[Storiesmaniac]

"One." Kyle raised his glass.

"Two." Mike picked his up.

"Three." Becka brought hers to eye level.

"Go!" Ash slammed her hand down hard on the table. The three all chugged back their shots of whatever their poison may have been. They finished, and the group instantly broke into laughter. As Robin passed by, he hopped up on the counter the group had gathered around, looking down on the spectacle.

"Wow." He shook his head and picked up the three ounce shot glass with a smiley face on it that Kyle was using to chug back his drinks.

"No more screwdrivers."

"Aw," Kyle laughed, as he began to mix another batch. "So soon?"

"Got to drive home." Robin shook his head and pushed away the shot glass Becka had slid to him as she left the counter. "Not all of us have the fortune of playing host."

"Crash here." Kyle motioned around the house. "It's not like there isn't enough floor space. I'm sure you could find a very decent patch of carpet."

"And it's not like tomorrow isn't Christmas Day, either," Robin said sarcastically. "Although, I have never slept at Whit and Kara's house." There was a tone of amusement underlying in his voice.

"That's because you've never slept with Whit or Kara," Kyle shot back smugly.

"Must you highlight one of the many failures in my life?" Robin shook his head with a sigh.

"Yes, and I must gloat about it too," Kyle grinned, as he refilled Mike and Ash's glasses. "One more?"

"Aye!" the two shot back, interrupting the small conversation they had begun. Ash was a fairly new addition to the group, an old friend of Becka's who had moved back into town on business a few months ago. She was a laugh and kept most of them up on their toes, but to Mike, she was just another decent set of trees; and, just like all sets of trees in the area, she was fair game.

"Mike, you're not sexually harassing another one of the females that so often run amok in your fantasies, are you?" Ben asked as he walked by laughing.

"Is it physically impossible for me to engage in a conversation with a woman and not consequently be hitting on her?' Mike shouted, knowing what everyone was thinking.

"Yes," everyone who heard him shout in the room replied.

"It's okay Mike," Ash laughed. "I like my trees too."

Laughing, Kyle turned to Robin. "So? In for a round or two?"

"No." Robin shook his head and stepped away. "Not now anyways."

"Suit yourself," Kyle shrugged. He glanced around the room. "Hey, Kara, up for a challenge?"

Kara and Sarah were sitting on the couch in the living room, the DVD menu for "It's a Wonderful Life" just now coming up on the screen. She shot him a look, and he chuckled to himself.

"How 'bout you, Sarah?"

Sarah's brows rose skeptically, and without a word she flipped him off and turned back to the screen.

"No? Oh well." Laughing, the group raised their glasses, and no more was said.

"I utterly hate this movie," Shawn said as he plopped down on the couch between Kara and Sarah.

"You aren't alone," Kara scoffed as she shoved a fistful of popcorn into her mouth and hit play with the remote.

"I don't get you two." Sarah shook her head. "This is one of the most inspirational movies of all time."

"Exactly," Kara shrugged. "Love, happiness, family, what's not to hate?"

"You're going to end up a very old and bitter woman." Sarah rolled her eyes.

"And you're going to end up happy with a yard full of children, two mortgages, and an SUV," Shawn said, reaching for the popcorn in Kara's lap. She slapped his hand before he could grab any. "Hey!"

"Get your own," Kara snapped. "This is my stockpile of personal ammunition."

"But-"

"No-"

"Bitch."

"I try."

"What's wrong with kids and the house and a car?" Sarah asked, slightly hurt.

"Nothing," Shawn shrugged. "I was just answering as Kara would have."

"Ugh," Kara scoffed. "Sell out."

"I've slept with you, Kara," Shawn laughed. "There's no reason to be nice to you any more. Sarah's new territory."

He blew Kara a kiss tauntingly. Rolling her eyes, Kara got to her feet and, without any further comment, poured the entire bowl of popcorn over Shawn's head.

"Enjoy the popcorn," she mocked as she headed into the kitchen.

