An Escape

[Cam Beckett]

Cam hurried up the stairs from the party and entered his dorm, breathing heavily. He ripped off his tie and flung it across the room, and started taking off his dress shirt, which was fairly drenched with sweat.

He took some deep breaths as he steadied himself on his desk, closing his eyes.

[Shari]

Shari's not too far behind, ready to be her usual kind of obnoxious self. At least until she sees Cam hunched over his desk.

"Hey, man... you alright?" she asks carefully instead.

[Cam Beckett]

"What do you want?" he asked, not turning around.

[Shari]

"Well... I dunno, you didn't seem too well. I thought you'd have more fun."

[Cam Beckett]

"Yes, it's oh so thrilling hearing about how much you guys have had sex and been nude and stuff like that. It's fascinating," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"The combined intellect down there would have trouble lighting up a 50-watt bulb."

[Shari]

"Well we're not trying to power anything. We're just having fun." Shari says with a shrug. Either she doesn't mind being called an idiot or she just didn't catch this being an insult.

[Cam Beckett]

"Don't let me stop you. Go! Waste your time, see what I care," he grumbled, flopping down on his bed.

[Shari]

"I dunno, you seem to care quite a bit..."

[Cam Beckett]

"You're obviously mistaken. Why should I care what the little people are doing downstairs?" he blustered. "It doesn't...doesn't matter to me! I'm fine; I have work to do. Important work! Future of humanity as we know it work! I don't have time for your stupid party."

[Shari]

"Fine... But your party's a blast, whether you care or not. And maybe everyone's gonna remember that they had fun tonight when you set the building on fire or turn all their wool-socks back into sheep or whatever."

[Cam Beckett]

"Not everyone is going to remember tonight as a good time, Shari," he said, using her name for the first time. "And it's best that you remember that."

[Shari]

"It takes a special kinda logic to ruin your own party, lemme tell ya..." she shakes her head as she turns to leave.

[Cam Beckett]

"It wasn't my party. It was yours."

[Shari]

"Only cause you didn't want it and I adopted it." she says as she heads out the door.

[Cam Beckett]

"Adopted it? You started it. You perverted scientific research into...into a boring "get to know you" game."