Chapter 3: An Emotional Hangover
3
The icy thunderstorm of cloudy confusion, lightning bolts of anger, and rain of despair in his head subside to blinding sunshine and a familiar face. Max stands over him in the dawning daylight. His stocky build keeps out most of the light from hitting his face. Confusion hits Rowen's face as he tries to get up from the concrete sidewalk. He could feel the gazes of other students linger on him as they carry on to the cafeteria for breakfast. The snickers of loathing and mockery surround the atmosphere around him.
"Where…where am I?" He manages to spit out. Even the little question seems to take an immense amount of energy out of him.
"You're like five feet from the entrance of our dorm, man. What happened to you this morning? Did you get drunk?" Max jabs with a smile and pulls him up off the ground.
At theses words he trembles in frustration and annoyance. He could never stand the thought of people always assuming the most pitiful thing that could happen when someone is found in a vulnerable situation like this one.
" Fuck you man." He mumbles. "You know I'll never drink."
"Easy man, just joking. Here let me help you back to the room. You look like a clown somehow had a walk of shame last night. You have 'spick' written in marker on your back, 'bitch can't hang' on your front, and 'fresh meat' with a dick written on your forehead. Fuckin' people man. With as many students as there were moving out today, you'd think someone would've reported them."
"Probably too busy recording." He agonizes in embarrassment and pain. He brings his hand to his face and wipes off a fresh, slimey loogie from his cheek. "Ugh fuck me."
"Hard pass mate. Besides, you don't have the time. Your test is in another hour. It's already 7am. Come on let's get you back. I don't have anything until 10 anyway."
As they stumble back to their dorm, Rowen feels as though someone took a sledgehammer to his forehead. The amount of pulsating pain makes him feel dizzy and hard to walk. Luckily for him Max was practically carrying him back to their room. Through the pain Rowen thinks about telling Max what happened but could not manage to put it into audible speech.
They walk down the hallways in the Old Victorian dorm and the walls seem to close in around them. The walls reverberate with sounds of stress, lust and routine-like boredom that only intensifies with every step they make. Rowen becomes even more dizzy, sweat breaks across his body and his heart beats out of his chest. He wipes his forehead with his hand transferring sweat and smudged marker onto his dirt covered sweatpants. Lights in the hallways start to flicker. A dull droning sound echoes down the hall.
"Stop….Stop… Max I need a minute." He stutters in a panic state lathered in exhaustion.
"Alright. Alright. You okay man? You really don't look good." Max says.
Max lets him down on a bench by a large stained-glass window. Upon Max's touch and the cool, relaxing touch of familiarity somehow shared with the window, Rowen begins to sense a feeling of momentary relief. It was much how throwing up temporarily relieves a hangover.
The window behind him depicts a cloaked figure kneeling by waves of blue. The figure's head hides under the hood of a cloak and is buried in two strained hands. It's supposed to be the hall icon. The figure named Empasic, the Selfless and every ray of light that manages to pass through reflects its sorrow.
" Yee….ye…yeah. I just need to breathe…. for a second. Mmm….may…be I have a hangover." He manages to get a small chuckle out.
"You and I both know that's bullshit. You can barely walk but your words aren't close to being slurred. You just need some rest. When we get back I'll get on your email and see if your Professor can reschedule your exam. Dr. Frieg right?" Max replies in a caring yet semi-humorous manner.
Rowen nods and smirks, "Yeah, thanks mom. Warm glass of milk too?".
" You know, if you didn't look like your mom had sex with your dad right now I'd slap the shit out of you." Max remarks.
" Ouch…. That stings a little. You… always…t…take it too far don't you?" Rowen gets out.
" Yeah well tough love you know? Someone's got to bring you back to reality. Its our dark sense of humor that makes us stand out anyways."
"Yeah that or YOUR….ugly mug." Rowen tries to exclaim.
"Fair enough….Come on let's get you back up. You do owe me the story though. Can't be a girl. You wouldn't know what to do with her. Couldn't be a guy. Your roommates' the best- looking guy around. Could it be an animal?" Max teases.
"Th…that is why…yo…you..are single and alone." Rowen glances. "Fuckin' sicko."
"Yeah well I've been called worse." Max claims and the two of them arrive at their room where Rowen knocks out as soon as his head hits the pillow.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone