"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" 

I groaned as I stuck my fingers in my ears. When I told my roommate Ellie that I was pissed at Sean, she insisted I come with her to the Pheta Thi fraternity party tonight. I declined the first fifteen times she begged me. I was not the college party type. Hell, at twenty-eight, I was at least five years older than these guys. I just wanted to finish school and possibly own my own art studio one day. 

As I stood in a far corner, trying to get away from the noise, I looked around at the college students. I still couldn't believe I was here, finishing school. A year ago, if someone had told me this would be my life now, I probably would have laughed in their face.

Around this time last year, I lost my job, was in the process of losing my apartment, and dealing with some severe depression. Growing up the way I did, there were long lasting effects from it. Then I met Sean. I guess you could say the way we met was a little unorthodox. In my darkest moment, I was standing on a bridge and he happened to be passing by as he was fleeing his own troubled past. 

In his own way that was uniquely Sean, he got me down and took me for coffee. He seemed to realize we were both trying to figure out our places in the world. He invited me to Atlantic City and I had agreed. After that, we went on a cross-country road trip that was both fun and terrifying. We became extremely close and formed a great friendship.

In a way, we both battled and overcame our demons and eventually we saw that our place in this world was beside each other. Not to mention, this road trip led me to find my estranged brother and also I learned that I had a birth mother out there. One who is remarkably kind and sweet. She lives in Portland and I use Sean's plane to fly out and see her sometimes. 

I also used Sean's plane when I wanted to visit my brother. Which, I just got back from last night. I wanted to have dinner tonight with Sean since I hadn't seen him in nearly a week. Unfortunately, he had work to do. It wasn't really the work thing that irritated me. I understood he's been busy ever since he started working for the feds. It was more like...he knew when I was coming home and we sort of already made plans to see each other when I got back. 

So, after a phone call with me being passive aggressive and him being utterly clueless, I am now standing in a frat house supervising my roommate and closest friend while she gets wasted. Sure, I had a red Solo cup in my hand but I wasn't planning on drinking tonight. I hear enough horror stories about partying on college campuses and I wanted to make sure Ellie didn't get roofied. 

I was a little nervous when I made the decision to live on campus. I didn't want to have the responsibility of having my own place again right away. I felt like I wasn't ready for that. What student housing, I helped out in the library on campus which got me a discount for housing. I also had financial aid and the assistance of student loans. It was also a bonus that the rent wasn't very much. 

When I first met Ellie, she was a happy coincidence. Like me, she was an artist. She focused on sculptures while I focused on painting. We hit it off immediately and have gotten along ever since I moved in a month ago.

Which is why, at this very moment, I am at a fraternity party where I definitely don't want to be. I would rather be eating Chinese food at Sean's apartment while we watch old Jim Carrey movies. 

I took a sip of my water as I kept my eyes on Ellie. She was standing next to the keg, chatting up two of the football players. I went to take a step towards her and then I felt a hand drop on my shoulder. 

My instincts from the many self-defense classes I took kicked in and I turned around quickly, kneeing the asshole in the family jewels. The man I successfully injured groaned in pain as he doubled over. 

I realized about twenty seconds too late that it wasn't some drunken frat boy trying to make a pass at me. It was Sean. "Sean? I'm so sorry!" 

I placed my hand on his back, even though I knew that wouldn't help reduce the pain he was feeling. "I thought you were some drunk asshole." 

He finally straightened and continued to cough a little as he composed himself. "Nope," he said with a cracked voice, "just your boyfriend. I'm happy to see the self defense classes I bought you paid off." 

I worried my bottom lip as guilt tore through me. "I'm so sorry, babe. What are you doing here?" 

Clearly still having trouble speaking, he held up the grocery bag that had Chinese food inside.

He got my favorite meal. I wonder what brought this on. "You brought me Chinese." 

He managed to give me a weak smile. "I wanted to surprise you." 

