After an already traumatic evening involving the unfortunate discovery of a gruesome scene, Amber is convinced to hike through the woods with her two best friends in search of the other half of a dead body.
But it's not as if she could say no. Not...
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C H A P T E R T H I R T E E N (finale)
code breaker
When they pulled into the school parking lot on Friday night, Ben gestured for Amber to stay put as he got out of the car and jogged around to the passenger side to open the door for her.
"Thanks, but you really don't have to be quite so chivalrous." She laughed.
Ben shrugged with a grin, "Can't have you thinking I'm a bad date."
"I already know you're not a bad date. I'm the bad date, remember?" She reminded him as they linked arms and walked to the front of the lot.
"I thought you were a pretty good date right up until that little slip at the end," He looked down at her with a friendly smile, "It was a pretty big slip, but y'know.. For the other ninety-five percent of the date you were great."
She was laughing as they approached the school building. Jackson and Allison were standing just outside of Jackson's Porsche in the parking lot and Amber watched as the boy lifted a flask to his lips to take a long pull.
"Save some for the rest of us, Wittemore." She joked with a quiet laugh.
Jackson held the small metal container out toward her as he swallowed with a wince, "You want some?" He asked, voice husky from the liquor.
Her free hand twitched at her side. She looked up at Ben hesitantly and her date shrugged at her, releasing her arm with a small nudge.
"If you want some, I'm not gonna judge you." Ben told her softly.
Amber licked her lips and hesitated for another fraction of a second before accepting the flask. She lifted the small opening to her lips and poured some of the liquid into her mouth, swallowing with gag when the taste lingered on her tongue.
"God. What is that?" She asked in disgust as she handed it back over.
"It's bourbon." Jackson told her judgmentally, "Expensive bourbon."
She nodded, "Oh, yeah. You can tell. It- It's really good bourbon."
"You're welcome to have some more," Jackson grinned, holding it back out, "I mean, since you like it so much. I've got more in the car."
"Oh." She faltered, looking around her at Ben and Allison's amused gazes, "Yeah, totally. Thanks."
She took the flask from his grip again and gulped nervously in anticipation. She frowned and took a deep breath before tilting her head back and pouring what was left of the container into her mouth. There was slightly more than she'd been expecting from the weight of it and her mouth was full when she swallowed, fighting against another gag and coughing instead. As she did, she reached out to grab onto the sleeve of Ben's suit jacket and handed Jackson back the tiny metal flask blindly.
