I tried to get onto my feet so that I could stand back up, but my unsteady attempt prompted my two friends to both grab an arm.

“Woah there.” Scott said.

“Careful Jenni, we still don’t know what that was.” Beth added.

“You’re right, thanks by the way.” I told them both with a sincere smile. “I really don’t know what’s going on with this now ginormous blue box and this class and stats stuff.”

Beth and Scott again shared another look of confusion between them just like they had right before I had tried to stand up.

“We…I don’t know what it is you’re talking about or even what you’re trying to say honestly.” Beth said to me with an expression of contrition, like she was afraid of disappointing me or something.

“Half of what you’re saying sounds like gibberish, or maybe another language or something.” Scott helpfully clarified.

“What?” I said to them, this time I’m the one who was giving them a perplexed expression.

“You’ve said something about seeing things, but I couldn’t understand what it was you said you were seeing.” Beth told me.

“Something about a thing being in front of your face, I think.” Scott added.

“Then you were in pain, and saying more things I…” Beth tried to continue.

“Wait…” I stopped her. “What do you mean you couldn’t understand what I was saying?”

Scott shrugged.

“I was definitely speaking English, right?” I looked between them, honestly feeling a bit annoyed that they couldn’t understand what I thought were pretty basic descriptions.

“There’s this big bright blue box right here in front of me.” I told them irritably while gesturing at the space where the blue box was.

Beth and Scott shared another look, which also annoyed me for some reason. Why couldn’t they follow what I was saying? I should be the one confused and lost, not them. What was complicated about what I was telling them?

“All we heard was…” Beth started. “There’s this ‘garbled mumble’ right here in front of me.” She also made the attempt to parrot the same gestures I made back at me.

“What?” I asked her incredulously.

“She said…” Scott tried to start explaining before I interrupted.

“No, I heard what she said, but…” I stopped talking as I looked down in contemplation.

It was like they couldn’t hear specific parts of what I said to them. Like specific phrases or words that I spoke were being censored somehow. Did I have some kind of brain damage? I was no expert on the brain or a psychologist, but was this some type of schizophrenia or something? But schizophrenia didn’t impact speech did it? Or maybe it did, I didn’t know…

“Jenni?” Beth asked me softly while placing a comforting hand on my arm.

‘Let's test this. Let's be all scientific about it then.’ I thought to myself while giving my two friends a resolute look.

“Blue box.” I declared to them bluntly.

Confused uncomprehending looks are all I got back from them.

“Class, Magi, Essence…” As I started reciting bits of the text floating in front of my face, a sharp but brief headache assaulted me. “Gahh.”

“Woah there Jenni, are you having another attack or something.” Scott asked while grabbing a hold of my other arm to prevent me from falling.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I told them as I recovered. “Did you hear any of that, or no?”

“No honey sorry, but…” Beth said with a reassuring tone, but her inability to complete her thoughts told me she was still at a complete loss about my situation.

“But it did sound important to you. That's all I got out of it.” Scott said, trying to be helpful.

“Stupid blue box.” I yelled at the thing. “Zone of Conjunction, Akash…Gyahh.”

I was assaulted by another splitting headache, this one was a little more intense then the last.

“Jesus Jenni, what is going on with you.” Beth asked me, her voice full of emotion.

“I still think taking her to see a doctor is our best option right now.” Scott said to Beth while not looking at me.

“No, no doctors, I’m fine. I just…I’ll figure out what’s going on, then if I need a doctor’s help, I’ll get it.” I told them forcefully.

I also attempted to separate myself from the comforting, but restricting, grips both of them had on my arms. They both let me go without protest, but I could tell that they hadn’t done so happily.

“I’m fine.” I told them again. “Really.”

“You were just writhing on the ground in pain, and you’re seeing things.” Beth told me bluntly, but the harsh truth of her words was mollified by the pain clearly evident in her eyes.

“I…” I tried to start, but how could I explain something to them they couldn’t understand and that just gave me painful headaches when I tried.

