Lillian sat on the couch next to Norman, arms crossed. Lillian turned to move her mouth inches from Norman's ear, shouting to be heard over the insanely loud techno playing over the fraternity's speakers. "I hate these fucking parties. Why do I always get talked into coming?"
Norman took his turn, moving mouth to Lillian's ear and shouting in return, "I know. Me too. Wanna head out?"
"Yeah!!" came Lillian's reply. The two slipped into their traditional routines, Lillian collecting Amanda, and Norman collecting George.
Lillian scanned the room, until her eyes came to rest on Amanda's athletic 5'6" frame, her long, light-brown hair bouncing as she danced, plastic cup held over her head as she swayed her shapely ass to the music. Lillian felt a surge of jealousy watching her pretty friend holding the attention of a good-looking guy with her sexy movements. How Lillian wished her shapeless form were more like that of her friend... she would give anything to have a guy look at her like that. Maybe even Norman? She had those kinds of thoughts randomly about her suite-mate, but never took them too seriously. She probably had a chance with him... and their semi-nerdy interest were pretty well in alignment. But... on to the task at hand: collecting her roommate.
Lillian rose and approached Amanda, tapping her on the shoulder from behind. Startled, Amanda dropped her drink... right on Lillian's head. As the cheap beer splattered all over her, soaking her hair and face, and dribbling on her top, she closed her eyes and sighed. It was a fitting end to her miserable night.
Lillian's sigh propelled a few droplets of beer onto her attractive friend's glistening cleavage as she turned around. "Oh my goshhh, Lil, I'm shooo shorry," Amanda exclaimed cringing at what she had done to her friend and stumbling a bit as the room spun in alcohol-fueled motion.
Without a word, Lillian opened her eyes, beer still flowing down her face, grabbed her friend's hand, and led her out the door.
Meanwhile, Norman spotted George chatting (well, more like the frat party equivalent of chatting--hollering at the top of his lungs over the music) enthusiastically with Megan, the attractive, ginger-haired girl from his LARP group. She was the whole reason they were all here. George had the crush to end all crushes, and she was its object. Unfortunately for George, she had placed him so far into the friend zone, he would have to cross a continent to get out.
Fortunately, Megan was putting on her jacket and waving goodbye. If she weren't Norman would never have been able to get George to leave. As Megan walked away, George began to survey the room until he spotted Norman. Norman nodded his head toward the door, and his friend nodded back in acknowledgement. They both made their way through the plastic-cup holding crowd toward the door, meeting Lillian and Amanda just outside in the cool, fall air.
"What happened to you?" Norman asked Lillian before he could think better of it.
Lillian shot back an angry glare, "Our good friend Amanda here, that's what!"
"I shaid I'm shorry, Lil. Geez!" Amanda replied, as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
None of them noticed the shadowy figure that slinked quietly behind them.
***
About halfway to the dorm, Norman suggested that they take a shortcut across the cemetery. After swinging his legs over the fence and dropping to the ground, Norman turned around to catch Amanda if she fell. Fortunately, Amanda's significant athletic prowess compensated for her drunken state, and she gracefully landed in a crouch. Unable to reach the top of the fence, George gave Lillian a boost up one side, while Norman caught her on the other. Then, George swung himself over.
As they walked, Norman felt uneasy, as if he were being watched. Maybe this shortcut hadn't been such a good idea.
Suddenly, coming out of nowhere at incredible speed, a dark shape barreled into Amanda, sending her sprawling to the ground. Before anyone could react, a silver flash flew past them from behind... directly into the dark shape's chest. The dark shape gave a brief crimson flash, before disappearing in smoke.
Lillian, Norman, and George turned, eyes wide, to see a slim, leggy feminine shape clad in form-fitting black striding toward them.