Felicia sighed dramatically.

Clarissa sighed in return, trying to get ready for class. "What is it now, Felicia?"

"It's been almost three weeks since classes started! Three weeks! I guess Ed didn't like me as much as I thought he did."

Clarissa rolled her eyes. It had been three weeks. Three weeks of Felicia talking non-stop about Edward Elric.

"I'm sure he's just busy and that's why you haven't seen him."

"Yeah right," Felicia sobbed. "Stop trying to cheer me up."

"Alright, alright. If it'll make you happy, I'll ask Al what Ed's been up to during class today."

"Good morning, Clarissa."

"Hey, Al!" Clarissa said as she made her way to their desktop.

Al smiled back.

Clarissa flopped her bag down on the desk and sat down.

"So, Al, I was wondering if you could tell me what Ed's been up to lately."

Al's smile faltered. "Oh, you want to know about Ed?"

Clarissa nodded.

"Well, from the last letter I got from him he was talking about wanting to move into my apartment with me. Knowing him he'll just show up one day with all of his stuff and make himself at home."

"When do you think that will be?"

"It's hard to say with Ed...He's probably travelling around in a different country right now."

All talking ceased as Professor Peterson began the class. Clarissa was concerned when Al didn't talk to her for the rest of class. Usually they spoke quietly to each other about the pieces they wrote during class. A quiet "What word can I substitute here?" or a "What do you think of this description?". But not so during this class.

At the end of the hour and a half, and as everyone began to leave the room, Clarissa asked, "See you next class?" to which Al gave an affirming grunt. Clarissa watched him leave the room looking forlorn.

Wonder what that was all about...Clarissa wondered.

"What did he say? Hey, hey, what did he say?"

"Huh?" Clarissa said, confused as she stepped into the residential apartment.

"Alphonse. What did he say about Ed?" Felicia badgered.

"Oh...he said he's been busy travelling. Probably in a different country."

"I knew it!" Felicia howled. "He wasn't interested in me at all! Why would he be in a different country if he wanted to see me?"

As it happened Felicia then ran into her room and shut the door tight, giving Clarissa a sweet moment of tranquillity.

Three days later Clarissa awoke and glanced at her alarm clock, which read 8:25 am. She then uttered a sequence of foul words directed at her clock which cannot be repeated.

"Felicia, do you hate me or something? Why didn't you wake me for my 8:30 class?" she shouted as she ran out the front door. She booked it to the building her poetry class was located and ran up the flights of stairs to her classroom. By the time she reached room 312 she was panting and heaving for air like a hound dog after a long chase.

"Made it!" Clarissa shouted triumphantly and laughed like a maniac. "Clarissa – 1. 8:30 class - ZERO! Wait, what's this, now?"

On the classroom door was a sign that read:

ALL CLASSES CANCELLED FOR AMESTRIS DAY. THIS SIGN IS LEFT FOR ANY STUDENTS WHO FORGOT AND CAME TO CLASS. (THAT MEANS YOU CLARISSA). - Professor P.

So that was why I hadn't set my alarm...

"So, Clarissa, are we going to go out partying tonight for Amestris Day?"

Clarissa glared at her roommate as she walked in the door of the apartment.

"Why didn't you tell me there were no classes today?"

"Well, when you shouted at me and raced out the door earlier I didn't have any time to remind you, did I?. So are we going to go out partying? I need to drink away the sorrow of my failed marriage."

"Failed marriage...? Felicia, you're not married."

"Well I could have been married. I had it all planned out for my and Ed's wedding. But now that dream is shattered...So let's go drinking tonight?"

"I dunno, Felicia, can't you just do the dishes or something instead? I'm not sure I'm in the mood for going out and drinking. My whole day's been ruined. I got up early for nothing."

"Not nothing. Didn't I tell you that Rachelle is coming over today? We're supposed to meet her in 45 minutes at the campus train station. I'm so excited! And hey, if you don't want to go out and drink, then we can stay in and drink. Know what I'm sayin'?"

Half an hour later Clarissa hauled herself out with Felicia to the campus train station.

"That's her train!" Felicia declared after a few minutes. A few people came off the train, but the only one worth noticing was a tall-legged girl with long golden-blond hair. She was wearing a graphic tee, tight black leather pants and a pair of glittery stiletto heels. The heels added to her already tall stature.

"Rachelle!"

Felicia ran up and gave her sister a hug.

"Happy Amestris Day, ladies," Rachelle said and hugged each of them.

Clarissa noticed everyone's eyes were on Rachelle.

"How was the train ride over?" Felicia asked as they began to leave the train station.

"It was fabulous," she gushed. "There was a cute porter boy who gave me everything I asked for. All the boys on the train gave me so much attention."

Clarissa rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, when are you going to settle down and stick with one guy?" Felicia asked.

