Somehow she managed to get a great buzz at that club last night. If Derek hadn't said anything, I'm not sure I would have realized she had any alcohol in her system. She's 13. She's also got so much happening probably a little too fast. I guess I'm going to have to pull her aside. I need to know why. Does it run in her family? Dammit! I look at the time on my cell phone to find out that it's 5:17. Another hour or so before we head in the studio. I have to get up. I carefully lift Jazzy's head using the pillow and slowly get up, making sure to gently lower the pillow to the couch. I can't even begin to comprehend why she did that. I grab my shower supplies, towel and a set of clean clothes. I go to the bathroom and go through my morning routine. I get out to find Lance sitting at the table as I put my things away. He's watching me like he has something he wants to talk to me about something. "What's on your mind, Pez?"

"I heard you asking Jazz about drinks." Shit! I thought he was asleep, he's usually out like a damn light when his head hits that pillow.

"What about it?" Let's see if I can flip it and him buy it.

"What kind of drinks? I know you guys went in the lounge to finish talking."

"Yeah. I dealt with it, so don't stress it."

"I thought her words were slurred."

"She was overtired."

"JC, you can't lie. I'm not dumb, either. I also know that her mom doesn't have alcohol in the house. Vikki told me so. She wouldn't tell me why."

Vikki told me. Now I understand the situation. Jazzy has her good friends back home and then she had this group of trouble makers she would hang with on Friday nights, a couple times a month. I turn away from Lance and lie again. It's not my place or business to tell anyone. "I don't know either." This is why Vikki made me her keeper when I'm around Jazz.

"You'd tell me and the guys if you knew something we don't, right?"

Shit, Lance! "Of course." If Vikki hadn't made me promise not to say anything. I head back to the lounge. I turn the tv on and make sure that it's loud enough to cover the conversation I'm going to have with Jazzy. I shake her awake. "Jazz, get up. We have to talk." She yawns and stretches before even looking at me.

"What's up?" She always says that.

"You got pretty buzzed last night."

"I don't remember much after they played 'Come See Me'." That was during the first 45 minutes. Was that when she was grinding on the dance floor with-that explains so much.

"You were drinking." I see the gears working in her head as she thinks back.

"Dammit! Did I do anything stupid? I only remember up to the first time it went to the chorus of that song." Just before she started dancing like she was my age.

"Do you remember who you were grinding on?"

"No."

"Let's just hope he doesn't either and things aren't weird after last night."

She sighs. "It was one of the other guys, wasn't it?"

I don't answer it, but I have one question that only she can answer because only she knows the answer. "How long have you been drinking?"

"What do you know?"

"The trouble makers in MA, couple times a month."

"Since the summer I was 11. Last day of school and I went to a friend from school's house and they had hard liquor. They called me a pussy till I took a shot and I couldn't stop so their mom said I could stay the night because I had 'fallen asleep' and asked my mom. I was passed out."

"Anything else I should know about?"

She covers her face. "Not that I can think of right now."

"Jazz, it's one thing to say you want a drink, but it's completely different when you do it. Hiding it makes it worse. How long did you go with out it?"

"Almost 4 months. November, December, January, and I only had to make it through tomorrow and it would have been 4 months to the day." I can't believe her mom didn't know until this past August.

"Over a year before your mom realized it. How did you manage that?"

"I'd ask if I could stay over that person's house and have her meet the parents. They'd impress her and she'd be fine with it."

"How did you manage to be an honor roll student and battle this damn demon?"

"I don't even know but I did." I'm seeing the scared side of her and how she fights to maintain her innocence when she's sober. She has a pretty big demon to battle and she's not an adult yet.

"We're going to figure out how to deal with this without you drawing attention to you. Lance is already asking questions. What are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know, not yet. I need a shower and time to clear my head."

"Your bags are under Justin's bunk."

"Josh?"

"What?"

"Thanks for understanding and not telling anyone." She hugs me before getting her things for a shower. I hear Lance say good morning to her and her say it back to him.

She gets in the shower and Lance comes into the lounge as I turn the tv down. "So, is there anything the four of us should know?"

"If there was, you'd know it. If it's her secret, it's her business. If it's mine, I'd tell you." He gives up and watches tv. This is going to eat away at me and she trusts me not to tell anyone. I go through my day in a foggy haze. I know we went to the studio before hopping on a plane to Dublin. I don't remember the details, but I know we did.