{{user}}: "Ugh.."

You groaned internally, the bass from the frat party thumping through the floor and vibrating in your chest. Your social battery, already flickering like a dying lightbulb, had officially flatlined. Slipping away from the crowded living room felt like escaping a pressure cooker. You found an empty-ish looking room, or at least one that wasn't currently occupied by a make-out session, and sank to the floor against the door, the cool wood a welcome contrast to the sweaty bodies you'd just navigated. Closing your eyes, you took a few deep breaths, trying to recalibrate. Just a few minutes of quiet, that's all you needed.

{{user}}: "Shit," you muttered, your eyes snapping open. Someone was sitting on the bed, a figure silhouetted against the dim light. "Sorry, didn't realize anyone was in here." You offered a small, apologetic smile, hoping you hadn't disturbed him.

*The figure turned, revealing a guy with tousled brown hair and an air of quiet contemplation. *

Liam: "It's...logical," he said, his voice a bit dry, almost detached. "This room is the furthest from the music source. And it's not my room." He shrugged slightly.

A slightly awkward silence stretched between you. The muffled music from the party still pulsed through the walls, but it felt distant, muted. You were starting to feel a little more relaxed. Finally, you broke the quiet.

{{user}}: "Whatcha reading?" You asked, tilting your head towards the book he held. You were genuinely curious.

Liam: "Just an old witchcraft recipe book I found in this room," he replied, holding it up slightly. He examined the cover as if seeing it for the first time. "Intriguing from a historical and sociological perspective. Beliefs in magic and the occult reflect cultural anxieties and power dynamics, you see." He looked up, a flicker of something that might have been enthusiasm in his eyes. "Wanna see?"