What I needed was time to think, get my thoughts in order, and get rid of this giant stupid blue box that was blocking like 90% of my vision at this point.

As I had this thought, and gave an angry withering look at the aforementioned big blue box, it disappeared.

“Wha..?” I muttered.

“What is it? Did something else happen?” Scott asked animatedly.

“N-no, it's nothing.” I lied “I think we should go inside. Honestly, I could really use a drink right about now.”

A big smile appeared on my face. I wasn’t really sure how much it actually fooled them though. From the dubious looks they gave back to me, probably not much.

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“You still want to go inside, to the party?” Beth asked cautiously.

“Yeah, I’m fine, really.” I told her. “I don’t want to go home, I don’t need a doctor, and we're already here, so why not?”

I left out the part where I said, ‘And I don’t want you to worry about something I can’t even begin to understand, so let’s pretend everything is normal until maybe at some point I do.’

“I guess…” Beth said reluctantly.

“Maybe a bit of alcohol will help, it could just be stress and nerves.” Scott said, trying to rationalize my actions and my choice to stay.

“It is true you really don’t like parties, but…” Beth herself was now joining in on Scott’s train of thought of trying to rationalize my behavior.

“Great” I told them before striding confidently forward and towards the door we had previously been attempting to reach.

They didn’t try to stop me, and once we three had reached and opened the door and stepped inside to what felt like a solid wall of music, we were greeted by the party's host, Damien.

“Welcome, welcome my fellow party people and friends. You three are a bit late, but you're welcome all the same.” Damien greeted us with a camera ready smile on his face, and a bright red cup full of some type of alcohol in his hand.

“There’s drinks of all kinds in the kitchen and living room. Beer pong tables in the basement and the upstairs foyer.” He said as he indicated behind himself with his free hand. “Dancing and music are in the living room of course, but it is a party so I guess feel free to dance wherever you like, haha.”

“We know man, we’ve been to parties at your house before Damien.” Beth told him coldly.

“Of course, of course. You three are returning veterans, well you and Scott in any case, but I won’t trouble you with explanations if you are in a hurry for a drink or to have some fun.” He said this while stepping aside to let us move past him.

We did so and as we moved down the hall and past Damien I got close to Beth.

“How many of those red cups do you think he’s emptied so far.” I faux whispered to her.

Beth snickered at me.

“More than three for sure, probably not beer either.” she told me.

“Definitely not beer.” Scott confirmed. “You couldn’t smell the rum from his cup…or his breath.”

We all laughed at that.

As we made our way deeper into the house and the waves of thumping music and beats, more and more people started to become visible until eventually we walked past the entrance to the living room and the giant drunken dance party that was going on inside.

It was a crowded room full of dancing and grinding bodies. Wall to wall people made it look like the room was actually occupied by one single gigantic drunken organism. If this was an actual business, that depended on codes and regulations, Damien would definitely be getting a fine from the fire marshal for overcrowding.

“Damn, there’s even more people here than at the last party he threw.” Scott said in wonder.

“Ugh, way too many people, let's go to the kitchen and get a drink there then.” Beth declared. “Hopefully, it’s not quite as crowded.”

Scott and I obediently followed behind our friend who had set the course.

Arriving, we found a kitchen well populated with people, but still sparse enough that we could walk around at least.

“So what do you feel like having to drink Jenni, beer I’m guessing. I think Damien got a keg or two of light beer also, if that’s what you want.?” Scott asked while moving towards the cluster of kegs to the side of the room.

“Uh yeah, that’s fine.” I didn’t really care about the kind of beer to be honest. Beer was beer, I only really drank at these parties so I didn’t look weird for not having a cup in my hand.

I also didn’t mind the light buzz it gave me I supposed.

Having finished pouring one cup, he handed it to me.

“Here you are.” He declared happily, before starting another pour and then handing it to Beth. “And one for you as well.”

“Thanks.” Beth and I both said to him.

Once all three of us had been equipped with our requisite drinks, I took a tentative sip.

It wasn’t bad. Better than whatever it was I had tried at Jackie’s party.

“Hmm, not bad.” I said to them.

