The lecture hall was abundant with the sounds of Professor Brennan lecturing about something pertaining to water quality. The hall was packed to capacity, all the students either sleeping or taking prudent notes. Twenty year old Diana Foxwell was one of the ones furiously writing notes. She was just entering into her sophomore year at the university, and she was hoping it was to be just as successful as the first. She was a tentative student but was glad that it was her last class of the day, or rather, week.

By her side was a sleeping girl around her age, as well as one of her best friends. Diana's friend, Alexandra Darcy, had transferred over to go to school with her. Of all her friends, Diana was shocked that Alex had been the one to decide to go to school with her. It was refreshing, since a majority of Diana's friends hadn't spoken to her since she started attending college in Ireland. Between the time difference, and lifestyle choices some of her friends made, she had fallen out of contact with pretty much all of her old friends. Not Alex, though. It was nice having one of her long time friends with her at school in addition to her boyfriend, Artemis Fowl. Alex was one of the few friends who always approved of their relationship, and having them both around meant Diana never had a dull moment.

Diana, frustrated by her friend's lack of attention, elbowed the redheaded girl in the side. The girl was startled awake and sat up immediately, placing where she was.

"Is class over yet?" she said with a yawn.

"Not yet but this is going to be on the final so pay attention," Diana said sternly.

"Relax, you and I could teach this class in our sleep," the other girl smiled. "We don't have to worry about the final in the slightest. Besides, Artemis could easily teach it to us later if we miss something important."

Diana smiled at her friend's completely accurate comment. The two of them had decided to go into environmental science, and Artemis (being the over-achiever he was) was dual-majoring in psychology and environmental science. If there was anything either of them missed, Artemis would be more than content with giving a private lecture. After all, Diana was sure he was smarter than most, if not all, of their professors anyways. "Alex, don't insult poor Professor Brennan. It's not his fault that he has a terribly thick accent," the girl responded.

Diana had some pretty ridiculous professors so far during her time at the university, but by all means, Mr. Brennan had to be one of the most strange. He was a pudgy Irish man who had red-gray thinning hair and always wore dress slacks, an obnoxiously colored sweater vest, and a shirt to match. He had a very thick Irish accent and sometimes spoke Latin in place of the traditional English the class was typically taught in. He seemed to be a very confused man; to be honest, most of his students pitied him more than anything.

"Good point," Alex muttered as she sat up in her chair as she glanced at the clock. "Class is about to be over anyways."

Just as the words escaped the girl's lips, the professor dismissed the class. The two of them gathered up their things and headed off to their dorm room. There was a party tonight at their residence hall and it was supposed to be one hell of an event. Keeping up with the drinking Irish took more effort than one would think. Not that either Diana or Alex partook in the events often, but after the week of class the two of them had had, it was quite possible that tonight could be different.

    The friends arrived at their dorm room a few minutes later. Alex immediately lounged on her top bunk with her feet hanging over the side. She had decided to not get too fancy for the party that evening. Unlike her friend, Diana on occasion spent quite some time getting ready for parties. While Alex did wear makeup, she usually didn't put too much on. Makeup took up too much time and was almost always ruined by the end of the night anyways. Wasn't quite worth the effort.

Diana finally emerged from the bathroom in a haze of sweet smelling perfume and hair products. She ran her fingers through her long curled brown hair as she paraded into the room in jeans and a black halter-top. Alex sat up and watched her curiously.

"You're single handedly killing the environment," Alex teased.

"Well if the world is going to end by my hand I might as well make sure I look good when it does," Diana back sassed, but then frowned. "Shame I have to make a mockery of my studies to do that though."

Alex looked her up and down. "You're looking exceptionally good tonight. What's the occasion?"

"No reason," Diana said nonchalantly, "I'm just in a really good mood tonight. Besides, I think I am allowed to get all fancied up once in awhile. Surprise Arty and all that jazz."

"Uh huh," Alex said skeptically. She leapt down from the bunk and onto the floor easily, landing not too far from her friend. "Somehow I don't think he'll be that surprised."

"You ready?" Diana asked, completely ignoring her friend's comment as she slipped on a pair of flats.

Alex looked at her like she was crazy. "I've only been sitting here for the past decade waiting for you."

Diana laughed at her friend's sarcasm, shaking her head. "Let's go already. I'm sure Artemis is already down there."

Alex ushered her friend out the door impatiently. The dynamic duo made their way down to the main common room where the party had begun to intensify. As they drew nearer to the festivities, the hallways became increasingly cluttered as rowdy dance music thumped against Diana and Alex's eardrums. Finally, the small and crowded hallways opened up to a balcony overlooking the main common room. Alex and Diana braced themselves against the railing, breathing in the electric environment as colorful lights flashed throughout the room and the space below them was nothing but a sea of dancing college students. Alex was immediately excited and began dancing randomly, Diana joined in, laughing at her normally collected friend's behavior. The two of them made their way down from the balcony and down to the rest of the party.

