Peace and quiet were shortcoming.  No more than 10 minutes after JC’s arrival, Joey and Lance came bursting through the door.  His parents must have told them he was coming home today.

            “Jace!” Joey yelled as he dove for the couch.  “Man are we so glad to see you!  Here you almost died on us and you manage to come home just like normal!”  He grabbed JC into a chokehold and playfully messed up the man’s hair.  JC wasn’t in much of a mood, but decided to play along before his friends noticed that something was up.

            “Glad to see you’re ok, JC,” Lance said before coming over and giving JC a bear hug.

            “Jace man, you ok, you feeling up for something tonight?”  Joey suggested.    With Joey, JC knew exactly what he meant.  Dancing and drinks were sure to be on the menu.          “I mean, we outta celebrate your awesome recovery.”

            “Yea, sure,” JC replied.  He hadn’t thought much about his answer, but right then his thought process still hadn’t kicked into full throttle.

            “JC honey…” his mom started.

            “Mom, don’t worry I’ll be fine.  I won’t drink too much, I promise.”  Maybe it wasn’t the right decision, but anything had to be better than home.

***********************************************************

             Half an hour at the club and JC had already somehow managed to lose Lance and Joey.  It was hard to keep those two in one place, it was almost surprising he hadn’t managed to lose them earlier.  If he was right, Joey was probably out on the floor with a crowd of girls watching him goof off and Lance was at the bar quietly seducing someone.

            Usually for JC, a club was where he could let his wilder side loose.  Not so this time.  Tonight he never felt so lost and alone in his entire life.  The mass of bodies shoved him every which way until he was sure he could never find the front door again.  All he wanted to do was find the bar and grab a beer to ease his troubles, but that was just as great an impossibility.  He figured he’d probably blend in a little more if he took to dancing in the middle of wherever he was, but his body was too tense to move.  As people continued to grope against him, JC felt a panic attack coming on.  He tried to put his arms up to shove people out of the way, but he was only smushed in more.  His breathing was choppy, his pulse rising very quickly.  The blood was rushing to head and the throbbing of his heart overpowered the throbbing of the bass.  If he didn’t get out of there soon he was going to….

            “Jace!”  JC turned around to meet the voice behind him.

            “Where the hell have you been man?” Joey griped.  “You missed it man, I met these really hot chicks, and hell, I know I’m spoken for, you could’ve easily grabbed one of em..”

            “Joey,” JC panted.  “Get me out of here. Now.”

            “What the hell is wrong with you man?”

            “Just get me out of here.”