Karen Yuletide had absolutely no idea why she was wanted at the administration office of Moon Lake College. As far as she knew, everything was all right. Her tuition was definitely paid up, or else that problem would have arisen long ago. Her grades were great, and her love life was even better being engaged to Peter Talbot, with the love of her life planning to make the normal woman his werelioness during a romantic weekend the two of them had planned for the end of that week.
Maybe it's about the dorm situation, was all she could think of, knowing that since her roommate Jenny was now Mrs. Jenkins, that she would soon be moving in with her new husband permanently, leaving Karen alone in what was supposed to be space to accommodate two students.
Yet upon checking in at the front desk, Karen was shocked to be led to the office of the dean himself!
Inside the room, Dean Myers rose up from behind his desk to greet her. The fact that not only was her art professor there, but another man she didn't recognize just added to Karen's confusion.
"I suppose you're wondering why we're all here," said her art professor, stating the obvious.
Karen just nodded her head affirmatively as the dean introduced the man she didn't know.
"This is Chuck Avery of—"
"Amazing Animations!" exclaimed Karen, recognizing the name, if not the face. "I'm such a huge fan!" she declared, reaching out to shake the older man's hand. "Harry Hippo. Queen Bee and Dizzy Drone, and so many more."
"Always nice to meet a fan. Especially one who knows her toons," said Avery. "We haven't done a Harry or Queenie production in over a couple of decades."
"Those were just what you started out with when you formed your own studio after that other network stole Jumbo Jake away from you," replied Karen.
"Well, that's still a sore spot in our company history, so the less we talk about that, the better," said Avery.
"Ooops. Sure," said Karen.
"Anyway, what brings me out this way, besides the convention I attended in Seattle over the weekend, is that my studio is always looking for new talent, and your art professor was kind enough to submit some of your drawings for consideration," explained Avery.
"Really?" said Karen in disbelief. "But I haven't even completed my first semester toward my degree yet."
"You're that talented Miss Yuletide," replied her art professor, "and I feel you'll go very far in your chosen profession." Besides, the finder's referral fee certainly won't hurt my fiances, the professor silently added.
"We've all seen some of your work today," said Dean Myers. "Reminds me of a young lady who was a student here years ago. Still has a couple of works on display around the campus too*, and while I was unaware of it before then, you do have great talent."
"Thanks," said Karen, starting to blush.
"Anyway," said Avery, getting back to the business at hand. "I'd like to offer you a job with Amazing Animation. Good salary and benefits. Once you learn the production end of the business, you can head your own unit too."
"Oh. WOW!" replied Karen, totally flabbergasted.
"Can you move to Los Angeles over the coming weekend to start work next Monday?" asked Avery.
MEANWHILE...
Eric Anderson looked forward to the end of the school day, not because he hated any aspect of Moon Lake High, but because that meant he'd get to see his fiance Julie Stovall again.
As the dismissal bell for the day rang, he anxiously grabbed his books, made a brief stop at his locker to collect everything he'd need for his overnight homework assignments, and then walked as fast as he could legally get away within the school halls to head to the front of the building to meet the love of his life.
His heart seemed to skip a beat as he drew near her, but everything came to a crashing halt as Eric rounded the last corner and saw Julie standing there waiting for him while talking to Arthur Curtis.
"So anyway, I thought we'd both do some research independently tonight on our report, and then compare notes in class tomorrow," suggested Arthur, while Eric approached.
Eric couldn't help wondering what it was about Arthur that had him... concerned.
Or was it jealousy?
The other teenager was a fellow Freshman, as well as a fellow weremer like both Eric and his fiance.
Yet while Eric still retained his brown hair after joining were society, Arthur was a blonde like Julie and a couple of inches taller than both of them.
"Why wait till tomorrow?" asked Julie. "Do you have Skype?"
"Yeah," replied Arthur, before Julie offered to give him her contact information on that network.
Wait! Isn't Skype OUR special place to talk? wondered Eric, as Julie found pen and paper in her purse to write out the info.
"Okay, here you go," said Julie, handing Arthur the info. Then she finally noticed Eric standing there. "Hey Eric. Ready to walk home?" she asked.
"Err, yeah," was all Eric could say, while staring at her.
"Good. Turns out Arthur's house is on the way, so he'll be walking part of the way with us. Okay?" asked Julie.
Eric just simply shrugged his shoulders, uncertain of what, if anything, to say.
"Okay. Let's go," said Julie, as she started walking toward the exit.
And behind the three of them, an interested party was observing the exchange.
Eric, huh? thought the female Sophomore student, as she watched the three students leave. I wonder how good he is in bed? she asked herself, before leaving the school building to go get her vehicle out of the student parking lot.
TO BE CONTINUED...
*And the lady was Ben Twist's biological mother!—tmw.