"Oh come on, that's difficult for a model like me to do," Rachelle said sadly. "Boys my age only care about appearances. I need a mature man who will see the deeper me."

After the luggage was dropped off at the apartment, Felicia insisted on giving Rachelle a tour of the university.

"Felicia, do you have a boyfriend yet?"

Clarissa winced and Felicia proceeded to wail, causing students passing by to turn and stare. Felicia explained to her sister in half-intelligible words about how she met Ed and had a wonderful few hours with him.

After half an hour of walking around campus, Clarissa felt like she needed a nap. And that's precisely what she did when she got back to her room.

Clarissa awoke around noon to loud noises coming outside her window. She got up and pushed the window curtain aside to see a group of people already getting their drink on.

"Oh brother," she said to Rachelle and Felicia when she found them sitting in the living room. "What do people think today is, St. Patrick's Day or something?"

"Apparently," Felicia replied.

"Hey, hey, are we going out tonight?" Rachelle asked. "I want to meet some boys!"

"Unfortunately, Clarissa is being a wet blanket and doesn't want to go out tonight."

"Whaaaaaaat?"

"So we'll be drinking in tonight," Felicia winked.

The afternoon went by rather quickly, seeing as Rachelle and Felicia were goofballs together. Clarissa was slowly starting to realize that Rachelle and Felicia were very much alike: giggly and boy-crazy. Sometimes Clarissa felt more like a baby-sitter than a roommate.

Finally it was eight o'clock and the girls began pooling together all the booze and soda pop they had. The kitchen table was arrayed with a dozen bottles of liquor.

"Is that really what you're wearing while we're drinking?" Rachelle asked Clarissa.

"Why, what's wrong with it?" Clarissa said and glanced down at her sweatpants and sweatshirt. Her hair was messily tied back. "It's not like we'll be going out or seeing people."

"Come on, Rachelle, have a drink. I think you'd like a Bailey's drink."

"Alright," she said and grinned.

"A'ight it's time to get our drink on!" Felicia said and began making drinks for herself.

Clarissa wasn't even done her first drink and Rachelle was already on her third Bailey's.

"This is really good!" Rachelle said and giggled. "But don't let anyone find me or take pictures, because if people find me drunk my career will be over!"

Then she and Felicia both began laughing.

"Looks like I'm going to be the responsible one tonight," Clarissa said and took a sip from her drink.

A few minutes later someone was buzzing their apartment.

"Assholes," Clarissa said. "It's probably just some drunk guys buzzing all the apartments."

"Let's let them in!" Rachelle shouted and ran to the door.

"Rachelle, wait, no –" Clarissa said but Rachelle already pushed the button to open the front door downstairs.

Rachelle and Felicia began giggling. They jumped up and down, nearly spilling their drinks.

There was a knock on the door and Rachelle let them in. Felicia downed the rest of her second drink.

"Why hello, boys," Rachelle said, and Clarissa gasped as Al and Ed walked in.

"How do you two know where we live?" Clarissa demanded.

Ed shrugged. "We just asked around campus."

Clarissa stared wide-eyed at the two boys.

"Edward!" Felicia exclaimed and latched on to his arm.

"Hey, it's good to see you again," he said, a rosy hue in his cheeks.

"I've already had a few drinks," she admitted, smiling.

"Oh yeah? Then in that case maybe we should sit down."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait," Clarissa said. "Who said you two could come in?" Her cheeks flushed because she was being seen without any makeup on, in her lazy clothes, and her hair a mess.

"Don't be such a downer," Ed said.

"Yeah, don't be such a downer, Clarissa!" Felicia said and glared at her.

"I had to practically drag Al here because he didn't want to come, and now..."

Clarissa thought Ed said something about Amestris Day after that, but she wasn't fully listening. She was hurt by his words. Al didn't want to come? He didn't want to see me? She quickly pushed aside the thought and reminded herself that she hadn't wanted to go out tonight, either.

"So let's go party!" Ed finished and grinned.

"Yeah!" Rachelle and Felicia cheered and walked with Ed back to the dining room. Al walked awkwardly behind them. Clarissa sighed deeply.

Half an hour later Clarissa was siting on the couch next to Al. She had to struggle to keep Rachelle, Felicia, and Ed quiet in their alcohol-induced state.

"It's time for a shot," Clarissa declared and poured herself some deadly vodka.

"We need some tunes!" Felicia said and came back into into living room with her mp3 dock. She then began dancing to some sweet dance songs. When no one joined her she pulled Ed out of his seat and demanded he dance with her. Beside Clarissa, Al took a swig from his glass.

"This is hard to watch," he said.

"I know, isn't she a fruitcake?" Clarissa responded.

