This is an amazing piece of work by the incredible  VanityDragon here on FA. This artist is incredible, and I can't recommend them enough for their professionalism and hard work ethic. They keep you updated at every step of the process and give an accurate timetable for when to expect completion of each phase. Seriously, watch them, follow them, and commission them when they're open. It is well worth it, and their rates are very affordable.

Now that the praise and credit are out of the way, please enjoy my little blurb below for part one. There will be five parts total. And yes, I will eventually write a proper story for this sequence when I have the time. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy this! (FYI, this is fictional. I actually am pretty calm in most situations like this and happy to get to know new people.)

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I'm not exactly one for trick-or-treating. And most of the Halloween activities I go to now tend to be church-related for kids in primary (I like to volunteer). But this year, an old friend of mine convinced me to come out to a party with some gym buddies of his. Only problem is that he twisted my arm last minute. I didn't have a costume, and the stores were all out of anything my size that I'd be interested in.

My friend told me to just come as myself. He'd have something for me when I got there.

...

Let's just say that I wasn't amused when I arrived and couldn't find him. The room was full of people. And worse still, they all were big and muscular, just like my old friend. That tends to make a guy self-conscious. It didn't help that the gym bros found me and tried to get to know me better. They were ... very enthusiastic, and I needed an excuse to get away to de-stress for a while.

So, for lack of anything else to do, and wrestling with an extreme inferiority complex, I do what any other uncomfortable nerd would in that situation. I made a beeline for the punch bowl.

A quick drink and the chance to gather myself again. I send a text off to my friend.

Where are you?

He responds with, Running late. I'll be there soon. The guys treating you all right? I told them to keep an eye out for you.

That explains how they recognized me so easily. Though, it's not hard to spot the odd man out in a room like this. Naturally, I reply in kind. A little warning would have been nice. This is followed by an eye roll.

Give them a chance. They'll grow on you.

I sigh, place my phone in my hoodie pocket, and roll my eyes before taking another drink of the "potion" from the cauldron that is the party's punch bowl.

It's actually not that bad. Not quite sure about the flavor. Some kind of fruit or berry. I can't really even taste the tonic water, and the green floating in the purple makes me think of those weird water ink blot things you'd see in psychologists' offices that you flip over to watch the black sift down in different shapes and rates. That, and maybe a lava lamp.

A little of both, I guess?

My anxiety is spiking. It feels like everyone is watching me. I just hope I don't make a-- Aaaaaaaand I just dribbled out my mouth.

Greeeeeaaaaaat.....

Hopefully nobody saw that.

Better finish off the rest of this quick before people notice.