"Yeah, so I'm about done with the heart. I need to get someone to transplant it in me, and then I'll be one hundred percent human. I mean, don't get me wrong, being a robot with a brain is cool and all, but I think it's about time I make the transition," Lafontaine nonchalantly said, while flicking off an invisible piece of dust from their shoulder.

Laura absentmindedly nodded, peeking at her phone again. Where's Danny? She said she had to pick up a package, but she's been gone for thirty minutes. I hope she's okay.

"Hello? Earth to Laura." LaFontaine tapped her.

Laura jumped. "What? Oh, shoot, I'm so sorry! I totally was listening! What did you say again?"

LaFontaine laughed and shook their head pityingly, as if they knew exactly what was bothering Laura.

"Danny'll be back soon. She probably ran into an ogre or something—," Laura gave a horrified squeak and clutched their arm tightly. "Don't worry! She's fine. She's a huntress after all."

Laura took a deep breath and released their arm. It was disconcerting, realizing that she wasn't the only monster hunter around. Laura didn't doubt that Danny could take care of herself. It was just, complicated. She didn't want Danny to get hurt. And fighting ogres definitely qualified as something dangerous.

"So, what do you think of Summer Society?" LaFontaine tried changing the subject.

"Oh! It's, uh, great," Laura tried to muster some excitement, but couldn't.

"You can tell me the truth, you know. I'm not Danny. Why don't you like it?" LaFontaine asked.

"I—," Laura hesitated, internally debating whether or not to tell them.

"I don't judge. What's wrong?" LaFontaine peered shrewdly at her over the rim of their red Solo cup.

"It's kind of different from what I'm used to," Laura finally admitted, fidgeting with her own, almost full, cup.

"How?"

Laura gestured around vaguely. Music blared from the speakers, playing an angry rap song. Neon lights flashed over the crowd as a group of fraternity brothers started chanting some obnoxious drinking song. A wasted girl drunkenly hobbled by, sloshing her drink everywhere and drenching Laura's shoes. My new white Converse! Great. Just great.

"Well, for one, I didn't really party or drink growing up. And this isn't really fun. For me, I guess." Laura looked down at her stained shoes, waiting for LaFontaine to laugh at her. God, who even says that? They must think I'm such a loser. It's college. I'm supposed to drink and party.

"Hey, if you don't want to drink, that's cool. Save your liver," LaFontaine said. They noticed Laura aimlessly swilling around the contents of her cup as she looked back up at them.

"Yeah, but everyone does it. And I know, I shouldn't do stuff because everyone's doing it, but I just—I just feel like if I don't, it's lame." Laura tried taking another sip, and almost threw up.

LaFontaine abruptly grabbed her cup. They marched over to one of the trashcans and threw away both of their drinks. Performing a rigid about-face, they marched back to Laura and dragged her over to the snacks table, handing her a giant chocolate chip cookie.

"If you don't want to drink, don't. I'll keep you company. And if you don't like the Society, don't move here. I'll take care of Danny if she gets mad."

Laura smiled at them and took a huge bite out of her cookie, the taste of chocolate flooding her mouth. It was warm and gooey, just how she liked it. Wow, freshly baked. She licked the crumbs off her lips.

"This is totally delicious!" Laura diffidently smiled. "And thanks for all that."

"No problem. And yeah, these are awesome. Perr baked them. I think she's working on some brownies right now," LaFontaine spoke thickly around a mouthful of cookie.

"Does Perry always do that? Bake for everyone?"

"Yup. She loves it," they answered, stuffing a peanut butter cookie into their face. They swallowed with some difficulty. "Anyways, anything else bothering you?"

Laura contemplated the room for a moment. Several Society sisters ran around in skimpy leather armor, carrying bows and arrows. They leapt over chair and tables and whooped loudly as they chased several fraternity guys around.

"Well, everyone's just so fit around here. And tall. And good looking. But I'm not," Laura answered, breaking off another piece of cookie and cramming it into her mouth. "Danny says I eat too many polysyllabic chemicals, but I mean come on, they're delicious!"

"Don't change then. And don't live here. You don't want to regret your first year of college trying to fit into some arbitrary ideal of beauty," their fingers sketching air quotes around "beauty."

"What're you guys talking about? Regret what?"

Laura whipped her head around. Danny stood there, in all her muscular glory. She looked like she flat out sprinted a mile. Her clothes stuck to her body, which was dripping with sweat. Perry stood next to her, trying to wipe her down with a package of baby wipes.

"Er, no regrets. None at all! Right, LaF?" Laura prayed to all the gods both known and unknown that Danny didn't hear her dissing the Summer Society.

"We were talking about Summer Society." LaFontaine gave her a pointed look, moving to drape an arm over Perry's shoulders.

"Oh, cool! Do you like it? You can settle in tonight if you want. If Carmilla's too much of a handful." Danny winked at Laura.

"Uh—," Laura stuttered. Her brain shut down, as it was wont to do whenever pretty girls winked at her.

"Laura. Seriously?" LaFontaine sounded annoyed. They turned to Danny. "Laura was just telling me that she actually wanted to try to work things out with Carmilla before giving up and moving here."

Laura glared them, feeling a mix of gratitude and irritation. What's LaF doing? But, this's probably a good idea. I can't pretend to like partying and beer forever. Danny gave her a stare. Laura's stomach knotted uncomfortably. She looks angry. Should I just say I want to live here? But LaF's going to cut in again, and I don't want Danny to know I don't like the Summer Society. It's probably better this way.

"Yeah, LaF's right. I don't think I tried hard enough with Carmilla—," Laura tried to explain.

"But you've been complaining this whole time! Saying you wanted to transfer. What gives?" Danny's voice sounded incredulous and gloomy at the same time. Laura' stomach gave a flip. She's actually sad I won't be living with her?

"I, uh, my dad wants me to cut her some slack." The blatant lie made Laura' skin crawl, but she remained resolute. LaFontaine's right. I don't want to be here.

"Well, okay then. Just know you can move in anytime." Danny resignedly huffed.

Move in anytime. Move in. Move in day. A chain of memories burst into Laura's mind, triggered by Danny's words. Move in day. The first time she stepped on Silas. The first time she left her dad to do investigative reporting on who killed her mother. The first time Carmilla looked at her in the face. That morning came rushing back. Carmilla's face swimming into view as she fainted. Laura didn't know why it took so long to put two and two together. The strange woman—no, vampire. Laura closed her eyes, pulling an image of Carmilla to the forefront of her mind. Compared the two likenesses. Oh, God, oh my God.

"Guys, this is going to sound crazy, but the vampire that killed my mother—she looks a lot like Carmilla." Laura struggled to quell the rising hysteria in her throat.

"What? Carmilla, a vampire? There are no such things as vampires!" Perry hissed, her eyes roving madly over the room, as if she were afraid someone else heard.

"Your mom's dead?" LaFontaine's eyes grew huge.

Laura forgot she didn't tell Perry and LaFontaine about her mother's death. But she didn't have time for this. Spurred on by her revelation, Laura blurted out what was unconsciously bothering her ever since she set eyes on Carmilla.

"Do you guys think…she—Carmilla—killed my mom?"

Laura sought out Danny's eyes with her own, seeking their warmth and reassurance. Instead, she found undiluted fear.