The night progressed with one song after another, and one drink after another. Diana hadn't had anything to drink but some punch, but Alex had been waiting all week to let loose so she was more intoxicated than Diana ever remembered seeing her. The two girls sat on a black couch, exhausted from repeated dancing. As Alex began talking to an attractive blond man who was sitting to her left, Diana began observing the party, hoping to spot Artemis somewhere there. After all, he said he was going to come to this one.

In the shadows off to her right, a tall figure stood against a wall. His long raven hair and incredibly pale skin did nothing to help him blend in, since he stood out in his black pinstriped suit. After all, no one wore suits to university parties. As Diana continued to stare, hoping that was enough to make him notice her, his piercing blue eyes made contact with her gentle gaze

She smirked. Just the man she had been wanting to see. With a quick glance back at her friend, who was now engaged in a very nonverbal conversation with her new acquaintance, Diana stood and began pushing her way through the congested crowd of drunk people, making her way over to the man in the shadows. She immediately walked up to the man's side, twining her fingers into the man's bony ones. The pale man immediately was at attention and gave her a very amused look.

"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to find me standing over here," he mused.

Diana shrugged. "I was just under the impression you had found something better to do than come to a party. I know they're not really your scene."

"And miss seeing you? Unthinkable," the man answered, a small smile forming on his face.

In the dim lighting, Diana was glad he wouldn't be able to tell she was blushing. "Oh stop, Artemis Fowl," she said quietly. She tried to find something to shift the conversation to. She noticed in Artemis' other hand he held a plastic cup like everyone else, but she doubted he had any of the typical drinks one would find at a party. "What're you drinking?"

"Earl Grey, as if I would drink anything else," Artemis answered. He noted the cup in her free hand as well. "And you?"

"Fruit punch," Diana said, shrugging. "I know I could've had something a little more potent, but... I'm not really in the mood, I guess."

"You mean unlike your friend," Artemis responded, nodding towards where Alex had been sitting. "Seems like she's really let herself unwind this evening."

Diana knew her boyfriend had a point. Alex had been having a rough couple weeks, to say the least. Her friend had been through a pretty bad breakup, and to top it all off, she had been fighting with her sister and other best friend as well. Diana didn't necessarily blame Alex for drinking and kissing some stranger, no matter how out of character it was for her normally collected friend. She looked back towards the couch only to find it empty. "Where'd she go?" Diana questioned.

No sooner had she asked before they heard a loud voice scream, "I love the Irish!"

There on a table was Alex, dancing with her arms in the air, a shot glass in her hand. As she jumped up, Alex hit her head on a hanging light fixture and fell off of the table into the arms of the blond man she had been with. The entire room was cheering obnoxiously as the man carried her back to the couch.

"There she is," Diana said, exasperated. She turned back to Artemis, "I better go help her."

"You probably should," Artemis replied. He sighed. "I'll let you do that. I'm going to head back to my room for a bit of studying, I think.  I'll stop by your room later tonight?"

"Definitely," Diana said, placing a quick kiss on her boyfriend's lips before she ran off to help her intoxicated friend. Alex was so going to owe her for this one. She hadn't been able to see Artemis much in the past few days, and she was not exactly happy about having their time interrupted.

Diana hurried over to the couch where the blond had a towel filled with ice on her forehead. Diana looked her friend over who was slightly unconscious and mumbling incoherently. She made sure that there were no other injuries before her nerves eased.

"How much has she had to drink?" Diana asked the man.

The man shrugged. "No idea, at least a couple shots," he answered.

"Is she going to be alright?" Diana asked, feeling herself taking on the mother-like role Alex usually took on. It was unusual, and Diana hoped she wouldn't have to do it too frequently.

"She'll have a nasty bump and a killer hangover in the mornin' but I'm sure she'll be fine with some coffee," the man went on.

"I've got to get her back to our room," Diana said more to herself than anything.

"If you need help I'd be more than happy to assist," the blond man offered.

"Could you carry her? I can't exactly lift her," Diana questioned.

"Sure, no problem." He gently lugged the girl over his shoulder, and waited for Diana to lead the way.

Diana took a deep breath, and led the man back to their dorm as she fought to find the key to their room in the dark. Generally speaking she didn't like strangers knowing exactly where they lived, but she had to make the exception in this case. "What's your name?"

"I'm Sebastian," he said. "Your friend is quite an interesting girl."

"To say the least," Diana unlocked the door and held it open so that Sebastian could bring her friend in easily.

"Give her my number when she wakes up. I'd love to get to know her better," Sebastian said with a devilish smile as he lifted her into her bed as if it was nothing.

Diana took a slip of paper from him that had some digits scribbled on it. Diana smiled as he left, quickly shutting and locking the door behind him. She looked at the paper with a frown. "The only thing you'll get to know is rejection," she muttered, ripping the paper into shreds and throwing it into the nearby waste basket. Alex may be upset with her later for doing that, but she would be better off for it; if she even remembered this night at all.

Diana plopped down in bed, exhausted from the party. As she fought off sleep, she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to Artemis. He was supposed to stop by later, and Diana only hoped she would be awake long enough to see him again.