Chapter 1:

"Oh, lookie!" Your college friend, Roxy, says to you over the phone, with the television playing in the background. "Iss you, Janey! Iss your show, where you cook and shit." You hear Roxy drinking something, and by the sound of it, it's not just water.

"Roxy," you say, annoyed, "it's only the afternoon, and you're already drinking?" You hurriedly walk down the hall and out of the studio. You just finished taping tomorrow's episode of Crocker in the Kitchen. You were on your way back to your apartment, but now you have to check up on Roxy.

"Wha-? How di' you know I wass drinkin'?" Roxy giggles. "I just- Are you a psychic, Miss Crockpot?" Roxy giggles more, uncontrollably. "Crockpot! HAHAHA!"

"Can you just hang tight for me? I'll be over as soon as I can." You walk quickly down a few streets to get to the nearest subway station.

"You're gonna visit me? Oh, how nice! But make sure you bring someone sexy with you." Roxy hiccupped.

"What are you talking about?"

"We're havin' a party-"

"Roxy? Hello?"

The dial tone sounds on the other line, and you start to freak out a little. You are kind of a worrier, and Roxy really brings that part of you out. You need to get to her as quick as you can.

You finally reach the subway, and a poster catches your eye at the end of the stairs. It's for a movie called "Breakthrough." The poster depicts two young people, a thin female on the left and a handsome stud on the right, foregrounding an action-packed senario. Wait. You recognize that handsome stud. It's your college friend, Jake. Of course he would be in a movie like this. You remember that he has been away from the city these past few weeks promoting the movie on talk shows, and he should be back sometime today. You text him, but not because you want to talk to him, of course. Maybe he'll be able to check on Roxy before you get to her apartment across town.

Textlog:

JC: Hey, Jake.
JE: Hello jane! Nice to hear from you.
JC: Oh, well I remembered that you should be in the city by now, and I had a favor to ask you.
JE: Yes?
JC: I was wondering if you could stop by Roxy's place and check up on her.
JC: I'm a little worried.
JE: No need to fret. It's all taken care of.
JC: What do you mean?
JE: I'm already at roxy's place and i've made sure she's comfortable.
JC: You don't mean that in a weird way, do you?
JE: What? Oh no! *blushes and loosens collar a bit*
JE: I really should have seen that sooner...
JE: Well i'm sorry this is so awkward now.
JC: No, no! It's fine!
JE: I mean that she texted me to come over so i did.
JE: And here i am!
JC: Yeah, I can tell.
JE: And the text wasn't anything weird.
JE: Just her saying there was a party going on.
JE: You know, the usual.
JC: She told me the same thing.
JC: That's what I'm worried about!
JE: What? Mass texts about parties?
JC: No. The fact that she's drinking, and it's not even 1pm yet!
JE: Well, it's happy hour somewhere!
JE: *nervous laughter*
JE: All joking aside, I do understand your concern.
JE: We can express our ideas to her, but ultimately she is her own lifeguide.
JC: Yeah, I know. I just can't help worrying.
JC: I mean, I kind of feel like it's my fault that I can't help.
JC: I see my roommate everyday with drugs, and even then I'm useless.
JE: You're not useless jane.

You blush a little at this comment. Dammit, only Jake would know how to do that in such a worry-filled situation. You take a deep breath and calm down a bit. You check your phone a few times to see if Jake has added to his 'you're not useless' statement but to no avail. You board the subway out to Roxy's apartment and go over the texted conversation in your mind.