Tristan couldn’t help but grin.

Tristan: “OK, maybe not James so much. I think he’d just rather focus on his DJ-ing for now.”
Emily: “Hey, as long as he’s having fun.”
Tristan: “You know he is.”
Emily: “I see Mary. Good luck!”
Tristan: “Thanks. I’ll see you after the show.”

Before disappearing backstage, Tristan leaned down and kissed Emily quickly but fully. She was left feeling swimmy and warm as she joined Mary at a small table beyond the dance floor.

Mary: “You guys got here pretty late.”
Emily: “Yeah, something came up.”
Mary: “Mmhmm, I bet it did.”
Emily: “What? No! It wasn’t... god, Mary.”
Mary: “You’re glowing.”
Emily: “Am I?”
Mary: “Completely. It’s nice to see for a change.”

Emily smiled as Mary paused to take a long drink from the glass in front of her. The smile was short-lived.

Mary: “By the way, you owe me another batch of mac and cheese.”
Emily: “Why? Was it bad? I knew I added too much parmesan.”
Mary: “I wouldn’t know. Your little friend from next door ate it before I even had a chance to smell it. Since he’s apparently incapable of understanding boundaries and you’re the one who’s totally falling for his lost puppy act, encouraging it even, I’m holding you responsible.”
Emily: “I’ll make you another batch even better than the one I made today. How’s that?”
Mary: “That’ll appease me.”

Emily: “Good. Hey, isn’t Anthony supposed to be meeting you here?”
Mary: “Yep! He should be here in the next twenty minutes or so. In the mean time, I’m going to get another drink. Did you want anything?”
Emily: “A vodka-cranberry juice would be nice, thanks.”
Mary: “Save my seat.”

Emily glanced around the sparsely populated dance floor and wondered who exactly she was saving the seat from.

Emily: “Of course.”

As her friend wandered off in the direction of the bar, Emily settled back and closed her eyes, listening to the peculiar music being piped in over the speakers. The singer’s voice was young but full, with lyrics of displacement and abandonment layered over electronic beats and synthesized instruments. It was one of those songs that less than a year ago would have left her sobbing on the floor, but tonight was simply interesting background noise.

Her eyes flickered open quickly as the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

Emily: “You’re just asking to be killed tonight. That’s Mary’s seat, and you’ve already managed to inch your way near the top of her ‘To Kill’ list. I don’t mind if you join us, but do yourself a favor and pull another chair around.”

Jacob looked around quickly before pulling a chair over from a different table and sitting down tentatively on Emily’s other side. She didn’t even have a chance to ask him how he was before Serge and Deanna were suddenly joining them, both of them laughing.

Serge: “We got kicked out.”
Emily: “Kicked out?”
Deanna: “From backstage, something about a pre-show ritual or some such.”
Serge: “I think they were kidding about the human sacrifice, but I’m not so sure about the rest of it. Mind if we sit with you?”

Emily: “Not at all, just leave that chair for Mary. She’s doing a bar run right now. You guys remember my friend Jacob?”
Serge: “You’re their neighbor, right? Came over the night they moved in?”
Jacob: “Yes.”
Deanna: “It’s nice to see you again. Looking forward to the show tonight?”

Mary: “He’s probably just hiding from his dead parents who apparently rose from the grave earlier tonight. Hi guys.”

For a split second Emily was convinced she’d misheard Mary, but the dark and troubled look that came over Jacob’s face told her it wasn’t quite time to get her hearing checked.

Serge: “Mary! How’ve you been?”
Mary: “I’ve been better, Serge. Here’s your drink, Em.”

Emily took the drink from Mary with shaking hands and downed it quickly, choking a little as the alcohol hit her throat.

Deanna: “Wow, I’m actually sort of impressed.”
Mary: “Emily? Are you OK?”
Emily: “Peachy!”
Mary: “If you want another one, you’ll have to get it yourself. It’s my turn to sit on my butt for a while.”

Emily was intensely aware that everyone at the table was staring at her.

Emily: “I can use a little exercise. Jacob, you can too. C’mon, I’ll buy you a drink.”
Jacob: “I’m under—“
Emily: “Mary, guard our seats.”
Mary: “Are you sure you’re OK?”
Emily: “Yep! I’ll be right back!”

Emily grabbed Jacob’s wrist and dragged him from his chair. She thought she caught a glimpse of Deanna glaring at her for just a split second before regaining her composure, but since she had bigger things to deal with, decided to file it away under ‘ignore.’

The Xenon was quickly beginning to fill up, but they didn’t need to do quite the same amount of weaving through the crowd to get to the bar as they would later. Emily was even able to get them a pair of seats directly at the bar.