Finals were finally over. I was relieved. In fact, I think the whole student body was. To celebrate that no one had snuffed themselves during the term, parties were being held both on and off campus. I had been invited to a few, but going to parties wasn't my thing. Instead, I settled on going to the bar with my friends and have a few drinks with them. I had this image I needed to keep. Seen at the wrong place could ruin it and that was something I couldn't afford. I was young, but I was privileged to be even going to school on a scholarship.
The bar had already been packed by the time I arrived. In the back, my friends waved me over. Before heading to them, I got myself a beer. Korra and Mako sat next to each other. He had his arm wrapped around her, holding her close as he laughed hard at Bolin. That man was always joking. One of the reason why I loved him. I joined in on the laughter and sat next to Bolin. It felt so good to be with them than in my dorm studying hard. We laughed and talked about everything. It went from talking about the classes we most likely failed to our plans for Christmas break. Korra and Mako were going to Korra's hometown. As for Bolin, he was going to his grandma's and spend Christmas with his family.
I envied all three of them. It was something I would never mention nor admit to if asked. For this Christmas, my plans were easy to list. Alone in my room. Just like previous Christmas' I had spent since starting university. Although I had a close relationship with my friends, it was something I never talked about. I'm sure as the years dragged they figured something was up when it came to our families, but they never had enough courage to ask. If not enough courage, they might have been to full of fear. If it was fear, I wouldn't know what they would fear. The answer or my reaction to their questions.
Shots came and shots went. I laughed at Bolin when he told me to take it easy. "Don't be so prune," I told him. Korra slapped her leg at my joke. Like it was the funniest thing she ever heard. We continued our drinking, our laughter and enjoying each other's company. At a certain point, I realized enough was enough. My cheeks burned and my hands were numb from all the drinking I had just endured. "That's a night for me," I said to everyone. They begged me to stay, but everything that passed my lips came out in slurs. I waved my goodbye and stepped into the cold air. Believe it or not, I was thankful for the amount of alcohol in my system. With this, I was able to brace the cold. I barely felt the cold chill I was sure was in the wind.
I leaned against the brick wall to catch my breath. A burn started to build in my throat and my stomach began to weigh me down. As expected, all of the alcohol I had to drink was soon to make its way up. I pressed my hand against my stomach and walked to the alleyway. My hand pressed on the brick wall to give me balance when I started to dry heave. Nothing was coming up and I needed it to. With my tongue, I pushed it all the way in the back of my mouth to make myself gag. That was all it took and everything was on the snow covered concrete and my favourite pair of boots. Once again, I began to heave as I finished vomiting.
The drunken state I was in before had left and spilled onto the concrete along with the vomit. How funny. I thought to myself. My mouth was dry and I wiped my lips as I stood up straight. From behind me, I could hear something being sprayed and because I wasn't all there, I thought someone was doing their hair outside like a fool. Which was a terrible thought, but curiosity got the best of me and I turned around and saw someone dressed in all black with a spray can in his left hand. On the brick wall, there was one side of wings painted. I was stunned and without thinking, I blurted out, "What the fuck are you doing?"
He looked at me like I was the crazy one. "What do you mean? Isn't it obvious what I'm doing?" He said with a click in his voice. I shook my head and walked over to him.
"Why the wing?" I questioned ignoring the fact that he was vandalizing public property. From the distance, a siren could be heard and the next thing I can recall is running down the alleyway while this guy I never spoke to before held my hand. We ran until I couldn't even function anymore and I was on the ground laughing. I tried to catch my breath, but the laughter made it cease to exist. Looking back on it, laying on the snow, laughing my head off, I probably looked like I popped some Molly before leaving the bar.
The mystery guy laid next to me and his eyes lit up into the sky. He had a dark green and black scarf covering his face from the nose down, but I knew that he was smiling. Oh, and his eyes, they were a bold, emerald green and I couldn't help myself but stare at him. Before I could ask him his name, he stood up and held his hand out for me.
"Come on, you're getting all wet." I grabbed his hand and was lost in his voice. As began to walk again, our conversation also began. He introduced himself as Wei. He wasn't taking off scarf and claimed that he was cold, but I had a feeling he wanted to still be a mystery. What led to that thought was because I gave him my last name and he wouldn't. Life's life, I supposed.
"You're trying to be this big time artist?" I asked to clarify. He nodded. That was something we had in common. We were both tried to be someone in this world. To matter to someone. I didn't feel alone when I was with him. By then, we sat on an empty bench and I had a mickey of vodka with orange juice to chase it. I was the only one drinking, but I didn't mind. The night continued and after a certain point, I forgot where I was until I opened my eyes and saw brick walls. I was in a place I couldn't recognize.