Boarding with the Bad Boy [COMPLETE + BONUS published edition]

The Party

A/N: Updating a day late due to turkey overload. Sorry, guys!

I should go home, get my truck, then go to Ryan's. I want to. But every moment I sit at McGruber's with Jared, I lose my mind a little bit more wondering what Sam and Beth are doing together.

Finally, the waitress brings our check and Jared pulls out a black card, leaving a large tip and signing it efficiently. I have to admit, I like a man that leaves a good tip. I think it says a lot about a person. So I'm warming to Jared when I suggest we go to the Yorkshire/Beck hockey party.

He lifts his eyebrows at the suggestion. "Oh yeah? At a Yorkshire dude's place?"

"He's a day student," I tell him. "We grew up together."

Jared shakes his head. "You have more guys in your life than any chick I know, Logan."

I want to ask what exactly he means by that, but the waitress stops by to grab the check booklet and wish us goodnight. I follow Jared into the cool night air.

"No worries if you're not interested," I tell him when we reach his car. "I can drive myself over."

Jared flashes me a look. "Hell no, I'm going to this thing with you. And you're going to have a good time." He pulls a plastic water bottle from under his front seat.

"Want some?" He asks, opening it and sniffing at the top. The thick scent of vodka wafts in my direction and I hold in a gag.

"You're driving," I point out.

"I'm not having any," Jared says, starting the M3. "This puppy's all yours."

I'm mildly creeped out by this. "Did you have this just sitting in your car for tonight?" I ask. He holds the bottle out to me and I take it as he steers the car. It seems damn stupid to have an open bottle of vodka while he's driving, so I screw the cap back on and hold it in my lap. Jared glances at me.

"Definitely not. I like to keep a little something on me at all times, in case something crops up. Voddy's not exactly my thing though." Jared sniffs exaggeratedly. I forget he just used the word 'voddy' without irony when I realize he's talking about cocaine. This school just gets more and more insane.

I direct Jared to Ryan's street and scan the block for Sam's Jeep. I don't see it anywhere, but it's only 9. I'm guessing the game is only just ending and that the crowd will grow over the next hour or so. I bring the water bottle to my mouth and take a draw from it. The flat taste of vodka washes over my tongue, coating my throat. I fight not to gag.

"Get it, girl," Jared says, reaching out a hand for the bottle. I hesitate.

"You're driving," I reiterate. I thought we just discussed this.

"Not for another hour at least." Jared rolls his eyes. "Besides, I have plenty of practice."

Bile rises in my throat for a reason other than the shitty liquor. "Here's the deal,
I tell Jared. "You give me your keys, I give you this bottle."

He balks. "Hell no! I can't have you driving my baby around town!"

"I'm not going to do any driving, but I want to make sure that you're not either."

Jared rolls his eyes and, sighing, draws his keys from his back pocket. "You're kind of a drama queen, Logan, you know that?" He asks as he drops them into my palm. I plant the keys deep in my grocery bag/purse before handing him the bottle and ignoring his question. I suspect it was rhetorical anyway.