Love Potion

Drunk

Mal's eyes met Jay's across the room. It may have been crowded but he was tall, and his smirk was recognisable from space. Her eyes darted down to the red cup in her hand, before shooting back to up to his.

She nodded and he grinned. Challenge excepted. Finally dropping her gaze, she surveyed the room and found her target.

Mal had never been invited to a jock party. She hadn't been invited to the one currently raging around her. She'd gate crashed and only managed to convince her oldest friend to not rat her out by taking a dare.

Jay had one simple request: get Ben Kingsley drunk.

The boy was off his rocker. According to his psycho ass, Ben had been mooning over Mal since sophomore year. The moment she'd stormed the halls on her first day, Ben had only had eyes for her, so said Jay. Oh, and Evie, Carlos and some prat named Doug, whoever that was.

Mal would have liked to have heard Audrey's opinion on the matter. Seeing as she'd been Ben's long term girlfriend for the last two years, the purple haired girl trusted her opinion more. Too bad Audrey hated her. Understandably so but it was still rude.

She gulped down her mildly hysterical laughter as the boy in question called her name. He signalled her over, simultaneously opening a hole into his circle while shoving Chad to the side. Chad seemed displeased but tipsy, thus quickly distracted and forgiving.

"Hi, Ben." He smiled at her brightly, saluting her with his can of Miller Lite. "How goes it in the land of royalty."

He laughed and shook his head. "Good on this end. How's my favourite deviant?"

"Jay's around here somewhere. Should I find him?" He smirked, a look she was familiar with and had thought nothing of until his arm looped around her shoulders. "Need me to open that can for you, Kingsley?"

He leaned in close and whispered, "nah. I don't like weak beer, but I have to be careful."

"Why? Think someone will take advantage of you?" She scrunched her nose teasingly but wanted to blush when his eyes fell to her lips. "Something like that?"

"Something like that, yeah." He leaned away from her but kept his arm around her. "What do you have there?"

She looked down at the forgotten Solo cup in her hand. "Open the beer for me and I'll tell you?" He took her bait and opened the can, which she took and sipped. "It's called a "Love Potion." I learned it from my mom before she ran off."

"You're mom taught you how to make cocktails?" Mal gave a strained laugh and he thankfully took that as a cue to move on. "Is it strong?"

She raised it tauntingly and he considered it. "I made it especially for you. Wanna try?"

His eyes went from the cup, to her lips, to the can of Miller Lite in her other hand and then followed the route, again. It was almost comical for Mal to watch the war wage behind his eyes. She pouted a bit and he sighed, regret clear on his handsome face.

"I shouldn't. I'm usually relied on to be the DD." He squeezed her close before dropping his arm. "Next time."

She quickly chugged the beer, and choked out, "no. I get it. Don't except drinks from juvenile delinquents." He quickly raised his hands in protest but she continued, "you're cautious. That's smart."

She brought the cup to her lips. "Oh well. More for me then."

The cup was out of her hand before she could blink. She managed a squeak of surprise and watched wide eyed as he chugged the mixture. She hadn't expected him to actually try and down it in one go, let alone be able to.