(7-9) Yes, but Mona covers for you.

The girls seem willing to talk with you as they eat, though Tara keeps teasing you. Fairouzeh and Luna are having taco salads. Kath is eating her way through a big wet-style chimichanga platter. Jennifer and Tara are having fish tacos, the house specialty.

You offer to buy the girls a round of drinks as consolation and to celebrate the victory for Tara's side.

"Hell yes!" Kath says. "Corona."

"I'm in!" Jennifer says.

The rest of the girls go along, except Fairouzeh wants a virgin margarita instead of a beer.

You go up to the counter and ask Mona for four Coronas, a virgin margarita and another Coke.

She frowns at you, then looks left and right. "See your ID?" she says in a practiced tone of voice. You give her your wallet and she pretends to look at it, knowing you're not quite drinking age. "OK, just one round, no more, and the Coke's for you? All right." She catches your eyes and mouths, You owe me.

You nod. "Saved my night," you say quietly to Mona. "I owe you."

She nods vigorously. "Um-hum." You wonder how she might want to collect?

Your chest still throbs from the front kick Karen had dropped on you before she dropped her panties for you. It had already been a big day, but if you could hook up with the volleyball gals tonight, it would be the biggest day of your life.

You take the tray of drinks back to the table and distribute them. Kath and Jennifer cheer. Luna and Fairouzeh thank you. Tara says, "I like a guy who's a generous loser."

Maybe you can steer their plans for the rest of the night. You don't want to push your luck with Mona any further. Unless maybe Mona is hot for one of the gals too?

Probably time to offer a suggestion as to how the evening should move along.