kryptonite

Hotstuff

This is the party described in the previous chapter, so it's still just background set-up. If you'd like to skip it, that's fine. This will just go into more detail about the party and give some insight into Violet and Eric's characters. This will also be the only time that the perspective changes within a chapter.

VIOLET

Frat house? More like pigsty, thought Violet as she navigated her way through the throngs of drunken college kids. She had come with her friends under the assumption that there would be some cute guys, but all she saw was disappointment.

"I need a drink," she muttered under her breath.

Six shots of vodka later, Violet's mood has improved dramatically. She was dancing on a table, her hair flinging wildly back and forth as she threw her body into moving with the music. She was a siren, daring anyone to approach and claim her for a night. Too bad she was way out of their league. But then someone took her challenge—she was forcefully dragged off the table, and pulled into some boy's arms, his hands still wrapped around her waist. He smirked down at her, his voice slurring, "Hey babe, you looked awfully lonely up there dancing alone. Want some company?"

Violet rolled her eyes. A drunk one-night-stand wasn't in her plans for her first party in college. "You tryna cop a feel?" She shot back. "I charge per touch, and I doubt you can afford me, babe." She spat the endearment back in his face as she moved to get away. She wasn't in the mood to dance anymore if it meant she'd have to deal with those people. But as Violet started to walk away, she felt his arm snaking around her waist, pulling her back.

"Woah, hotstuff! Where you going?"

"Away from you. Don't touch me again," Violet hissed, "or so help me God the next place you'll be going is the hospital."

"Oooh, scary." The guy drawled, clearly not meaning it as his hands ran lazily through Violet's hair when she tried to pull away once more.

Violet's temper snapped, frayed by the alcohol and Mr. I-Won't-Take-No-For-An-Answer, and the next thing she knew, the guy had let her go, his hand burning from the contact with her arm.

"Learn some respect!" She cried shrilly, her judgement clouded by liquid courage as she once again moved to heat things up.

JACIN

It was supposed to be a calm Saturday night for Jacin, with his roommate having just moved out last weekend, and the new one not moving in until tomorrow. It was a girl this time, and he still wasn't even sure why he offered her the spot. When he'd put the ad up, he swore he said "Looking for a Guy to Room With" But the girl had showed up to his apartment anyways, and he stupidly offered her a room right after giving her a tour because she'd offered to cook.

God, he'd lived off of takeout with his old roommate for so long that he would've practically done anything to eat a good homemade meal.

Either way, it was supposed to be a quiet night. Ha, yeah right. As he was about to fall asleep "studying" a physics textbook, a bright flash of light flared up outside his window.

Holy sh*t.

Jacin quickly flung the book down as he raced to save the day. Dragging a curtain down from his window, he tied in an almost superhero-cape-ish look as he ran towards a party where (he assumed) the fireball thing had come from. He broke down the front door of the frat house (only for dramatic purposes; he totally could have just opened it) and took in the scene before him. Everyone was headed to the backyard of the house.

Jacin quickly went out the front, vaulting over the backyard gate (again, for dramatic purposes), and this time saw the cause of the fireball whizzing past his window. A girl was crouched low to ground, her entire body consumed by blazing flames as she repeatedly flung fireballs at a boy cowering in the pool. Every fireball fizzled out as they came into contact with water, but that didn't seem to stop the crazy chick from trying.

Leaping in to diffuse the situation, he untied his curtain from around his neck and threw it on the crazy girl, smothering her fire and vision. "Hey!" She called out, "Let me see!" She tried to fire up (haha) again, but was unable to do so. She struggled a bit more, but Jacin held on tight, making sure as little oxygen as possible got under the curtain to allow her to use her powers again.

Luckily for him, she wasn't able to, collapsing to the ground. Unluckily for him, he realized that no oxygen meant the girl could not breath either, which was probably why she collapsed in the first place. Oops.

Jacin gave a slight laugh, pulling the blanket off her and pulling it back over his head. Luckily, through the thrashing and movement of the fight, no one had caught a clear glimpse of his face. And now with his curtain hooding his face, no one would be able to anymore either.

"And another job well done for..." What should his superhero name be? He hadn't thought this far yet. "Tech...no. Wait, yes. Tech-yes. Another job well done for Techno!" he blustered, before racing off back towards his apartment.

And this, was why he didn't socialize.