commented to Lisa, "Dude, your girlfriend can really suck 'em down…lucky bastard."

Lisa started laughing but immediately stopped when she met my icy glare. Grabbing the commenter's jacket, Lisa hauled him from his seat. "My turn," she told him, sitting in his spot. I smiled as the dice made their way around to her. Jerk. I hope she got snake eyes too.

As the evening progressed, my luck with this game didn't improve. I swear to God every time anyone did anything, I was the one that had to drink. My glass never strayed from my lips long, and my head got fuzzier and fuzzier the longer I sat at the table. The drink, however, got smoother and smoother. It was practically candy at one point.

The brunette bitch to the right of me, that had made me start this little fiasco in the first place, giggled and gave me five drinks…just because. As I cursed and then started taking them, she adorably peeked her head up at Lisa. "Sorry, Lisa, I'm really not trying to get your girlfriend drunk."

I wanted to leer at her and mutter, "Yeah, you are," but I wasn't finished with my assigned drinks yet.

Lisa smiled at the cute girl next to me, but before my jealousy could really start to flare up, her gorgeous brown eyes turned to mine. Even my slow head could appreciate the beauty in those dark depths. Keeping her gaze on me, she told her, "No, go ahead, get her drunk." Grinning devilishly, she added, "The odds of me getting lucky tonight will only increase if you do."

I wanted to blush and be embarrassed, but really, I'd had far too much alcohol by this point. In-between sips, I laughed and tossed out, "Since when have you ever needed help with your odds?" Surprisingly, I only slurred that a little bit.

Lisa charmingly cocked an eyebrow at me while the table rolled with laughter. She'd sobered up a bit on the stage, but with how long she'd been playing this game with me, she had to be as buzzed as I was. Smiling crookedly, she leaned forward on the table. "True…" She murmured drunkenly.

She was sitting kitty-corner to me at the massive table, but our feet were touching underneath it. The table was packed with people, the room was crammed with watchers, but as Lisa locked her simmering eyes to mine, and my body flared with heat in response…we may as well have been alone.

She ran her teeth along her bottom lip, the move so sexy I bit my own, then she dropped her voice to a seductive level that I usually only heard when she were alone, wrapped in each other's bare arms. "But, maybe I could get you to do that one thing with your—"

Suddenly remembering that we were not alone and wrapped in each other's bare arms, I partially stood from the table, cutting her off. "Lisa Manoban! You shut the hell up!"

She laughed and sat back in her chair. Quite a few people in the room laughed with her and I finally felt that blush creeping into my cheeks. she shrugged and shook her head. "Just saying…" As I narrowed my eyes at her, making the room crack up even more, she tilted her head, staring at me in an unmistakably loving way. "You're such an adorable drunk, Jennie."

Grinning, my mood shifting again, I finished standing up. She watched me curiously as I leaned over the table, completely pausing the drinking game as everyone stared at us. For once I didn't care if they did. Lisa was my focus and I wanted her to kiss me…even if I had to crawl over the table to get to her.

Smiling at the image in my head, I crooked a finger at her. One edge of a lip curling up in a way that was dangerously attractive, she stood slightly and leaned over the table as well. Our lips met in the middle, my mouth parting as her tongue lightly brushed against me. My sloppy mind heard a few giggles and whistles, but Lisa's soft skin took up all of my concentration. I nearly wanted her to lay me down on this damaged, beer-stained surface.

As I was considering yanking her over the table so her entire body could be on mine, a particular voice broke through the chaos. "All right! We playing spin the bottle?"

Lisa and I broke apart at the same time and glared over at the annoyance who'd distracted us. As Jackson strode up to the table, I suppressed a sigh. Well, I knew he was here…it was really only a matter of time before he made an appearance. Glancing behind him, I noticed my sister leaning against a wall, a familiar, satisfied expression on her face. I instantly did not want to know where they'd been hiding.

As Jackson stood beside Lisa, clapping a hand on her back, Lisa fully stood and shook her head. "No, we're not, Jackson."

Ignoring her, Jackson reached down to the table. Finding an empty beer bottle, he laid it on its side and spun it in a circle. The table instantly started laughing at the new aspect being introduced to our game.

