Coach Mullins decides not to.

"Alright. We'll keep the drinking just between us for now," he said after what seemed like the longest five seconds of your life, both you and Bryce breathing an audible sigh of relief as he did. "But if anything like this ever happens again, they'll be no second chances, you got that?"

"Yes, Coach," you both replied in unison, before collecting up all the remaining **** from the back of the car and giving it to Mullins.

Randall meanwhile continued on with his stern teacher act, his voice sounding every bit as commanding and intimidating as the Coach's had, only in a much sutler way. "Don't think you're getting off Scott free though, boys," he said, glaring at you both as you finished handing the cans to Mullins. "You're behavior is still inexcusable no matter what...happened tonight (this little momentary pause being the only real evidence that your best friend was actually still in there). So I think it is only fair that you both receive three weeks detention and make yourselves available to help out with any extra curricular tasks either myself of Coach Mullins have for you. And believe you me, that's getting off far more lightly than you deserve."

Replying somewhat awkwardly, "Yes, Miss," not quite able to fully meet his gaze (even with the draw of that incredible body standing before you), Bryce then said the same. "No problem, Miss."

"Good. Now seeing as neither one of them is any fit state to drive themselves home," Randall then continued, turning again to Coach Mullins, "and seeing as their parents should be involved even if Principal Johnson isn't, what say you and I take them? I know Mr. Connors' family, so perhaps I should take him, and you can take Mr. Spencer." Now this was definitely something you hadn't been expecting.

"Probably wise," Mullins replied, "I'll just go and clear it with the other teachers." As he went though, carrying the confiscated **** under his arm and heading back towards the school, you were pretty certain you heard him whisper quietly into Randall's ear "Good thinking, Laura. It means we can get the hell out of here early!"

With Mullins now gone, you and Bryce were now left standing there with Randall, still in full Miss. Card mode, until he returned. It was absolutely excruciating, not to mention down right embarrassing, being stuck there with your best friend, who in the past you'd done all kinds of crazy shit with, and made to feel both guilty and ashamed by his presence. Sure he'd convinced Mullins not to involve Johnson in what had happened, but he'd also sounded so angry and disappointed in you, and you weren't entirely sure how much of it had actually been an act. Up until now you'd never been disciplined by Randall as Miss. Card, only occasionally pushed aside or dismissed, and it was a very, very uncomfortable feeling. As for him driving you home to have a talk with your parents, had he been serious about that? You couldn't be entirely sure, after all this was a very serious matter and he had already stuck his neck out for you. Who's to say he wouldn't really go through with it for the sake of his job?

God, I really hope he doesn't have to, you prayed, as excruciating minute after excruciating minute passed and Mullins finally returned, carrying both his and Randall's coat over his arm.

"This blows, huh, bro?" Bryce said while Randall and Mullins discussed the ins and outs of their disciplinary action, looking rather apologetic for getting you into this mess.

"Yeah. But at least we're not getting suspended."

"True. My parents are totally going to go ape-shit though. Yours?"

"Oh yeah." you nodded, already picturing your mom going through the roof - especially after the fuss she'd kicked up about driving you to this stupid thing in the first place!

Interrupting your brief conversation, Mullins then walked over to you both and said, "Okay, Spencer. This way," gesturing for Bryce to follow him to his car. Giving each other one last little drunken nod, having in a weird way developed a much stronger connection now to your shared experience, you both went your separate ways - him with Coach Mullins and you with Miss. Card...

"Well that was one heck of a night," Randall said, finally breaking character after a rather torturous walk to his car. "Jesus, dude, I didn't expect to find you out here getting wasted. Usually that's my job!"

"Sorry. I had a bit of a rough night is all, thought a drink would do me good," you told him as you climbed inside and buckled your belt. "Thanks for sticking up for me back there."

"Of course! You really think I was gonna let you get suspended? ...And shit, dude, is it true Allison really broke up with you?"

"Yeah..."

"I can't fucking believe that. And at a school dance of all places! What the hell is wrong with her?" he angrily muttered, shaking his head, clearly none too impressed with your former girlfriends actions. You however were already past the anger stage and simply sat there saying nothing, a fact that was not lost on Randall. "Shit...sorry, dude. Are you okay? I really wish I'd found out sooner. Then you wouldn't have had to get drunk with Bryce of all people!"

Ignoring this comment (Randall still seemingly oblivious to the fact that Bryce was an okay guy) you rather reluctantly told him, "I did come looking for you, but you were too busy dancing with Mr. Hanson. I thought it'd be better just to leave you to it..."

"That was for only one song, and he totally guilt tripped me into it."

"Seemed like he guilt tripped his hands onto your ass as well. " You hadn't actually planned on mentioning this but somehow it just sort of slipped out (due in no small part to the large quantity of **** in your system taking hold once more).

Randall also seemed rather surprised, repeating questioningly "My ass?" before obviously realizing what you were referring to and quickly rushing to defend himself. "Dude, that totally wasn't what it looked like!" he said, looking slightly embarrassed for a second, "He was just playing around, trying to act all fresh and shit. I shoved him off like five seconds later." While it had certainly looked a lot longer than five seconds from where you'd been standing, in all honesty you really didn't care. Whatever reason Randall had for letting Mr. Hanson grab his ass while they casually chatted was his business, not yours.

"Anyway, fuck Mr. Hanson!" he said, moving the subject back towards you again. "What happened with Allison? What did she say?"

Though you were in a way slightly **** to go over the details again, Randall was your best friend (even though not ten minutes before he had seemed anything but) and he did genuinely care. So doing your best to remember all the details, you filled him in on what exactly had taken place, sharing both your realization that it was most likely going to happen eventually anyway and was probably for the best, as well as the pain you still felt at having lost the one constant in your life. Randall was of course sympathetic and as he always did, tried to swing things round and turn a negative into a positive, assuring you that you'd have a whole host of other chicks beating down the doors to get a piece of "Tim Connors action".

You meanwhile were very much starting to lag, and the only question that you really cared about right now was "So are you really gonna take me home and tell my parents?"

"Fuck no, dude! What do you take me for?" came Randall's amused reply. "I just said that to get out of there and give you a reason to come too...Though I guess it kind of sucks for Bryce that Coach Mullins probably will. Still, far better that than getting suspended, right?"

You tried to console yourself with this fact, but it really did suck for Bryce and you couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty. "So, uh, so where are we going then?"

"Back to my place of course. Thanks to your underage drinking, the weekend can start early. I just have to give your folks a call when we in and make up some bullshit as to why you have to stay over, and then for the next three days it's just you and me, just like I promised."

You certainly liked the sound of this, needing a distraction after everything that had happened tonight. "Cool. Nice one, dude," you yawned, feeling your eyelids start to grow heavy and your eyes begin to close...