I can't believe I let Kylo drag me into bar-hopping with him and his college buddies, Tim and James. I don't think hanging out with guys is bad. I've always preferred staying home, reading books, listening to calming tones, enjoying my peace, and enjoying my time off from school and work. You can call me boring, I know. But I do enjoy exploring different kinds of bars and the guys seem like they're having fun. 

At first, I didn't want to participate in drinking cuz. 1.) I got to work in the morning. 2.) I have a meeting with the Great Council and mentor, Father Duke, to touch base with my progress and ties with my magic abilities the next night. 3.) I just know that I'll be the one to drive their drunken asses home tonight. Especially Kylo, who happens to be my roommate for a year and a half now. He can be loud and reckless but he's fun to be around and he has a good heart. If that wasn't the case, he wouldn't have to drag me out of the apartment and try to lift my spirits with laughs and beers with his friends. It is nice of him and I am grateful. 

The last few weeks have been whooping my ass. the beginning of the last days to prepare for finals. Kylo and I were studying non-stop, pulling numbers of all-nighters, and even drank all the coffee in the apartment. We were both determined to finish our semester strong and it was all worth it in the end. After all that, my brain was fried and my body wanted to crash onto my bed. As much as I wanted to do that so bad, my job and the Council won't let me rest.

I work part-time at some silly sports store at the local mall. It was fine at first until the store went under new management and it went south for the employees. The new rules are wack, the break times are shortened, and the new employees are lazy, hard to work with, and rude to the customers. I call bullshit how they didn't get fired yet. At least the one thing that didn't change is how well they're paying the employees. At least they're willingly paid their workers' good amount that works under them, unlike The Great Council does.

The Great Council acts differently once you hit adulthood. Back then, while you were under the state system and you were underlined as a supernatural being or a magic-user; you had to go to this program called " Tutelage for the Youth". Where you'll be assigned and link a connection with the same being like you but more advanced ranking as you like your mentor. These mentors will train you and help you acknowledge that magic can be used right for the sake of mankind. It's not wise to abuse those powers you have unless you wanna have a corrupt soul. A corrupted soul is something you don't want to be. Not only you'll lose your humanity or lead into insanity; you'll develop a hunger for human souls, more specifically human souls that give off any negative emotions. This can be tricky since humans seem to always give in to their negative emotions, either deliberately or not.

Meaning everyone ( who is human) can be a target for these corrupted beings and their hunger. That is when the Great Council steps in and sends forces like us whose protection in Louisiana is called " Boudreaux forces ". Every state and realm has its forces that handle corrupted soul-eating monsters. To not raise suspicion; they distinguished the organization as a Cathedral church, our mentors as priests and pastors, and us, their disciples. There are three ways to get rid of corrupted souls. 

1.) Trap them and exorcist them. Once you do that, they change back to normal and they won't remember what they did while they were turned. 

2.) Transmit that corrupted soul into an object and seal it. As it is sealed, it won't get out and cause harm unless the seal is broken. 

3.) Kill it. No one likes to do it but that's only the last resort if the corrupted soul is far from saving. 

Don't worry, you'll get used to it after years of doing it. I just wished I can get a higher ranking so I get paid more. But sadly, you can't advance and study in a regular University at the same time. It's too much work and I need more time to fully recover from that last mission. That last monster almost chew my head off if it wasn't for my familiars, Bistro and Choux. It's hard to do it solo, I know I can't always do it alone. I need a fellow partner. 

But right now; I need to relax and try to have a good time. As we're looking for a bar to hop to next then it starts to rain on us. We hurried and went to take shelter at a small bar. We all decided to stay here for a while, to wait out the rain. We took a seat at one of the booth seating areas and ordered some food and beers. Man, I never realized how hungry I was until the waiter set down a big, juicy, and appetizing-looking burger I had ever seen in front of me. I forgot I haven't eaten in 5 hours since we've been bar-hopping. Boy, I'm starving! I didn't hesitate to chow down on that burger. Aw man that burger was tasty as it looks. It was so damn good!

As we finished eating, Kylo suddenly stood up and raise his glass of beer. 

" I declare a toast!... That the finals are over and we can finally relax and celebrate like there's no tomorrow!" Nero spoke loudly with his big wasted smile.

Both James and Tim join in and raise their glasses too. 

" Here Here!" Tim preached.

" I can drink that. Cheers!" James added.

Oh to hell with it. I also raised my small glass of beer.

" Cheer to all of us that made it!"

We all clink our glasses together and drink up our beers. I decided to take in my surroundings and look around the bar as I was drinking my beer. It wasn't a second until I saw... Her.

There's a woman that is sitting by herself at the bar countertop. This woman looks...gorgeous. She's wearing a lace crop top, black dress pants, black open-toe boots, with a white lace choker, and wearing her hair in a braided updo. The shawty looks like a snack. Hmm, maybe I can try talking to her, at least I don't want her to be drinking by herself.

When I finished my drink and stood up.

"Hey, guys I'll be right back."

I excuse myself and start to head over in shawty's direction. I just hope she'll let me be her company and we could be drinking buddies. We'll see.