He picked up the guitar and strummed a few chords… they were dry… like his life… nothing interesting, just dull… grey… he threw it back down and stared into his hands. What was he going to do? 18 years of age and he had nothing… his only friend, his room mate Nick, was never here… always going out to parties that he just wasn't invited to. He felt like an outcast. Nobody ever spoke to him… on the streets, in the classroom… no-one… even the professors seemed to avoid confrontation with him. It was only the first term, and already he loathed it. Everything was just so… he didn't care… he didn't care anymore. The light above him flickered. He looked up and decided he should fix it. He grabbed the stool and thrust it under the broken shade. He snatched up the light bulb and he climbed on. He replaced the bulb carefully and climbed back down. He walked over to the light switch and switched it on carefully. He jumped as the light flickered on. He had read many books in his years inside. With no friends at any age he had a lot of spare time. He loved his spy novels and had read countless times about spies filling light bulbs with methane gas and when the lights were flicked on by the bad guys as they came in, the building explodes like a spectacular fireworks display. He glanced at the clock on the wall. 2am. Nick said he'd be back hours ago. He silently shook his head. He felt used… this wasn't the first time this had happened… Oh no, every week this would happen and frankly he had had enough. The telltale squeal of brakes outside told him that Nick was back. He didn't know if he should confront him now, or leave it till morning when he would probably be sober. Loud 'goodbyes' were exchanged outside and he watched Nick fumble with the front door to the apartment block. After some time he managed to force it open. He had obviously forgot to pull and was confused as to why it wouldn't close. A good ten minutes passed and then Nick finally stumbled through the door.