You're Not Lost

"Why are you girls so smiley?" A very sweaty Alex laughed as he approached Janie, Jill, and Elizabeth. The trio had been seated at the bar for All Time Low's entire set.

"The bar tender has been hooking us up!" Jill half yelled half whispered over the stereo music that was now playing.

"Hmm...he looks kind of like a creep..." Alex frowned, concerned for his friends. Jill ignored this and hopped up from her chair.

"Oh well. Come try to bum a cigarette with me."
Alex rolled his eyes, but followed none the less. Jill only smoked cigarettes when she was drinking, a habit she had picked up from friends when she went away from college. She never bought a pack though. Usually it was a game to see who would lend her one or two. No one else in the group smoked, although they all had tried it at some point. Figuring it was just a phase, they usually let Jill carry on.

As the pair left to go join the other smokers outside of the bar, Jack replaced Jill by taking her seat.

"Hi, Elle. Are you drinking, too?!"

The shy girl grinned and nodded, already feeling the effects of the various alcohols she had been sipping. Jack seemed delighted by this, and it put Elizabeth at ease for some reason.

"He just gave you drinks, didn't check your ID or anything?" He was sitting sideways on the bar stool so he was facing her. She nodded again, he cheeks growing red due to both the alcohol and the attention.

"I don't even have an ID..." She giggled. Jack nearly snorted a laugh.

"I can't believe it! Do you think I should try it?" Jack gave her a goofy grin and all she could do was laugh.

"Jack, it's only because we're hott girls, you ain't gettin' shit!" Janie spun around upon overhearing their conversation. She was laughing though, and Elizabeth knew her words mean no harm.

"We'll see!" He retorted, while Janie spun back around to talk to Zack and Rian, who seemed content with their bottles of water.

Jack held out a five dollar bill to try and signal the bar tender over. About a minute later Greg made his way to Jack and gave him a peculiar look.

"Hey buddy, what'll it be?"

Jack tried not to let his excitement show as he thought quick.

"Um, just a Budweiser..."

"Ok, you got ID?" Greg asked nonchalantly. Jack frowned.

"Nah man, I left it at home." He replied, lamely. Greg nodded, knowingly.

"Why don't you kids go on home then..." He eyed the five underage teenagers before him, realizing that he probably should have ID-ed the girls an hour ago.

"Um...ok." Jack agreed, feeling pretty stupid. Elizabeth hid a smirk. They all got up and went to meet Alex and Jill.

"Let's all thank Jack for getting us kicked out!" Janie exclaimed as they entered the warm, summer, smoke-filled air outside the bar.

"What?! Jack, I flirted hard to get those drinks!" Jill argued, putting out her cigarette. Alex cut her off.

"Forget about that! We had a great show here tonight and now we can probably never come back...!"

Jack smiled sheepishly at his friends and bandmates.

"Sorry guys...I was thirsty."

Alex groaned.

"Let's just go back to my place. I've still got beer there from last night." Zack spoke up. With that the group made the short walk back to the suburbs.

---

Elizabeth sat in the corner of Zack's dimly lit shed. The rest of the group was crammed around a long table with red plastic cups on either side. They were trying to get small white balls into the cups. It seemed really ridiculous, and Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at how seriously they were all taking the stupid game.

The warm, happy feeling she had began to feel at the X Club was wearing off. She was clutching a red and white can of beer, but she could only manage to take small sips at a time without gagging. This kind of alcohol tasted nothing like the drinks Greg had made. Beer was a little better than the whiskey, though.

Her cousin and her friends, however, seemed to have no problem downing the dark, carbonated poison.

Janie was already on her third can, and she was acting sillier than ever. Her and Zack were partners in this strange game, and whenever they would make a cup she would dance around him and cheer. Alex and Rian were on the opposite side of the table, and they seemed to be strategizing and planing their next moves. Jill was sitting in a chair close to Janie and Zack, alternating between playing music on her phone and laughing about things with Janie.

Jack seemed to be all over the place. Literally. Elizabeth watched him go from Zack's side to Rian's side, to dancing strangely next to Jill, to stealing everyone's drinks, and finally going outside to pee. When he returned, he grabbed another beer, and then took a seat next to Elizabeth.

