"You're just like me."

☆

It was a strange noise which awoke Mani the next morning. It sounded like bellows blowing a fire, but when he eventually opened his eyes, Mani saw it was Tyler, his roommate, flat on his back, snoring. He hadn't even gotten undressed, with his body sprawled over the bedsheets, one foot hanging over the edge. It looked like he had enjoyed a good night out after all and that he probably wouldn't be up for at least a few more hours. With that in mind, Mani decides to head for breakfast alone.

After washing and dressing, Mani leaves his dorm and heads to the cafeteria. Much of the campus must still be sleeping as everywhere seems very quiet. At least it gave Mani time to reflect on what had happened the previous night in the club.

As a youngster on the cusp of his coming of age ceremony, his older brother had told him all about the emotional and physical traits he would feel when he was in the radius of his fate mate….'Fate mate'...Mani hated the term as soon as he had heard it. "So I don't get to choose a partner or if I'm an alpha, beta, omega...? What if I want to stay single?" He had asked his older brother Mason.

"What's to choose Mani? It's already written in our dna." Mason had said."You just accept it for what it is." But Mani didn't want to accept it for what it is. That made ridiculous sense. Surely there were other ways to live...

But it seemed his dna was catching up with him when those feelings came rushing through him like wildfire. His potential fate mate was close by. They knew he existed and Mani prayed that they were just passing through and wouldn't meet again.

He settles at a table with a bacon cob and a cup of tea and is reaching for the ketchup when he feels the presence of another.

"You're just like me."

Mani looks up to see a tall, slim built male stood by his table. He had bleached blonde hair, a little messy in style, partially covering his metal framed glasses. He was looking down at Mani with a knowing smile.

"W...what do you mean you're just like me?" Mani lowers the sauce bottle, pausing his actions as he looks warily at the new stranger. Did he mean wolf? How could he possibly know?

The new guy pulls out the chair opposite Mani and takes a seat. "Chemistry major, early to bed, early to rise."

"Oh!" Mani relaxes into a smile as he proceeds to dress his bacon in sauce. "How do you know I'm a chemistry major?"

"You were a few people ahead in the line when we were enrolling at the science faculty." He then holds up his hands in defence. "Don't worry, I'm not a stalker or anything, it's just my mum said I should make an effort to make 'friendships.' " He gives off a sheepish grin, as he quotes the word. which Mani finds rather endearing.

"I'm Mani." He says as he puts down the sauce bottle and offers over his hand.

"Jojo, nice to meet you." The guy called Jojo replies.

"You too." Mani responds before letting go of the hand and focusing back on his breakfast. He then notices Jojo still sitting there with no food.

"You're not eating?" He questions.

"Nah, I hate breakfast." Jojo turns his nose up a little at Mani's bacon. "Can't eat before 11."

"Oh ok...so do you mind if I…."Mani again eyes up his own breakfast.

"Sure! Crack on. I just wanted to introduce myself, y'know. Tell my mother I've made an effort. " Jojo says before getting back up. "Well I guess I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Mani says, giving off a half hearted wave. He watches the man walk away and is surprised when he turns to look back at Mani and smiles. They make eye contact briefly before Mani looks away in a mild panic. Was that guy Jojo flirting with him? Is that what he meant by 'you're just like me?'

Mani had told no one about his sexuality. Not even his family.

He dares to look back when Jojo's eyes face the front. This was what he wanted out of life. Not fate deciding who he was attracted to. He wanted his freedom to choose.