"What's going on?" Blaine asked as he walked into the house he shared on campus with three other students.
"Packing . . .and cleaning," his roommate replied simply. "We have to get this place in shape if we're going to get our deposit back. Are those your posters or Jonah's?"
"Don't we have a few months to worry about that?"
"Try the end of the week?"
"You're kidding, right?"
"No, man. Where have you been?"
Frowning, Blaine slowly walked up the steps to his room. He had thought, even though they had graduated, their lease had been paid for until the end of the summer. He hadn't realized they only had the house until the end of the semester. Maybe he would have realized that sooner if he had been around more. Working two jobs and doing research with Reese while trying to graduate hadn't left much time for him to spend at home or with his roommates.
How their move out date had slipped past him didn't matter much now. What really mattered was where he was going to find an affordable place to live on such short notice.
Cassandra watched anxiously over her mother's shoulder as Serena stirred a pot of liquid on the stove.
"It's ready. Hand me that bottle," Serena said. Once Cassandra passed it to her, Serena carefully poured the liquid from the pan into the container. She corked the top and presented it to her daughter.
Cassandra studied it warily. "How does it work?"
"Once you drink the contents of this vial, the next person you interact with will fall deeply in love with you, forsaking all others."
"And it really works?"
"Of course, dear. Why else would I give it to you? Just get your young man over to the house, drink this, and he will be yours."
When the doorbell rang, Serena turned to answer it. "That will be my first client. Don't worry, Cassandra. It will work. Don't be afraid to use it and don't hesitate. Time will only work against you."
Cassandra lingered in the kitchen, watching her mother as she left the room. She studied the vial in her hands and wondered if she was making the right decision.
"I see now why you ran out on the party," James said as stood in the doorway of Reese's office.
She looked up, startled by his presence and at a loss for words.
"Aren't you too young to be a lawyer?"
"No . . .not too young."
James walked into the office and casually looked around.
"Do you want something?" she asked.
"I just happened across your name and wanted to see if it was you."
"Well, it is," Reese said, standing up to usher him out. "If you don't have any business here then I think you should go."
"But I do. I want to talk to you about this lawsuit that Craig has against me. Since you're the one who's representing him, you would be the person to talk to."
"I don't think there's anything to be said about it between us."
"Then you don't want to hear my side of it?"
"Not particularly. I think I know what I need to know."
"Look, I don't know why Craig is making such a big deal of this. I just want to settle it and move on."
"Good, then why don't you tell that to your lawyer and have him call me?"
"I could do that, but I thought since we've already met each other, I'd just talk to you myself."
Reese squinted at James, trying to figure out what he was after. She found this entire meeting completely unusual. "I still think you should do this through your lawyer, Mr. Spencer."
"James," he replied. When Reese didn't budge, he gave in. "Fine, have it your way." As he started towards the door he paused and turned around to face Reese. "I am sorry you had to leave Cassie's party so early the other night. Hopefully when this is all settled we can get to know each other better. You're an interesting woman, Miss Burroughs. I'll see you around."
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