Ch. 1

"Come on, Kate! We're freshmen in college! It's basically our duty to attend every house party within a 10 mile radius!"

"My only 'duty' is to be your designated driver and hair holder when the night inevitably takes a turn for the worst."

"Which you're not going to be doing a good job of if you're stuck in our dorm instead of being with me."

Kate glanced at her boisterous best friend pacing their still barren dorm room, who was dressed to the nines in a short, shining, shimmering dress, complete with sapphire lipstick that will be smudged later and precariously pinned up hair that will be hurriedly ruined by someone else's desperate hands.

"Maddie, I-"

The blonde girl sighed melodramatically as she plonked herself down onto Kate's bed, "If you don't go, I won't know anyone there!" she whined.

"Just like the same situation I face every time I go to a party with you." Kate quickly replied, not even looking up from the book in her hands.

"That situation will never be fixed if you don't put yourself out there, y'know."

Kate opened then promptly shut her mouth. Couldn't argue with that.

"Come on. You can even take your damn book if you want. I'll just come find you when I'm done."

"More like when the guy's done."

"Which will hopefully last a while."

Kate snapped her gaze up as she raised her brows at her room-mate.

"So you'll have a chance to finish your book. What else did you think I meant?" Maddie quipped, flicking her hair as she turned her face away with an all-knowing smirk.

Kate took up Maddie's previous offer as she immediately sat down on the only available couch, whipping her book out of her bag, evoking an emphasized eye roll from the blonde.

"Usual?" Maddie asked, prompting a nod from Kate.

Not even two minutes later (Maddie always could snatch the attention of any person, including those serving the alcohol) she returned with a vodka tonic and a martini of a suspiciously bright colour. Kate nodded her thanks, taking a sip of the vodka concoction before placing it on the table adjacent to her spot.

"I'll catch you later, Bex!"

"I'll be here." Kate replied plainly, focusing her attention on her book, attempting to block out the noise of the jocks cheering, the girls squeaking and the questionable moans coming from upstairs. It was going to be a long night.

"Good book."

"Hmm?" Kate murmured, looking up to see who was casting a shadow over her much-needed reading light.

"I said, good book."

"Yeah." She replied curtly, not particularly in the mood for talking.

"Any reason why you're reading it?" The man said as he perched next to Kate, eyes never leaving her.

"People are always going on about it, so I was curious."

"Peer pressure usually get to you then?"

"Not particularly." She remarked, as her eyes wandered over to the side of the room where some poor guy was being coerced into downing a whole bottle of Smirnoff Ice. Her companion chuckled as he followed her gaze. They were silent for a few moments, until he spoke up again.

"If you want to be ahead of the crowd, then you should probably read Richard Castle's novel."

"Oh, really?" Kate rebuked, once again tearing her concentration from the pages.

"Mhm."

"Huh. Well maybe someone should inform this 'Richard Castle' that a lot of writers are only recognised after they're dead."

The man's eyes widened, before his face broke out into a smirk, "Is that a threat?"

"I don't know, is this Richard Castle scared by girls?"

"He might be, if they're sexy, smart and scintillating."

Kate pursed her lips, "Alliteration. If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were a writer."

"Hmm. Funny that."

The brunette opened her mouth to spew out another witty remark, until a girl caught her eye. In particular, a girl in a shiny dress with (slightly smudged) red lipstick. And the man hurriedly hauling her upstairs, glint in his eye.

Immediately, Kate sprung up from her place, quickly hovering over to her friend and her mystery man.

"Excuse me?" She shouted, making sure she would be heard over the thumping bass music.

"What?" Maddie's companion sneered, making it obvious that he wasn't in the mood for a chat.

"Bex, hiiii!" The blonde slurred, eyes struggling to focus in one spot.

Kate gave a small, tight smile to her room-mate before looking back up at the sleazy man in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Isn't it pretty obvious?" He sneered, his gaze roaming over Maddie's entire frame, causing her to giggle.

"Have you made it obvious to her?"

"What?" The guy asked, eyebrows raised.

"Even if you have, I don't think a person who's drank so much can give the required consent."

"And I don't think I give a shit."

"Well I do, considering she's my friend, and I'm her designated driver and decision maker for when she's intoxicated."

The man exaggeratedly rolled his eyes, before pushing Maddie away, causing her to sway slightly, grasping onto Kate's side.

"Whatever. I'll find some other slut to fuck." He remarked, storming off.

Kate turned her attention to her friend, gently rubbing the areas under her eyes to clean up her smudged mascara. "Wow, Maddie. You always go for the charmers."

"Hey! He bought me a drink. That seemed nice enough."

"Did he put anything in that drink?" Kate asked wearily.

"Fuck, Mama Beckett's lawyer mode just came out of you." Maddie joked.

"Well, now 'Mama Beckett's' Mom mode is arriving." Maddie met Kate's gaze, confused. "I'm taking you back."

The blonde sighed, "Yeah, there's no hotties here. Well, except that guy who's staring at you."

Kate turned quickly on her heels to find her uninvited reading partner smirking at her, obviously having witnessed the entire situation. She rolled her eyes and returned her focus to Maddie. "Leaving. Now. You got everything?"

Maddie glanced in her purse, rummaging around for a second before grinning, "Yep!"

Kate nodded, returning to her previous spot, with her friend in tow. She tried to grab her bag and head for the door as quickly as possible, until she felt a hand on her lower back, spinning her around.

"Hey." The man from before smiling at her, "Don't forget your book."

She snatched the book out of his hand, offering an insincere thanks as she began to leave once more.

"Remember! Richard Castle! Look up his book!"

Kate blames the fact that Richard Castle's "Flowers For Your Grave" is now in her Amazon basket on the alcohol she consumed, convinced that a glass and a half of vodka tonic can make a person do stupid things.