My Life In Ruins

14. Remind Me Never To Drink Again, Even If It's Perfectly Legal

Chapter 14

Remind Me Never To Drink Again, Even If It’s Perfectly Legal

So for most of the night, we ended up hanging out with Max's friends Ben and Drew.  They were a funny pair, even dragging Max into their conversations about the good ol' days.  It seemed that they were quite the partiers, even Max, which I found totally surprising. 

"So you're eighteen, right?" Drew asked, leaning back against the booth were were currently occupying.  "Are you planning on going to school for anything?"

I grinned, shaking my head.  "No, I'm not.  I'm done with school," I said. 

Max snorted from the opposite side of the table from me.  I looked over at him, still grinning, and winked. 

"So you're not going to university?" he asked.  "Smart girl like you?"

"She did," Max said, laughing.  "Double major in history and international studies, right?"

I nodded, laughing with him, as Ben and Drew looked puzzled.  And then realization clicked. 

"You mean you've already graduated?" Drew asked, raising his eyebrows. 

I nodded again, still laughing.  "Two years ago actually," I said.  "So I've got you all beat."

I looked back at Max, who leaned back in his seat, smiling at me.  He shifted and his leg hit mine.  He made no move to move it.  Butterflies filled my stomach and my throat felt dry.

"Well, little missy," Ben said from beside me.  Slapping the table with his hands as he stood up from beside me.  "You're coming with me to get more drinks."

"Uh, I think I'm fine," I said, pointing to my more than half full bottle of water. 

"I don't care," he said, and then leaned down to whisper in my ear, though Max and Drew could hear him just fine.  "I want to get you away from Knight so I can have my shot with you.  Maybe you'll realize that I'm better suited for you instead of that prick."

Drew laughed as Max punched Ben on the shoulder.  I couldn't help but laugh at the three of them. 

"Okay, I'll give you a shot," I said, taking his hand that was outstretched toward me. 

Three pairs of eyes looked at me in utter shock. 

"What?" the three of them said at the same time. 

"Come on," I said, laughing, as I pulled Ben toward the bar.  "You've only got three minutes!"

I saw Max open his mouth to say something, but Ben and I were too far away to hear him.  I smiled as Ben held out his arm for me and I threaded mine through his.  When we found a place at the bar, we both leaned against it.  The bartender was all the way on the other side, but we weren't in a rush. 

"So what do you think about our dear Maximilian?" he asked me, grinning. 

"Oh, you know, what everyone thinks of him," I said, looking back over toward our table. 

I saw Ben grin out of the corner of my eye.  "What, that he's a sexy beast?" he asked.

My eyes widened as I looked back at him.  "I...no!"

"You want to jump him right there on our table and ravish him within an inch of his life?"

"No!  I..."

"You want to spread chocolate all over his abs and lick it off slowly?"

I lunged toward him and covered his mouth with my hand as the people beside us started laughing at what he was saying.  "Shut up!" I said, looking him straight in the eyes.