Well he had definitely done that. I was not expecting him to show up on campus, let alone find me in a frat party. Even though Sean was an extremely sweet guy, he seemed just as clueless as me when it came to this relationship stuff. 

He glanced around the pack fraternity house before he looked back to me. "You think we can get out of here? Maybe go to your dorm or my apartment? Or somewhere that has ice?" 

A little laugh escaped me and I felt even worse about hurting him. But I was also excited to get out of here. "Yeah, let's-- Oh, God. Ellie!" 

I turned and looked in the direction of the keg where I last saw Ellie. She and the two football players were gone. I started to get worried and started walking around the party, looking for her.

I knew Sean would be right behind me and I heard his voice clearly over the music when he said, "What's wrong, Lydia?" 

I looked in the living room and kitchen and there was no sign of her. Dammit. "I need to find Ellie. I promised to watch her tonight." 

"Watch her?" He asked with confusion.

I started up the staircase as I explained, "When we first became friends, we made a promise to each other. If we go to one of these parties only one of us would drink. The sober one would keep an eye on the drunk one. Unfortunately, guys, and even girls," I said shooting him a sympathetic look, "get roofied. So, we do it to protect each other." 

Another glance at Sean and I could tell he was remembering when his ex, PSYCHO Amy hired some girl to drug him in New Orleans. Yeah, that was not a good time. 

I started knocking and opening bedroom doors, not waiting for someone to tell me to enter. Some of them are empty, some of them had people going at it, and the last one I tried was locked. 

"I bet this is it," I said with certainty. Ellie was in there. I don't know how I knew, I just knew. "How are we going to get them to open the door? If we just knock, they'll just ignore us." 

Sean gave me a sly smile as he banged on the door with his fist and yelled, "Campus Police!" 

I leaned closer to the door and to hear the panicked voices of two men. Sean banged on the door again and it swung open an instant later. 

The blonde football player looks from me to Sean before his eyes narrowed. "Hey! You aren't campus-" 

Sean shoved his way into the room and gave the blond a pointed look. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stand there and shut up." 

The blonde seemed to believe Sean and shut his mouth immediately. The other football player must be hiding in the bathroom or the closet. I ran straight to the bed where Ellie was passed out. Thankfully, she still had her clothes on.

Anger flooded me and I started walking towards the blonde. Sean wrapped his arm around my waist, stopping me a few feet away from him. "How dare you do this!" 

"We were just trying to give her a place to lay down," the blonde mumbled, clearly lying.

"That's bullshit!" I yelled, fighting against Sean's hold. 

"Shut up!" Sean said to him before meeting my gaze. He cupped the side of my face as he said, "Babe, let's get her out of here. Okay? Forget these pieces of shits." 

He had a point and I knew he was right. I was just so furious it took a couple minutes for me to calm down. I walked over to Ellie and tried to wake her. 

I heard Sean's deep baritone as he said, "Tell your friend to come out here. Now." 

The blonde did as instructed and I saw the other football player walking out of the closet. I watched as Sean pulled out his phone and took their picture. 

"This," he said in a menacing tone as he held up his cellphone, "is my leverage. This whole encounter was recorded and I now have your pictures. If I find out you tried pulling a stunt like this again, you'll go from wearing football uniforms to prison uniforms. Got it?" 

The two men nodded and I could tell by their expressions that they believed him. Sean came over to me and handed me the grocery bag with Chinese food. He bent down and scooped up Ellie in his arms. 

As we made our way out of the frat house, I called an uber with my phone. My dorm wasn't far from here, but it was too far with Sean carrying Ellie. The Uber driver pulled up almost instantly. One of the benefits of being a college student on campus. We got into the car as fast as we could, and I let out a sigh of relief as we started heading towards my dorm.

I didn't realize until now that my hands had been shaking. I closed my eyes tight as the reality of tonight hit me. Tonight could have been very, very bad...