November 19th 2005

Charlie was preparing to go out with mates Darren and Chris to celebrate his 20th birthday. Though it was still a few days away, Charlie was leaving before hand to go on a trip with Tina. This night suited perfectly for everyone. Darren would meet Chris and Charlie at the nightclub, but Tina said she would already be there as she has a party before hand in the same club.

"You look really sexy." Chris said from behind Charlie who was buttoning up his best shirt. Charlie winked at him. Chris laughed.

"Thanks. When you meeting your boyfriend?" Charlie asked and looked in the mirror again, though it was pointless as Chris knew what made Charlie look good and what didn't. It came with the title of being a homosexual.

"He said he'll turn up whenever. This is your night remember, not mine." Chris said and came up close to Charlie. His hands grabbed on to Charlie's shirt and started to tuck them into his trousers. Anyone walking into the room at that point would think that something is up, but Charlie knows Chris won't do anything sexual and let's Chris carry on with it.

"Looks much better with the shirt tucked in. Shows off your backside. Are you going to wear a tie?" Chris asked. Charlie looked at him in disbelief.

" A tie? This is a nightclub not a formal do. I'll leave it like this." Charlie said and Chris smiled.

"I'm just going to brush my teeth. We'll go then." Chris said and walked out the door.

Charlie watched him leave and thought how much his life had changed since he had met Tina. He was madly in love with her, and he knew she was madly in love with him. They'd do anything for each other. Of course, as with everything, there is a downside. He knew that it was Tina's fault that he was a drug addict. He was snorting drugs almost every lunch time in college with Tina, though he was sure Darren and Chris suspected something. They had never mentioned it, but Darren was not keen on Tina at all. He was reluctant to come tonight while Tina was coming, but Chris persuaded him.

Ultimately, it was this drug addiction that had caused Charlie to fail college. From the bright promising student he was when he entered, the moment the drugs got into his system he stopped caring about college. Tina had introduced him to a fabulous new world and he did not want to leave. He was like a fly caught in a spider web. He was stuck and could not get away from the drugs as much as he tried, as they erode him from the inside until he is nothing more than a lifeless shell. He knew he had to stop, but it was hard, and Tina wanted him to join her all the time with her junkie friends. He'd do anything she asked. He was her dog.

Chris' life was more promising than Charlie's. He had come out of the closet completely and realised that no-one really cared if he was gay or not. He was a bit put down as he was expected a huge drama over the subject, but nevertheless he was accepted for who he was. He was still with his boyfriend who he had asked out in his first lecture of Philosophy. Chris was madly in love with his boyfriend, and many a time has grossed Charlie and Darren out with a full account of their sexual habits. They never spoke of this again as Charlie started fidgeting badly and Darren actually got up to throw up in the toilet, but came up to soon and threw up over a girl sitting at a table with her friend drinking coffee. She was not impressed.

Charlie got a tie from his rack. There was only three different ones anyway but had a look. He decided it was best to leave the Mickey Mouse one for this occasion and pulled out the other two. One was blue and one was black.

It's a party not a funeral, he thought to himself and put the black one away. He lifted up the collar of the shirt and started making his tie. Chris never got the hang of how he did his tie, but the Windsor Knot was quite simple. He had just pulled the long end of the tie through the loop when Chris entered the room again. Charlie pulled down his collar and pulled the tie up to the top of the shirt.

"Hell no. I think the shirt on its own is probably best." Chris said and Charlie removed the tie. It was a nightclub after all, but he just wanted Chris' opinion first as he is an expert in the field of fashion.

"Are we ready?" Charlie asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Chris said.

"What time is the taxi arriving?" Charlie asked. He always let Chris organise these things, as something always went wrong with Charlie.

"At 7.30." Chris replied and Charlie looked at his digital clock. It said 19.19. Charlie frowned.

"What?" Chris said noticing the frown, "It's only ten minutes!"

"It's not that." Charlie replied. The number put him on edge a little. He never understood why, but it always did.

"What is it then?" Chris asked. Charlie was not about to spoil his evening over his irrational fear of the number 19.

"Nothing. Doesn't matter." Charlie replied and went downstairs to have something quick to eat before leaving.

"I'm going to meet Richard. See you in a bit." Chris said as they left the taxi. Charlie looked around him. There was a massive queue outside the door to get in and the bouncers were only letting in some people. Obviously, some youngsters were trying to get in but had no I.D.

He was grateful that Tina had provided him with a special pass as this meant he could walk straight in without having to wait outside in the freezing cold.

He walked up to the nightclub and he could hear music coming from inside. He knew the song. He loved Alice Cooper, but wasn't so keen on the dance version of his song Poison. Nevertheless he knew the words.

"Your cruel device

Your blood like ice."

Charlie could feel himself singing along with the song and entered the nightclub. It was already full of people, but he spotted Darren waiting by the bar. He did not look happy at all.

"One look could kill,

My pain your thrill."

Charlie walked up to Darren and greeted him in a friendly fashion. He looked worried, but tried to hide it.

"I wanna love you but I better not touch."

Darren was looking in the direction of the dance floor. Charlie followed his eyes.

"I wanna hold you better my senses tell me stop."

Charlie walked on to the dancefloor, not believing what he was seeing.

"I want to kiss you but I want it to much."

He continued to walk slowly towards the middle of the dance floor, towards the girlfriend that he thought loved him.

"I want to taste you but your lips are venomous

Poison.

You're poison running through my veins, You're poison

I don't want to play these games, Poison."

He was almost right next to her now, but she hadn't noticed him. She was too busy having her tongue down this complete strangers throat while gripping his backside tightly. He thought this song was very apt for the situation. He could feel the anger swelling up in him. This was girl he had wasted his whole college years over.

They broke apart and Tina noticed for the first time Charlie was there. She could not miss the tears and anger in his eyes. He turned to walk away and she started shouting after him, trying to make him stop.

"I hear you calling but its needles and pins,

I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name."

He didn't stop or he would do as the song suggested and seriously hurt her and regret something. He walked straight past Darren who looked extremely upset. He noticed he did stop Tina in her tracks, as he realised that Charlie needed to be alone.

"Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin,

I want to kiss you but your lips are venomous,

Poison"

Charlie did not hear the rest of the song. He walked out the door and in any direction, as long as he got away from her. He had given his life up for her, and she went off with the first man she saw.

"Hey handsome." A voice said from behind him. For moment he thought it was Tina but turned around and saw that it was someone completely different.

"Marie's the name." Marie said and they both talked for what seemed like hours. Charlie forgot about Tina until Marie brought it up. He felt like crap this evening. What a birthday this turned out to be, Charlie thought.

"Do you want to come with me?" Marie asked Charlie.

"Why not?" Charlie said and followed Marie. He'll phone Chris or Darren tomorrow to let them know where he was. He had no idea what he was about to let himself into. He followed Marie into a house, not realising that he would never see Chris or Darren again, as he was about to have the adventure of a lifetime, though with great implications.