Leave What Was Found

13: Better Left Unsaid

Avery left Julian on the beach and went back to the house. She found Archer in the kitchen. He was playing beer pong with Brady and surprisingly Nikki. So much for Varsity athletes not drinking. She stood next to Archer as he took his next turn. She could tell he was already slightly tipsy. He got the ball in the cup and a crowd of cheers erupted as Brady was forced to drink the cup.

"Only one left," Archer said with a look of triumph on his face.

Brady sent him a nasty look and got ready to take his turn but missed, badly.

"Oh come on, dude, it's like you're not even trying," Archer's teammate said.

They were all drunk, even Brady and Nikki. This was not going to end well. Archer bounced the last ball into their cup and Nikki drank it. She started giggling like a little girl. Avery felt someone pull on her arm. She turned and Julian was there. He looked angry.

"You really let Nikki get drunk?" he asked. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes were furious.

"I didn't let her do anything, she got drunk while we were talking," Avery said, pulling her arm back.

"Aldine," Archer called as he turned around and threw his arm around Avery. "You should play."

"I'm good, McLain," Julian said roughly. Avery looked down at her shoes awkwardly. She knew better than anyone why Julian would never drink.

"Julian!" Nikki called happily. She bounced over and threw her arms around him. "Come play with us."

"Jeez, Nikki, you're drunk," he stated.

"Oh come play, Julian, it's just one game," she whined.

Julian rolled his eyes but gave in and let Nikki drag him to the other side of the table.

"Yay!" she said, clapping excitedly. "Come on Avery, you and Archer against me and Julian."

Avery glanced over at Archer who only shrugged. Avery sighed and followed Archer to their side of the table. Julian and Nikki stood across from them on the other side. They set up the cups filled with beer and they were all handed ping pong balls.

"You first," Archer said to Julian.

Julian bounced the ball and it missed the cup. Archer went next and sunk the ball immediately.

"Drink up, Hartfield!" Archer called.

Archer then went again and got another ball in. Nikki drank both the cups.

"Go easy on them," Avery whispered.

"Oh relax, babe," he said, planting a sloppy kiss on her lips.

Avery looked away as Julian and Nikki lost after maybe four turns.

"Oh this is just embarrassing," Chelsey said from the sidelines.

Avery hadn't even realized she was here. She pulled Brady out from the crowd and pushed Nikki and Julian out of the way.

"You're going down, McLain," Brady said as he and Chelsey prepared another round.

Archer only laughed as he handed Avery a ping pong ball. "You got this," he said.

Avery smiled. She bounced the ball and it landed in their cup. Chelsey downed the beer within seconds and bounced her ball into one of their cups on her turn. Avery drank the cup. Eventually, they were all slightly drunk and both teams had one cup left. Avery was far from her usual self, she could thank the beer for that. She was all giddy and her hands were on Archer the whole game.

"All right, Chelsey!" Brady cheered.

She missed her next shot though, and Archer got ready for his turn. He missed the cup as well. They were all way too drunk to get it in anymore. Avery was lined up for her turn when the fighting started. She wasn't sure who shoved who, or who said what first; but one minute she was about to bounce the ball and the next, her boyfriend was shoved onto the table, knocking all the cups off it.