A crash sounded outside. Raven went over to the window and looked into the backyard.

Someone had knocked over a tin garbage can and a couple of large guys were picking up the contents. The yard was filled with people.

Raven needed to get out there. If she could not remember her past, she needed to focus on the present, and that meant making lots of friends. Later, she would worry about trying to figure out why she had no memories. She finished getting ready and headed downstairs, eager to make college the best time of her life; not that she had much to compare it against.

Outside, all the food had been moved to a plastic folding table. Raven grabbed a paper plate and filled it, finding her appetite returning.

Damon turned to her with a smile. "What kind of patty?"

"Whatever is ready now." Raven held out her plate and he plopped one on her bun.

"Enjoy," he said.

"Thanks." She found an empty plastic chair and swallowed the food down, listening to the conversation all around her. Everyone was talking about college life, sports, parties, class schedules, instructors.

Relief washed through her. Maybe having no past would not be such a big deal. She could not hear even one person discussing life back home. But of course, they were probably glad to be away. Would she ever discover her past?

"Hey, beautiful," came a deep voice on her left.

She turned and smiled at the bronzed, muscular, drop-dead gorgeous guy taking a seat next to her.

"Hi." Raven swallowed the last bite of her burger, trying not to stare at him. Her eyes did not want to cooperate, though.

He grinned, showing off perfect teeth. "What is someone as beautiful as you doing, sitting here by yourself?"

Raven's face heated. "I-I... well, uh..." She paused and took a deep breath. "Let me start over. I figured I would eat first and then talk to people."

He balanced his plate on his knees and held out his hand, acting as if she had not just made a complete fool of herself. "Then I am in luck. I am Viktor Jag. You are?"

"Raven. Raven Knight." She shook his hand. At least she had a name, even if no past. "What year are you?" she asked him.

"Just a lowly sophomore," he said, with a hint of teasing in his voice.

"You went here last year?" she asked.

He nodded and bit into his hot dog. "You are new?"

"Yeah. A super-lowly freshman," she replied.

Viktor laughed. "You will love it. I was kind of worried about the location you know, small-town and all that, but it is cool. Lots of parties. Seattle is not that far. It is just 62 miles from here, but I think I only went there twice all of last year." He stuffed the remaining Frankie in his mouth.

"What are you studying?" Raven asked. Why could she not think of anything more interesting to talk about? She would send him running before long.

He groaned and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I have to decide soon. My dad is all over me about that. I have no idea what I want to do, you know?" 

"What classes did you like last year? Maybe you could go in one of those directions," Raven suggested.

"That is easy. Art and history," he replied.

"I sense a but, there," she replied.

"That is not going to go over with my dad." His body tensed.

"So? Do what you want. It is your life," Raven advised him.

Viktor laughed bitterly. "If I major in art, they will cut me off financially. Probably even take away my Jaguar car."

"Oh!" she said.

"Do you know what you are going to study?" He twisted the cap off a beer bottle and held it toward her.

She shook her head. "No thanks."

"Don't like beer?" he asked.

Her mouth dropped. "I..."

"Oh, I got it. You are a wine consumer kind of girl." His face brightened. "I should have known that you would want something sweet." He winked.

Before she could reply, Viktor jumped up and dug into a cooler. He pulled out something pink and tossed the lid into the garbage and handed the bottle to her.

"Thanks." Raven sipped it. It tasted like strawberries.

Viktor grinned. "See? Too classy for a regular beer."

Raven felt very sad that a stranger knew what she liked better than she did?

"Of course someone as sweet as you would prefer those. You up for a dance tonight?" Viktor asked her. 

"Which place is that?" She sipped the drink, hoping it would relax her nerves. 

Viktor leaned closer. "You can come as my guest. It is a really private, exclusive club. It is called the Jag."

Raven nearly choked on the drink. The Jag? Like his car was a Jaguar? His complete name was Viktor Jag? Even the club is Jag?

"Are you okay?" Viktor's eyes widened.

"Started to go down the wrong way. But I am fine now." She cleared her throat.

"Do you want to go with me?" Viktor asked.

The club's name could have been a coincidence, but she had to find out. "I would love to."

He smiled, leaned back, and sipped his beer. "Awesome. I thought I might have to go single, but now I get to accompany the most beautiful girl in town."

Her face flushed with heat. "What time? What should I wear?"

"I will pick you up at seven. Wear the nicest dress you have. As I said, it is very exclusive." He held her gaze.

"Would you mind me asking how you got in?" Raven asked him.

Viktor glanced to the side, a slight frown appearing. "My dad owns the place."

She stared at him, trying to put it all together. "Your dad?"

"Now you see why an art degree would not be sufficient? I pretty much have to choose a business degree, or something closely related. As the oldest son, it is expected that I will take over the business empire, someday."

"That seems..." Raven searched for the right word. 

"Old school of thoughts?" Viktor prompted.

"Yeah." She set her empty bottle on the ground.

"It is, but our family goes way back," he replied.

"But can't you just do what you want? I don't understand?" Raven muttered angrily.

"In that case, I will have to start over with zero finances. Dad won't just cut me off finances, he will find a way to make sure I cannot get a job any higher than a cleaner or a porter at a poop farm," Viktor said.

"Poop farm?" Raven laughed.

He shrugged. 

"I have heard working there really sucks. Especially for the cleaners," Raven said.

The corners of his mouth twitched. "You get my point."

"Basically he has the power to get you rejected, no matter where you go?" Raven asked.

"Yep," he agreed.

"That is harsh," she said.

"It is what it is. So you will be ready at seven?" He rose and took her empty plate from her.

"Ten minutes early." She smiled.

A/N: To be continued...