"Do the Amish play beer pong?" He asked. Elizabeth laughed. Jack's questions never ceased to amaze her. She often felt like she was talking to a small child who was stuck in a 19 year olds body.

"No, Jack. I've never seen this before today. I don't see what all the fuss is about, either." Jack frowned.

"Maybe if you drank that beer faster you'd see then." He caught himself from slurring his words. Elizabeth didn't notice.

"It tastes awful. How can you drink this stuff." She made a face at her full can.

"Because that's what the cool kids do!" Jack took another sip from his own can. Elizabeth didn't quite understand his response.

"Who are the cool kids?" She wondered. Jack ignored her.

"Next time, we'll get liquor. I like liquor better, too. It tastes better and it works faster." He laughed. Elizabeth nodded, still confused.

"Yes! We win again!" Alex exclaimed, as him and Rian high-fived.

"C'mon, re-match!!" Janie responded, just as loud. Jill switched the music on her phone as they re-arranged the red cups once more. The small shed was filled with laughter and more music that could be equally considered noise.

"Are you having fun?" Janie looked over at her cousin. Elizabeth nodded politely.

"Let's play a drinking game." Jack spoke up again. Elizabeth gave him a puzzled look.

"Every time some one does something, we take a sip of beer."

"How do you win...?"

"You don't, you just drink. It's funny."

This was beginning to sound just as stupid as 'beer pong', but she figured she had nothing better to do.

"Ok then..."

"Ok, how about...every time Rian scores a cup, we drink. Every time Alex swears. Every time Janie does a weird little dance..."

"Every time Jill changes the music..." Elizabeth offered. Jack grinned.

"Perfect. And every time Zack flirts with Janie."

"But how-"

"Trust me, you'll know."

Elizabeth doubted that, but she would give it a shot. After all, Jack seemed pretty excited about this new makeshift game. She didn't want to just dismiss him.

---

"Wow, Alex swears...a lot..." Elizabeth concentrated on her words as Jack sat down and handed her another beer. He giggled at the sight of the Amish girl taking a swig of beer.

"Oh I hate this song!" Jill announced, as she changed to a new one.

Another sip.

"Ugh, this one sucks too! Change it, Jill."

Another sip.

"Score!" Rian exclaimed, before him and Alex slapped hands together.

Two more sips.

"I think you cheated with this game..." Elizabeth laughed. She was definitely feeling that happy feeling once more.

"I have no idea what your taking about!"

"Janie, hold your arm higher, like this..." Zack stood behind Janie and lifted her arm for her, as she tossed the ball and made it into the last cup remaining. A loud groan emerged from the other side of the table.

"That's a sip." Jack whispered. Elizabeth did as she was told, while she was till trying to grasp the whole concept of flirting. The pair sipped again as Janie danced over to them.

"You guys play! It's easy, Elle!"

Elizabeth couldn't be too sure of it, but she was thinking that the alcohol was making her cousin even more cheerful and upbeat than she normally was. It didn't seem like a bad thing. It was actually kind of fun. As she stood up, she was feeling a little uncoordinated.

"Is it ok that I'm drinking?" She whispered to Janie. Janie smiled.

"It's fine! Aren't you having fun? "

"I am, but I'm starting to feel a little...weird"

"That's being drunk. And it's the best kind of weird!"
Jack chimed in, before grabbing Elizabeth's arm. The pair replaced Alex and Rian, and the game began.

Elizabeth didn't make a single cup, but no one seemed to care. Not even Jack.

"I never thought I'd be beer pong partners with an Amish girl..." Jack laughed, cracking himself up.

Elizabeth looked amused.

"I never thought I'd be playing this game at all, let alone with a boy with skunk hair and the tightest pants I've ever seen..." There was a silence as she quickly regretted speaking. Why did she say that? It was so unlike her.

The silence was broken as Janie began to laugh hysterically.

"She's...she's right Jack. You're pants are so...so tight!" She could barely get the sentence out. Everyone else joined in, including Jack, and Elizabeth didn't feel so bad.

In fact, she felt the complete opposite.