"No, that's not what I meant. You're acting remarkably calm about her right now. Please tell me you're not going to murder her as soon as we're gone."

Clarissa blinked. "What?"

"Your roommate is dancing with the guy you like."

Clarissa spat her drink out her nose, her nostrils stinging from the alcohol. "What gave you that idea?"

Al looked confused. "Well you're always asking after Ed..."

"Yeah, asking for her," she said and pointed to Felicia. "She's been badgering me non-stop for three weeks now. If I didn't get answers for her she was going to wring my neck!"

Al began laughing and looked instantly relieved.

"Wait a minute...is that why you didn't want to come over? Because you thought I liked Ed?"

Al rubbed the back of his head. "Well, yeah."

"You don't have to worry, I don't like Ed. How could you think I did? Isn't it obvious she does?"

"Yeah..." Al replied. A moment later he cleared his throat. "In that case...c-can I have your cellphone number?"

"Sure."

As they were exchanging phone numbers the apartment buzzer went off.

"That must be him," Ed said and left for the door. He returned a moment later with a man who looked to be in his late twenties, with blond hair and blue eyes.

"Lieutenant Havoc!" Al said and stood to shake hands with the man. "What are you doing here? You look great! And on your two feet, I see."

"I heard you and Ed were in town, and I wanted to see you. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"But how did you get here?"

"Ed left a note at your apartment for me saying you'd be here," he said, and he and Ed grinned.

Rachelle had been looking dazed and confused for the past couple of minutes – most likely induced by the alcohol – but now Clarissa noticed she was staring intently at the man before them.

"This is Clarissa and her roommate Felicia," Al introduced. "Clarissa is in one of my classes."

Clarissa wasn't pleased to have a man in their apartment.

"Ice to meet you," Felicia said. "I mean 'nice'. Hic."

"Felicia, you're drunk," Clarissa teased.

"I am not! Come on, I can take you."

"Maybe it's time you stopped dancing," Ed said and led her toward the couch. Felicia tripped over his foot, but Ed steadied her.

"I'm so sorry!" Felicia said. "Are you okay?"

"No problem," Ed grinned and lifted his pant leg to reveal a metal limb. He knocked his knuckles against it. "Didn't feel a thing."

"What happened to your leg?" Felicia asked, shocked.

Ed sat her down on the couch and began explaining how he lost his leg when he was a little boy. Havoc walked over to the love seat and sat down next to Rachelle and said, "And who might you be?"

By the end of Ed's explanation Felicia looked like she was about to explode into tears, and Clarissa thought it was mostly due to the effects of the alcohol.

"Don't cry, Al had it worse off than I did..." he said in an attempt to calm her down.

"Ed, don't go there," Al said, dead serious. "You promised me you'd ask before telling anyone."

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence, which Felicia broke by saying, "Hold on a minute, Ed. Does that mean you were the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Ed grinned. "Yeah, I was! I had to give up my alchemy in order to save someone, though."

Al promptly took a shot of vodka.

Funny, I heard that the Fullmetal Alchemist wore an entire suit of armor. Must've been a rumour...

Clarissa poured herself another shot, and was about to drink it but did a double take. On the love seat, Rachelle was lip-locked with Havoc. After witnessing them making out, Clarissa immediately finished off her shot.

She really shouldn't have taken the shot, she realized after a moment. Her stomach contracted as nausea overwhelmed her. She covered her mouth and ran for the bathroom, reaching the toilet just in time. She heaved out the contents of her stomach, but the nausea remained. She began heaving again and heard footsteps behind her.

"Go away," she gagged.

A hand wiped her damp hair away from her forehead and patted her back.

"You'll be okay," Al said. "You just drank a bit too much."

"Isn't it funny?" Clarissa said after a wave of nausea dissipated. "I didn't drink nearly as much as Felicia or Rachelle, and I'm the one who's sick."

"They must have a faster metabolism."

Clarissa moaned. Al left and returned with a glass of water.

"This should make you feel better."

Al left a second time. Clarissa heard the music stop and Al's voice say, "Alright everyone, party's over."

There were several cries of disappointment, and Clarissa made it to her feet. She felt as if she wouldn't need to throw up anymore. As she left the bathroom, the guests approached the front door. Rachelle and Havoc continued kissing at the doorway.

"I had a lot of fun," Felicia said, staggering slightly.

"Me, too," Ed replied and rubbed his arm. "Make sure you go to bed as soon as we leave, I don't want you getting sick."

"Oh, alright," Felicia whined.

Then Ed planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Goodnight!" he called out as he dragged Havoc out the door. Felicia shuffled away to her bedroom mumbling happily to herself. Rachelle followed after her.

"Are you going to be okay?" Al asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Clarissa replied.

Al blushed and kissed her firmly on the forehead. "Goodnight." Then he was gone.