With everyone chuckling around us, I sat back down, blushing. I hadn't played spin the bottle since the eighth grade, and I was pretty sure I didn't want to ever play it with Jackson. Even my frazzled brain knew that much. The brunette beside me bit her lip as she stared at Lisa; I knew exactly where she was hoping her turn would land her. I had no intention of letting her wish be fulfilled. Breech of party etiquette or not, no one was kissing Lisa tonight but me.

Jackson had an eager look on his face as he watched the brown bottle start to spin slower. As the room quieted in anticipation, I glanced over at Lisa; she was still standing in front of her seat, arms crossed over her chest as she watched Jackson with a smirk on her face. I wondered if Lisa was just as against anyone kissing me as I was about anyone kissing her. I wondered what she'd do if the bottle stopped on me? Oh God, what would I do if the bottle stopped on me? Jackson wouldn't let it go with a simple refusal. Even if he had to hunt me down, he'd stop at nothing to get his kiss.

Just when I was about to gather all of my slow senses together so I could make a bolt for the back door, the bottle stopped spinning and the room started laughing…hysterically. I couldn't figure out why until I looked down at the bottle, then I started laughing hysterically too. It had finally stopped moving with the neck pointed perfectly…at Lisa.

Lisa was twisting her lips unhappily as she stared down at it, then she suddenly looked back up at Jackson who was still staring at the bottle, maybe thinking it was going to move again. Jackson looked up at Lisa when Lisa shook her head and said, "Nuh-uh." The table laughed even harder and so did I, my eyes starting to water as I clutched my stomach.

Lucas and Evan sauntered up to see what all the fuss was about while Jackson scowled, then shrugged. "Sorry, man. House rules, you play the bottle where it lies."

Lisa shook her head again while Evan and Lucas joined in the laughter bouncing off the walls in the room. "Jackson, we're not playing—"

Lisa couldn't finish her sentence. Jackson reached out and grabbed her head, pulling her in for a kiss…and not a peck. Lisa struggled for a second, then managed to break free. She took a step back with her hand raised at Jackson in warning. Several people around the table had to wipe tears of laughter out of their eyes, me included. I guess I was wrong about no one else kissing Lisa tonight.

"Dude! What the fuck!"

As Lisa glared at Jackson, Jackson took a step back and regarded Lisa with a puzzled expression. "Huh." Cocking his head as he looked Lisa over, he shrugged. "Yeah, I don't get what all the fuss is about…I've had better." He gestured with his hand while Lisa scowled, re-crossing her arms over her chest. "Maybe if you did this thing with your tongue…"

Evan and Lucas bent over they were laughing so hard. Somi and Kate joined them as they peeked their heads into the room. My sister was in hysterics against the wall, and even shy Rachel was quietly laughing. The few people who had dared to take a sip of their drink, were desperately trying not to spew their drink everywhere. I really didn't want to laugh at a man kissing my girlfriend… and then calling her bad at it, but it was too funny and I was too drunk. I laughed as hard as the rest of them, maybe harder, since I couldn't imagine anything worse than being Frenched by Jackson.

Lisa backhanded Jackson across the chest for his comment, then let out a small chuckle and shoved her shoulder away from him. "Get the fuck out of here, Jackson."

With an offended look, Jackson backed away from the table. "Whatever, man, it's just a suggestion. Take it or leave it." Clutching my sister's waist, he drew her in for a deep kiss. I cringed until they pulled away. Smiling at his breathless face, Jackson smirked. "I'll just save my skills for people that appreciate them." Jisoo laughed and brought her lips back to his while Lisa rolled her eyes.

Lucas clapped Jackson on the back and they left the room with Jisoo and Rachel. Lucas was holding his stomach he was laughing so hard. Lisa closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. Opening them, she turned to look at where I was still giggling. She smiled at my enjoyment of her situation and then shook her head at me.

Lisa glanced around the room of people all still laughing at her misfortune. Chuckling herself, she picked up her beer from the table and motioned with it to the now-forgotten game. "Well, needless to say…I'm done."