Chapter 1

>party at Fang's after VVorm Drama's concert at Moe's
>may have pre-gamed the party a bit with Reed, vision still a bit fuzzy
>see Fang dancing in the living room, rocking out to quality boomer rock
>wait, did she get shorter?
>and why does her hair look like she lost a fight with a can of hair spray?
>realize a few seconds after I start talking to her that it's her mom
>fuck they look so similar, shit's eerie
>she's opted to break out her old 80s rock wardrobe from the days she used to go to concerts
>she's gone all out on her hair, turning it from it's usual braid into some poufy, frizzy, hairspray infused abomination
>but somehow, she makes it work
>it's like a time traveling Fang
>Samantha's clearly enjoying the party quite a bit too
>she may or may not have hit the booze a little bit herself
>gets into the classic rock songs blasting through the house's stereo system
>know all the words, still mildly buzzed, I start to sing along
>she takes notice and begins to sing along with me, a bit more enthusiastic
>the two of us feed off of one another's energy
>before long the two of us are dancing and singing in the middle of the living room without a care in the world
>Stella and Rosa think it's adorable, Reed is cheering the two of us on, Trish is laughing her ass off
>Naser looks like he wants to curl up into a ball and die
>Naomi looks disgusted
>the effervescent earache can go fuck herself
>slow power ballad comes on
>the petite ptero takes my hands in hers, presses herself right up against me to initiate a slow dance
>both of us still singing along probably way louder than we should be but at this point we're having too much fun to care
>get into the moment, twirling around with that little angel winged beauty
>can't dance for shit, but the alcohol coursing through my veins says otherwise
>everything is perfect right now
>it only seems right
>lean in, press my lips to my qt ptero goth gf's
>wait
>hold the fuck up
>that isn't Fang, right
>entire party is silent
>Naser's jaw is dropped in horror
>the real Fang's eyes are wide with disbelief
>her face is contorted into a mixture of disgust and surprise
>why the fuck did I just do that
>Samantha is... shockingly okay with it
>her eyes go wide with surprise for a moment
>she then seems to disregard the bold act of intimacy almost entirely
>pinches my cheek with a giggle
>"Ohoho! Such a feisty young man! You're so cute!"
>right as I begin to realize the implications of what I just did, a massive, taloned hand comes down hard on my shoulder, squeezing on it hard
>sharp ass talons dig right into me
>I'm pretty sure I feel a couple of pops
>all the booze in my system does nothing to dull the pain
>hear a deep, gruff voice, practically snarling with rage right next to my ear
>"I think you and I need to have a little chat."
>it's Ripley
>the huge ass burly man who could snap my spine like a fucking twig
>and was a police commissioner
>and who quite possibly had mafia connections
>whose wife I just kissed in front of everyone
>that Ripley
>start silently praying to Raptor Jesus for a quick death as I'm forcibly yanked away from the miniature, blast from the past edition of Fang
>probably the only reason I'm not dead already is because of all the witnesses
>he drags me back out front
>slams me against the outside wall of the house
>hand clenched into a fist bigger than my fucking head
>this is it, I am beyond fucked
>well at least I got to first base before dying
>"Ripley, dear..."
>sweet Raptor Jesus
>my savior has come
>Samantha appears in the doorway
>the furious gaze of her husband momentarily turns away from me towards her
>"Go easy on him, dear. We were only getting into the music a little bit. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it."
>"You have got to be fucking kidding me."
>turns back towards me
>veins throbbing on his neck and forehead
>"Dear."
>her voice is noticeably more stern
>the patriarch twitches, staring at me with a look of raw, unyielding hatred 
>torn between his desire to rip me apart and to keep his wife happy
>finally he moves in, his face right in mine
>"I don't ever want to see you anywhere near this house again. And if I were you? I'd start watching my back."
>grabs me by the collar, throws me on my ass onto the front walkway
>goes back inside, slams the door hard enough behind him to rattle the windows
>pick myself up
>pull out phone, consider texting Fang
>I don't think I'm getting back into the party
>and she looked pretty fucking pissed
>at least she wasn't actively trying to kill me like her dad was, I guess
>explaining that I kissed her mom because I was wasted and thought it was her is going to be awkward as shit
>glance back towards the house from the sidewalk as I go to make my way back home
>see someone in the front window
>it's Sam, watching me
>she's smiling
>my vision is still fuzzy and she's too far away to tell for sure, but I swear I thought I saw her wink
>rub my eyes, squint a bit to try and clear my vision a little
>with a wave, she vanishes from the window back inside
>... Fuck.