For the next few weeks, Jack got up extra early to sit on the bus with me. Eventually he adjusted to the lack of sleep, and he was back to his cheerful self. I hadn't really seen Finn at all besides at school. We were still close, but not getting any closer. We were walking to the bus after college prep on a sunny Friday, sharing airpods and holding hands, when Jack tugged on my arm. I took out Finn's airpod and turned to him.

"What's up?" I said, pulling Finn to a stop next to me.

"Can I sit with you on the bus today? Ellie and I are fighting." He asked me. I wasn't surprised, he'd been acting grumpy all day.

"Yeah, of course. Are you ok with sitting with Ellie?" I said, addressing Finn. He took out his airpod and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm not taking the bus today. I'm getting a ride with uh, Millie." He looked down at his feet when he spoke.

"Just so you know, I'm not one of those girls that doesn't let their boyfriend have friends that are girls. You can hang out with Millie all you want," I told him, smiling. He grinned and kissed my forehead.

"You're the best." Jack wandered away to talk to his skater friends for a second, and Finn and I were alone.

"I guess going with Millie is better than you sitting with Ellie," I muttered, more to myself than to Finn.

"Don't worry. I don't like her. I like you," Finn confirmed, taking my hand.

"Wait, you know?"

"That Ellie still likes me? Yeah, I know," he sighed.

"How the fuck do you know?"

"She told me." Finn saw my jaw grinding angrily, and quickly added, "I told her I didn't feel the same, don't worry," he assured me.

"It's... fine," I mumbled.

"Millie's here, I gotta go. See you Monday," he said, kissing my cheek and walking away. Jack joined me just as the bus pulled up, and we got on it together. Ellie was sitting in her usual seat, facing out the window. She didn't look up when Jack and I sat in the seat across from her, and didn't say anything when Jack didn't sit next to her. I can't believe she told Finn. The only possible reason she told him is so he'd go back to her. Jokes on her, he doesn't even like her. She got off the bus silently when it pulled up to her stop, and I watched her walk out. She didn't look back once.

"What did you guys fight about?" I asked Jack through gritted teeth.

"It's nothing?" he shrugged, still facing the window. I decided not to pursue it and give him space. I got home, did my homework, and went skating for a bit since it was so nice out. I skated past Jack's house, debating whether or not to ask him if he wanted to join me, but I decided against it. I returned home with nothing else to do. Finn was busy, Jack was mad, and Ellie and I weren't exactly on speaking terms. I settled on binging netflix for the next few hours. At around 9, I got a text from Jack.

heyyyyy

u up?

yeah... its only 9?

coem ovner

mdasion

helloooooooo

jack

are you drunk

maybfeeeee a litetle

dont mafek mea be drunk aflone

my paernts arent home! partyu!

oh god

im coming

be there in 5

i love yosu soooo mcuh

love you too

I told my parents I was running over to Jack's for a bit, and I'd call if I was spending the night. They said it was fine, and I rushed over. I rung the doorbell anxiously, tapping my fingers against my leg. The door opened, and Jack welcomed me inside, grinning.

"Hi," he said, smiling. It was easy to tell he was extremely drunk, his hair was messy and his eyes were red, and he was holding a bottle of grey goose. Drunk Jack was pretty much a wildcard. Some days he got really loud, some days he got really quiet, some days he got really flirty, some days he threw up, some days he didn't. I couldn't tell what his mood was for today. I carefully guided him to his couch and sat him down.

"What did you and Ellie fight about?" I asked him.

"It's nothing," he responded, waving his hands in the air as if to clear the air of my question. "Don't make me be drunk alone," he prompted, handing me the bottle. I sighed. I hadn't planned on drinking tonight, but I guess it would be fine, it's for Jack.

"I'll drink if you tell me why you and Ellie fought," I offered.

"Ellie Ellie Ellie. Why is everything always about Ellie," he whined, taking a strand of my hair and wrapping it around his finger. "But if you really wanna know, she told me she has feelings for someone else but she doesn't want to break up. What a bitch right?" he slurred. That. fucking. bitch. She was breaking Jack's heart, and ruining my relationship with Finn. Without hesitation, I took a sip from the bottle. It burned my throat, but I didn't mind.

"That's the spirit!" Jack grinned.

Soon, I was just as wasted as Jack. There was no way I could go home in my current state, so I called my parents and tried to sound as sober as possible to let them know I wasn't coming home. I don't think they suspected anything, they probably just thought I was tired.

"I'm glad you came," Jack told me. We were sitting on his couch, our legs touching.

"I'm glad I came too," I responded. I turned my head to face him. Up close, I could see every perfect freckle that covered his smooth face.

"You're pretty," he blurted.

"You're pretty too. Wait, no. You're hot. Isn't that what boys like to be called?" I said. Yep, definitely drunk.

"Hotter than Finn?"

"I don't think anybody's hotter than Finn. But you're... different." He frowned at this, and I quickly added, "You're... better."

"You're better than Ellie. So much better." I laughed at this. I had forgotten all about Ellie.

"She sucks," I groaned. "You deserve so much better."

"You think so?"

"Yeah." He moved closer to me, and observed my face. There was a strand of hair laying on my cheek, and he carefully brushed it off.

"You make me so happy," he told me, grinning, getting closer still.

"I'm so lucky to have you," I breathed. My gaze trailed down from his eyes to his mouth, then back up to his eyes. He leaned in slowly, and our lips connected. It was like nothing I had ever felt before, like pure electricity. I wanted more.

Then my phone rang. I pulled back quickly, and the moment was shattered. I fumbled around blindly for my phone. It was an incoming facetime from Finn. I answered.

"Heyyyyyy," I said, wiping my mouth.

"Hi. Wait, are you at Jack's?" he asked.

"Yep," I replied, turning the camera on Jack, who waved.

"Are you drunk?"

"Correct again, sir," I laughed.

"Oh. Ok, I was just checking in. Goodnight, have fun babe," he said, and hung up. I turned back to Jack, a pit forming in my stomach. I knew I couldn't kiss him again, even if I wanted to.

"I have a boyfriend. You have a girlfriend. We can't do this."

"Are you sure?" To tell the truth, I wasn't sure. The alcohol was making it hard to tell what I was really even thinking. And I wanted to feel that electricity again.

"Y-yes," I stammered. I wanted to kiss Jack again. I didn't want to be interrupted. But I couldn't.

"Suit yourself. Let's watch a movie." We watched 16 Candles, then hid the empty bottle of vodka and went to bed.

I woke up with a pounding headache. It felt like someone had knocked me out with a bat. I rolled over, and saw that I was sleeping in Jack's bed. He was passed out next to me. I tried to recount what had happened last night. The drinking, the talking, the kiss... oh god, we kissed. If that even counted. We were both drunk out of our minds, and, I remember now, we were interrupted right away by my damn phone. Jack blinked his eyes open.

"Morning," I said.

"Holy fuck, my head hurts," he groaned.

"Do you remember last night?" I asked him.

"Not at all." Good. Right? That was a good thing. He didn't remember we kissed, which we barely did. He had a girlfriend, no matter how shitty she was, and I had Finn. It hadn't meant anything, it was a stupid drunk kiss.

"Yeah. Me either," I lied.