Scott had a big smile on his face at that. Like, somehow, he was the one responsible for the beer’s taste even though all he did was pour it.

“Yeah, it’s pretty okay.” Beth agreed noncommittally.

This was usually the part at parties we’d separate and mingle with other people, but they both seemed set on staying and not leaving me alone.

“I’m really okay now you guys.” I told them while taking another sip from my cup.

“I believe you.” Scott told me with a big stupid smile before taking a deep drink that emptied his cup. He turned and headed back over to the kegs.

“I don’t.” Beth told me solemnly once we were alone.

“Beth…” I said imploringly.

“You can say you’re fine, but I saw what I saw.” Beth said between drinks of her beer.

I let out a loud sigh at that.

“I wish I could tell you what happened, but I really don’t know myself. All I can say is that, right now, I feel perfectly fine.” I told her emphatically.

“Jenni…” Beth said, mirroring my previous exasperation.

“Beth.” I copied her back. “I promise, you’ll be the very first person I’ll tell if I don’t feel alright. You know I’d never lie to you, don’t you?”

“Yeah I know that. Gahh, do you really have to put it like that.” Beth told me with an insincere glare. “You’re trying to make me feel bad for worrying about my best friend's well being.”

“And it’s appreciated, but come on, we’re here to relax and I could really use that right now.” I told her with a smile.

“You’re right. Fine, first you’ll need to finish up your drink if we’re going to have any hope of loosening you up.” She told me with a bright smile of her own.

While I began to increase my drinking speed to a moderate pace, I took a look around the room we were in.

Damien’s family’s kitchen, unsurprisingly, looked gorgeous, and expensive.

What really caught my eye though was a girl standing on her own in the corner by one of the sinks.

She was wearing a dark hoodie and had equally dark hair with purple highlights. The thing that really caught my attention though was what I could barely see popping out from the sides of her long hair.

‘Were those ears?’ I thought to myself.

I couldn’t exactly tell at this distance, but right around where her ears should have been there were what looked like slightly pointy ears sticking out.

I turned to ask Beth, and Scott who had just now returned.

“Who is that girl over there?” I said, indicating the dark solitary figure I had been staring at.

“Huh?” Scott replied dumbly before looking where I had indicated. “Ah her, I uh think her name is Tia or something. Really into music, kinda keeps to herself though.”

“Do you see whatever that is sticking out of her hair?” I asked my two friends experimentally.

“She is all the way on the other side of the room. I see her highlights if that's what you mean?” Beth said in a valiant attempt to help.

“No…” I responded dejectedly. “I’m gonna go over and talk to her.”

“Uh okay.” Beth said with some confusion and a hint of disappointment.

Making my way over to this mysterious girl, I only got about half way before she spotted me walking towards her. A panicked and slightly annoyed look crossed her face as she turned and made her way to the nearest exit. In this case, the door to the backyard.

“Ohh, rejected.” Scott said to me in a mock heckle before walking up to stand beside me. “Can’t win ‘em all.”

“I just wanted to talk with her.” I said with a pout.

“Eh forget about her, probably just had to go to the bathroom or something.”

“Maybe” I answered with blatant insincerity.

“Come on, we’re at a party, and you said you wanted to relax, so why don’t we dance for a bit.” Scott asked me confidently, forcing a complete 180 on my brain’s thought processes.

“W-wha, yeah okay, dance, uh yeah. Great. That would be awesome.” I said, completely forgetting about whatever was going on with that girl.

Probably unimportant, surely.

As he moved closer to me, I could smell the beer in his cup and whatever after-shave he had used. My chaotic thoughts narrowed down and focused onto the one person who was standing oh so very close to me.

As we both began to move and sway awkwardly to the still loud music, Scott leaned a bit closer to say something.

“Whatever else, I’m really glad you came to this party tonight Jenni.” Scott told me without a hint of embarrassment or shame.

“Y-yeah me t-” And before I could formulate my response, a loud ear-piercing scream echoed from somewhere deeper in the house along with an accompanying sound of glass breaking.