"You're asking for trouble, little girl," Shawn said as he picked kernels out of his hair and tossed a few pieces of popcorn at Sarah, who was giggling uncontrollably next to him on the couch.

"What are you going to do," she laughed. "Rape me?"

"Shawn," Alex asked as he walked by. "Did you by chance miss that memo about not playing with your food?"

"Ha, ha." Shawn wadded up a fistful of popcorn and chucked it at Alex. "Very funny."

"I thought so too," Alex laughed as he picked a piece of popcorn off of Shawn's shoulder and ate it. "Too much butter. Have fun washing that."

"Poor Shawn." Sarah shook her head. "So abused, so mocked, so scorned."

"Poor Sarah," Shawn retorted. "So young to be found wrapped in a blue tarp with cement blocks at the bottom of the lake."

"You wouldn't do it, and you know it," Sarah glared.

"Of course not." Shawn shook his head. "Not until after I've had my way with you."

Sarah's phone began ringing in her pocket. "This isn't over," she said as she got to her feet and left the room.

"Didn't think it was," Shawn sighed and sank lower in his seat, turning his attention to the movie.

In the kitchen, Whit and Becka were deeply immersed in conversation as they opened a decent bottle of wine.

"Jesum," Becka gasped as Whitney informed her about the scar that had formed over Robin's stomach earlier. "And it didn't cut?"

"No." Whit shook her head and took a sip of the Italian vino. "I'm blown away."

"Thank God for that shirt." Becka's eyes popped as she took a sip too.
"Oh, that's good."

"It's from 2003, a Sella Mosca wine. I like it." Whit nodded. "But you know what that means, right Becka?"

"You sister's wearing a ring?" Becka shrugged. "So?"

"Think about it," Whit nudged. "Ring with rather large rock on right hand..."

"So?" Becka shrugged. "Women wear rings. It's not all that uncommon, Whit darling."

"Yes," Whit nodded, "but I only know of one ring a woman wears on her right hand. One that could do that type of damage anyways."

"What are you suggesting?" Becka asked putting down her glass of wine. "That Kara's secretly engaged and isn't telling you?"

"Yes!" Whit exclaimed. "Why is it so hard for everyone to see that?"

"Because it's absolutely ridiculous?" Becka laughed. "Please, not possible."

"I know, but come on," Whit reasoned. "It makes sense."

"How so?"

"Okay, so it doesn't make sense, but I'd like to think my logic is there," Whit pouted as she took another sip of wine.

"Aw." Becka gave whit a teasing hug. "Is big sister scared that little sister isn't telling her something?"

"No." Whit shook he head and poured herself more Mosca. This stuff was actually kinda good. "I'm only three minutes older anyways."

"Uh huh," Becka laughed. "Face it, she's tuning you and everyone else out, and you hate it."

"No, I mean, it's not like she's ever been really open, but still. Things like this we used to share. It's that stupid twin thing you know?"

"Not really. I'm not a twin, but still, it's not like you flat out told her about Mike at the wedding either," Becka reasoned.

"That is not the same," Whit denied coldly.

"Really?"

"Yes. She should be glad to tell us she's getting married. It's not like that. And thank you very much, for bringing it up. It's not as if having Mike in my house is enough of a reminder," Whit said coldly.

"Oh please," Becka laughed. "Kyle's over it, you should be too."

"Kyle didn't sleep with him now, did he?" Whitney spat.

"You're still harboring something about that." Becka looked Whit in the eye. "Something you haven't shared?"

"Of course not." Whit broke the gaze. "I'm just irritated with my sibling. We're sisters; it happens."

"Okay then." Becka picked up her glass. "Talk of the devil."

Kara wandered into the kitchen and instantly reached for the coffee kept in the freezer. Cheerfully, she sang "White Christmas" under her breath as she set up the fixings for coffee and, with a wave, danced back out of the room as soon as the water had begun to trip into the pot.

"Wow." Becka raised a brow. "That was cheerful."

"I'm going to shoot her." Whitney downed back the rest of her wine in one sip then slammed the glass on the kitchen counter.