"I promise it won't happen again."

🌚

"Mani, what's up?" Tyler looks at his roommate gripping at the shirt around his chest.

Mani can feel a strange pulse in his head. It bangs within the walls of his skull, beating in rhythm with his heart. The lights of the club glow so bright in his eyes, blurring his vision. The loud music magnifies in his ears. "I need to get out of here Tyler. Right now!" He manages to utter, as he tries to keep his balance.

"Shit Mani, what did you drink?" Tyler says as he manages to sling his new friend's arm around his shoulder.

"J...just get me out of here." Mani repeats as the nausea begins to get a hold. He needed air and to get out of the growing crowd around him. The last thing he wanted was attention.

Tyler just about manages to push them both through the gathering crowds to the nearest exit. The cool air hits Mani's face like a welcome gift as almost straight away he begins to feel a vague sense of normal. He stands up a little straighter, with Tyler now dropping his arm from around his shoulder. "I'm good now... thanks." Mani says as he stretches out an arm to steady himself on the brick wall. His breathing slowly returns to normal.

"Shit, you had me worried. Are you sure you're ok?" Tyler looks at his new roommate he had just gotten to know barely 12 hours ago. "You know as we are gonna be roomies you seriously need to tell me if you have a bloody health condition. I don't want to wake up one morning to find you're dead on the bed next to me."

"I'm fine now, honestly!" Mani insists, trying to give Tyler the reassurance he wanted. "I promise it won't happen again." He insists.

"Well it better not, I was having a good time." He looks back at the club.

"Well, maybe we should avoid that one from now on. They must have spiked my drink or something." Mani says as he also looks back at the club.

"Maybe?" Tyler sighs. But you never put it down." He then looks at Mani more sternly. "Did you take something?"

"No! What do you take me for?" Mani says, rather offended by the suggestion.

"Well, I don't know you that well yet do I?" Tyler snaps back.

"Ok, ok sorry." Mani holds up his hands in defence. "I don't do drugs ok, I guess I just had a panic attack or something. I'm fine now. Campus is not far from here, I can make my own way home if you want to go back in."

"I can't do that." Tyler says with a heavy sigh.

"Look, you don't have to walk me back, I'll be fine, I promise." Mani insists.

"It's not that Mani." Tyler looks at his roommate with an annoyed look.

"Then what is it?" Mani asks.

"Look at the line to go in. It's huge. I'm not queueing up again." They now both look to see the long line of freshly faced students circling nearly half the block to get in. 'Jesus Mani, why did you choose 10:30 to have a moment? The night is young and I'm missing out."

Mani looks at Tyler with that look of hunger for the good times in his eyes. "Look, honestly, I'll be fine to go back myself." Mani then spots a familiar face in the line. "Look, I can see Matty and Cal. They're the room next to us. Go stand with them."

Tyler looks at Mani before looking back at the two guys. "Are you sure because now you're making me feel like a guilty son of a bitch."

"Just go. I want a quiet night. My head still hurts a little." Mani assures.

"I think we are gonna get along great!" Tyler says, as he pats a heavy hand on Mani's shoulder, to which Mani just gives a slight nod. He watches as Tyler joins the line mid way, before turning to head home.

The walk would give him time to process what had just happened. To get his head around things.

He had chosen this place to go to college, because it was full of humans, he had been through hell telling his parents that he wanted to be no part of any pack and being ousted because of it. He wanted to make his own way, to lead a life of his own merits, to choose who he fell in love with, not be told.

All of this felt like it was for nothing as that one word had filled his mind when in that club…

Mate